Bhowanipore bypoll hearing in Calcutta HC set for next week

 Sabyasachi Chatterjee claimed that the EC had announced the bypoll date on the basis of a letter sent by the Bengal chief secretary

Calcutta High Court.: File photo

Tapas Ghosh   |   TT  |  Calcutta   |  14.09.21: Calcutta High Court rejected a plea to hear on Monday itself a petition seeking judicial intervention in alleged irregularities on the part of the Election Commission of India in declaring bypoll only to the Bhowanipore Assembly constituency when by-elections were pending for two other seats in Bengal.

Before fixing the hearing on September 20, Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal, who headed a division bench, told the petitioner: “Notification declaring Bhowanipore bypoll date was published a few days back. Why didn’t you come then?”

The petition was moved by advocate Sabyasachi Chatterjee. The Bhowanipore bypoll is scheduled for September 30.

Chatterjee claimed that the Election Commission had announced the Bhowanipore bypoll date on the basis of a letter sent by the Bengal chief secretary. The petitioner asked why the chief secretary had not sought dates for all constituencies where bypolls were due.

In reply, state advocate-general Kishore Dutta said: “After declaration of bypoll dates, courts do not have power to entertain such a petition.”

He also argued that to avoid a constitutional crisis, immediate bypoll to the Bhowanipore constituency was necessary.

Advocate Ramaprasad Sarkar moved another petition on Monday, seeking an order for postponement of the bypoll as the Covid-19 pandemic was still prevailing in the state.

The court asked him to come with his petition after six months.