Calcutta HC Admits Mamata’s Bhawanipur Poll Challenge

The Calcutta High Court admitted an election petition filed by Trinamool Congress chief and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday, challenging the result of the Bhabanipur Assembly seat in the 2026 West Bengal elections.

Banerjee lost to Suvendu Adhikari by a margin of 15,105 votes and alleged irregularities in the counting process and “corrupt practices” including bribery, undue influence and spreading enmity.

Adhikari later became West Bengal’s Chief Minister after the BJP’s statewide victory.

Banerjee personally visited the High Court registry on Tuesday to “affirm” the petition, accompanied by TMC leaders Dola Sen, Kunal Ghosh and Derek O’Brien.

On behalf of Mamata, TMC MP and senior counsel Kalyan Banerjee argued the case and pointed out that the same Returning Officer who conducted the 2021 Nandigram count was posted in Bhabanipur for 2026.

Mamata had lost to Adhikari in 2021 at Nandigram and subsequently filed a petition which remains subjudice at the Calcutta HC.

BJP criticised the move calling it "desperate", saying Banerjee “refuses to accept the results” and terming the petition an “attack on the mandate”, insisting allegations of EVM tampering are baseless.