A politically sensitive hearing over the Bhabanipur Assembly election has drawn fresh attention after TMC MP and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee raised serious allegations in the Calcutta High Court, questioning the neutrality of election-related officials and the fairness of the electoral process.
The arguments were made during proceedings linked to the 2021 Bhabanipur election result, where Banerjee alleged that administrative decisions and post-election appointments created a “likelihood of bias” and raised doubts over institutional independence.
“Bias and quid pro quo” allegations raised in court
Banerjee told the court that certain officials who were earlier associated with election supervision were later given positions within the state administrative setup. He argued that such movements could create perceptions of quid pro quo arrangements and compromise neutrality in election-related processes.
He specifically referred to changes involving former election officials who later held roles connected to the Chief Minister’s Office, arguing that such developments needed judicial scrutiny.
Claims of voter list deletions and impact on results
The senior advocate also alleged large-scale deletions in the voter list of the Bhabanipur constituency, claiming that tens of thousands of names were removed ahead of the election. He argued that these deletions could have influenced the final outcome, especially given what he described as a relatively narrow victory margin.
He further raised concerns over the role of election observers, alleging irregularities during the electoral process and demanding accountability over voter roll revisions.
Demand for CCTV, EVM and VVPAT preservation
A key focus of the argument was the preservation of election evidence. Banerjee urged the court to ensure that all CCTV footage from counting centres, along with EVM and VVPAT records, be securely preserved for verification.
He also cited allegations of disturbances at counting locations, stating that video evidence would be crucial in determining what occurred during the counting process.
Court orders preservation of records
The Calcutta High Court reportedly accepted the plea for safeguarding evidence and directed the Election Commission, Chief Electoral Officer, and Returning Officer to preserve all relevant CCTV footage and election materials.
The court also instructed respondents to file detailed affidavits within four weeks, with the matter scheduled for further hearing after a short interval.
Next hearing to intensify scrutiny
The case is expected to continue drawing political attention as it moves forward, with questions of electoral transparency, administrative conduct, and procedural integrity now under judicial examination.
