The Calcutta High Court has issued a significant directive in the Bhawanipur election case involving West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. On Tuesday, the court ordered that all CCTV footage from the counting center must be preserved and can't be deleted. This decision comes after Mamata Banerjee filed a petition challenging the election results and alleging widespread rigging during the counting process, while justice Gaurang Kanth, presiding over the matter, emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the evidence and scheduled the next hearing for two months from now.
The Legal Challenge and Election Background
Mamata Banerjee had moved the Calcutta High Court to challenge her defeat in the Bhawanipur constituency. In the election, she lost to BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari by a margin of 15105 votes. Following this outcome, she filed a lawsuit claiming that the results were influenced by irregularities. During the court proceedings, her legal team argued that the counting process was fair only up to a certain point, after which the situation changed drastically. Specifically, it was noted that Mamata Banerjee was leading the count after 12 rounds of voting, but the trend shifted unexpectedly in the subsequent rounds.
Arguments Presented by Kalyan Banerjee
Senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee, representing Mamata Banerjee, presented detailed arguments before the High Court. He requested the court to issue an order promptly and ensure a speedy resolution of the case, while kalyan Banerjee highlighted the events of the counting day, stating that everything was proceeding normally until the 12th round. He claimed that after this point, the atmosphere became hostile. According to the lawyer, Trinamool Congress agents were allegedly beaten and forcibly removed from the counting center, while he further alleged that central forces assisted BJP agents in this process, leading to an abnormal shift in the results starting from the 13th round. He emphasized that all these records are captured in the CCTV cameras.
Allegations Against Election Officials
The petition also raised serious concerns regarding the conduct of election officials. Kalyan Banerjee claimed that the Returning Officer for Bhawanipur was the same individual who served as the election officer in Nandigram, despite objections being raised. He pointed out that this official was later appointed as a Joint Secretary in the Chief Minister's Office. Also, he mentioned that the then Chief Electoral Officer of the state was subsequently given the post of Chief Secretary. These appointments were cited as part of the broader context of the legal challenge against the election machinery.
Specific Incidents and Requests for Evidence
The court was informed about specific instances of violence, including the alleged beating of Suryaneel and another counting agent of Mamata Banerjee, while kalyan Banerjee asserted that despite calling the General Observer to intervene, no action was taken at the time. Consequently, the legal team applied for an interim order to secure all relevant evidence, including CCTV footage and Electronic Voting Machines. The lawyer urged the judge to change the public perception that such election cases often remain unresolved for long periods, requesting a swift and decisive order. Justice Gaurang Kanth's order to preserve the CCTV footage serves as a critical step in this ongoing legal battle, ensuring that the digital evidence remains intact for future scrutiny.