WB CM’s challenge to Suvendu Adhikari’s win from Nandigram: Calcutta HC issues notice

THE Calcutta High Court Wednesday issued notice to BJP's Suvendu Adhikari on an election petition filed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee challenging the former's victory from Nandigram in the West Bengal Assembly election 2021.

A single-judge bench of Justice Shampa Sarkar also issued notice to the Election Commission. She also directed the concerned authorities to preserve all documents, election papers, devices, video recordings, etc during the pendency of the petition.

Earlier, the matter had come up before Justice Kausik Chanda who chose to remove himself from the matter after Banerjee sought his recusal on the ground of his alleged proximity with the BJP when he was a lawyer.

In her plea, Banerjee has sought that the Nandigram results be declared null and void on the following grounds-

1. Indulgence by Adhikari and his party in corrupt practices including bribery
2. Using religion in the election campaign for polarisation
3. Promoting hatred between the Muslim and Hindu communities.

She further alleged discrepancies in the counting procedure and form 17C. The role of the Election Commission of India(ECI) is questioned for its decision against her request to recount votes.

"Suvendu Adhikari has indulged in several corrupt practices that have enhanced his winning chances and materially altered  Mamata Banerjee's chances of success in the election," the petition read.

Senior advocate Soumendra Nath Mukherjee appeared for Banerjee.