Calcutta High Court strict on Mamta Banerjee’s petition, ordered to keep EVM and CCTV footage safe

Kolkata: Calcutta High Court on Tuesday gave an important order while hearing Mamata Banerjee’s election petition. The court accepted the petition challenging the results of Bhawanipur assembly elections. Mamata Banerjee had lost this seat to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari.

Court gave strict instructions to Election Commission   

According to media reports, the single bench of Justice Gaurang Kant directed the Returning Officer of the Election Commission to keep all the EVMs, VVPAT machines related to Bhawanipur seat and CCTV footage of the counting center Sakhawat Memorial School safe.

The court clearly said that no electronic or physical evidence related to the counting of votes held on May 4 will be erased or destroyed without permission. The bench said that Mamata Banerjee has locus standi in this case because she herself was both a candidate and voter from that seat.

Mamta alleged irregularities in vote counting   

During the hearing, senior lawyer Kalyan Banerjee, appearing on behalf of Mamata Banerjee, raised questions on the vote counting process. He said that till the 12th round, Mamata was leading by 7800 votes.

But during the 13th round, Suvendu Adhikari came into the counting hall and created a ruckus. It is alleged that he threw out the agents of the opposing party. After this there was a sudden change in the count. The lawyer said that keeping the CCTV footage safe will reveal the truth.

Questions raised on returning officer also   

The petitioner’s lawyer also accused the returning officer of bias. He said that the officer who was appointed in Bhawanipur had also played a controversial role during the Nandigram elections in 2021.

On this, Justice Kant said that his elder brother is the spokesperson of BJP, so if the petitioner wishes, the matter can be sent to another bench. But Mamta said that she has full faith in the judge.

Next hearing after three weeks  

The court has ordered to send notice to all the parties and has fixed the next hearing of the case after three weeks. In her petition, Mamata Banerjee has accused Suvendu Adhikari of bribery, undue influence and manipulation in vote counting. Mamata Banerjee lost in Bhawanipur elections by 15,105 votes. Now after this order of the court, the matter has once again come into limelight.