  We study non-axisymmetric oscillations of rapidly and differentially rotating
relativistic stars in the Cowling approximation. Our equilibrium models are
sequences of relativistic polytropes, where the differential rotation is
described by the relativistic $j$-constant law. We show that a small degree of
differential rotation raises the critical rotation value for which the
quadrupolar f-mode becomes prone to the CFS instability, while the critical
value of $T/|W|$ at the mass-shedding limit is raised even more. For softer
equations of state these effects are even more pronounced. When increasing
differential rotation further to a high degree, the neutral point of the CFS
instability first reaches a local maximum and is lowered afterwards. For stars
with a rather high compactness we find that for a high degree of differential
rotation the absolute value of the critical $T/|W|$ is below the corresponding
value for rigid rotation. We conclude that the parameter space where the CFS
instability is able to drive the neutron star unstable is increased for a small
degree of differential rotation and for a large degree at least in stars with a
higher compactness.
