The Calcutta High Court on Friday decided that the petition filed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, challenging the Nandigram Assembly poll result, will be heard on June 24.
Mamata had lost the polls to her protégé and now rival in BJP, Subhendu Adhikary, by a thin margin. The Trinamool Congress president had alleged that there was tampering of the EVM machines and demanded for a recount of votes, which was turned down by the concerned Election Commission officer in the state.
The West Bengal Chief Minister had further alleged that standard procedures were not adhered to during the election process, as well as during the counting and that no satisfactory reason was given by the EC, while turning down the demand for a recount.
Earlier, Ms Banerjee had said that the court will be approached in this matter and this has now landed before the High Court. The matter was listed for today, but the Court decided that it would take it up later.
The drama during the poll process, as well during the counting was intense. Initially, an EC official had even announced that Mamata had won by a small margin. However, soon this decision was overturned and Subhendu was declared the winner.
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The demand for a recount came immediately after that from the Trinamool Congress. However, the EC said it will not do a recount and closed the issue.
BJP, which spent all its force and expense during the campaign for Bengal, was slammed as TMC won 213 seats – its highest ever – but Mamata was yet to be an elected leader. She has time on her hands yet, to win from another constituency.
Source: ILNS