Kolkata HC defers Mamata's plea challenging Nandigram poll

The Kolkata High Court on Friday deferred a hearing on a petition sought by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee challenging her defeat in Nandigram seat in the state Assembly polls to June 24, NDTV reported.

Mamata had lost the Nandigram seat to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari, her former close aide who had joined the saffron party before the elections. 

Justice Kaushik Chanda's single-judge bench ordered Mamata's lawyer to serve copies of the election petition to the opposing parties. He also adjourned the hearing until June 24.

On Thursday, Mamata filed a petition to The Kolkata High Court High Court challenging the polling process in the Nandigram assembly constituency. 

The chief minister, in her petition, sought that Suvendu Adhikari's election win be nullified under three grounds -- commission of corrupt practices including bribery, promotion of hatred and enmity, seeking votes on the basis of religion and booth capture; there were also discrepancies in the counting procedure and discrepancies and non-compliance in Form 17C, which is the account of votes recorded and the result of counting, NDTV reported.

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

There was massive confusion surrounding the results of the seat on the day of the counting on May 2. The confusion emerged after it was reported around 4:30pm, local time, that Mamata had won the seat by a margin of 1,200 votes though the counting of votes was under progress. Later, the Election Commission declared that Adhikari had defeated Banerjee by a margin of 1,956 votes.

Mamata had then alleged “looting and cheating” in the counting process. The Trinamool Congress had sought to recount votes – a request the Election Commission denied. Mamata had said that she will move the court against the result.

The Trinamool Congress, however, secured a landslide victory in the state elections, winning 213 constituencies – way beyond the majority mark of 148 – in the 294-seat Assembly. Banerjee became the chief minister for the third consecutive term.