Representing the TMC, senior advocate Kalyan Bandhopadhyay informed a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi that in at least 31 constituencies, the BJP’s winning margin over the TMC was less than the number of voters eliminated from the electoral rolls during the SIR process, as reported by Live Law.
He noted that in several districts, the quantity of deleted voters was ‘almost identical’ to the margin of defeat faced by TMC candidates.
Mentioning a specific constituency, the senior advocate stated that a TMC candidate lost by 862 votes while over 5,400 voters were removed from the rolls for review. He also asserted in court that the total vote difference between the BJP and the TMC across constituencies was approximately 32 lakh votes, while nearly 35 lakh appeals regarding deletions remained unresolved in appellate tribunals.
Bandhopadhyay further referenced an earlier comment made by Justice Bagchi during the hearings. The judge had indicated that if the victory margin in a constituency was lower than the number of deleted voters, it might necessitate judicial examination.
After considering the plea, the Supreme Court permitted former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and others to submit new applications concerning their claims.
“Whatever you wish to assert about outcomes, deletions, etc., this warrants an independent IA (interim application),” Justice Bagchi remarked, as reported by PTI.
Justice Bagchi added that any statement from the Election Commission asserting that an election petition was the solution could be included in the EC’s response in its counter-affidavit.
This court hearing unfolded amidst a political controversy in West Bengal after TMC leader Mamata Banerjee suggested establishing a united opposition front against the BJP. However, this proposal was promptly dismissed by the Congress, the Left Front, and the CPI-ML (Liberation).
“Absolutely not. We will not accept anyone labeled as criminal, extortionist, corrupt, or communal. We will support the populace and marginalized groups,” CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim stated, according to Hindustan Times.
The Congress also condemned Banerjee’s comments. State Congress spokesperson Soumya Aich Roy questioned her mention of ‘ultra-Left’ parties while extending the invitation.
“We can’t believe our ears. You invited national parties, presumably the Congress, Left, and the ultra-Left to join you. What do you mean by ultra-Left? Do you refer to the Maoists, who killed 18 Congress leaders and workers in Chhattisgarh on May 25, 2013?” Roy questioned.
These developments emerged after BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari took the oath as Chief Minister of West Bengal following the party’s triumph over the TMC in the assembly elections.
