Tonuja Khatun v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

SL 23 18.07.2023 AGM In The High Court At Calcutta Constitutional Writ Jurisdiction Appellate Side W.P.A 16765 of 2023 Tonuja Khatun -versus The State of West Bengal & Ors.

Mr. Ajitesh Pandey Ms. Monidipa Mondal Mr. Zohaib Rauf Mr. Zubeen Pandey ...For the Petitioner.

Ms. Sonal Sinha, Mr. Tarun Kumar Chatterjee Mr. Sujit Gupta Mr. Sayan Datta Mr. Soumen Chatterjee ...For the State Election Commission.

Mr. Santanu Mitra ...For the State.

The petitioner contested the Panchayat General Elections, 2023 from Jagtai-II Gram Panchayat. The petitioner submits that from the Form 18 signed by the Presiding Officer on 8th July, 2023, it appears that the total number of votes which were polled is 1264. From the result sheet it appears that only 1172 votes were counted.

The petitioner submits that she lost by 57 votes. All total 92 ballot papers were not counted at all. It appears that the petitioner is yet to lodge a formal complaint before the competent authority highlighting her grievances.

In view of the above, the instant writ petition is disposed of granting liberty to the petitioner to lodge formal complaint before the State Election Commission giving details of the documents relied upon by the petitioner supported by proper facts and figures. In the event such a complaint is lodged by tomorrow, the same shall be considered by the State Election Commission at the earliest but positively by 2nd August, 2023.

A formal order shall be passed and communicated to the petitioner immediately thereafter. The writ petition stands disposed of.

Urgent certified photocopy of this order, if applied for, be supplied to the parties expeditiously on compliance of usual legal formalities.

( Amrita Sinha, J.)