Ranjit Nath v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

SL 66 01.08.2023 AGM In The High Court At Calcutta Constitutional Writ Jurisdiction Appellate Side W.P.A 17349 of 2023 Ranjit Nath -versus The State of West Bengal & Ors.

Mr. Lokenath Chatterjee Mr. Rahul Sarkar Ms. Dipika Sarkar Mr. Siddhant Srivastava Ms. Tatini Sengupta ...For the Petitioner.

Mr. Tarun Kumar Chatterjee Mr. Sujit Gupta Mr. Sayan Datta Mr. Soumen Chatterjee ...For the Election Commissioenr.

Mr. Lalit Mohan Mahato Mr. Ziaul Haque ... For the State.

The petitioner contested the Panchayat General Elections, 2023.

The petitioner prays for recounting of votes on the ground that huge number of ballot papers were found elsewhere rather than inside ballot boxes and several ballot papers without the signature of the Presiding Officer were treated as valid votes. An objection is alleged to be submitted before the Panchayat Returning Officer but the same does not bear any seal or signature of the receiving authority. In view of the above, no relief can be granted to the petitioner in the instant writ petition.

The writ petition fails and is hereby dismissed.

Dismissal of the writ petition will, however, not stand in the way of the petitioner to approach the appropriate forum by way of an election petition for redressal of her grievances, if so advised.

The CCTV/Video footages and the ballot papers in respect of the concerned constituency shall be properly preserved and be produced before the Court as and when directed.

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

( Amrita Sinha, J.)