Calcutta HC Dismisses Petition To Stay Bhabanipur Bypoll, Asks EC To Hold Election As Per Schedule

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is a contestant for the Bhabanipur assembly seat.

Calcutta High Court. (File Photo)

New Delhi: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday dismissed the petition seeking cancellation of the Bhabanipur bypoll election. The Calcutta HC further said that the Bhabanipur bypoll will be held as per the schedule on September 30, 2021.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is a contestant from the hotly talked about Bhabanipur Assembly seat.

A division bench led by Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice R Bharadwaj observed that the letter drafted by the West Bengal chief secretary requesting the Election Commission to hold the Bhabanipur bypoll was inappropriate, as per PTI.

The court further appealed to the Election Commission (EC) to conduct the Bhabanipur bypoll as per the schedule announced.

Earlier on Thursday, the High Court had directed the EC regarding the notification issued on September 4, in which it was mentioned that the West Bengal Chief Secretary had urged the Election Commission of India to conduct the Bhabanipur by-poll election.

In the letter, it was mentioned that if the Bhabanipur by-poll election will not be held, it could create a constitutional crisis in the state.

Petitioner Sayan Banerjee alleged that the letter was a clear violation of the constitution and thus will impact or influence the Bhabanipur electorate.

EC in its statement said that the petitioner is trying to mischaracterise the meaning of the constitutional exigency, emphasizing that the term does not mean to persuade or influence voters.

(With input from Agencies.)