Papia Mondal (Bibi) And ANR. v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

SL 25 04.08.2023 AGM In The High Court At Calcutta Constitutional Writ Jurisdiction Appellate Side W.P.A 17505 of 2023 Papia Mondal (Bibi) & Anr.

-versus The State of West Bengal & Ors.

Ms. Salma S. Shah ...For the Petitioners.

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

Mr. Lalit Mohan Mahata Mr. Jagabandhu Roy ... For the State.

Affidavit-of- service filed today in Court be kept with the record.

The petitioners contested the Panchayat General Elections, 2023.

They allege that there are discrepancies in the number of votes polled and the number of votes counted.

Objection was lodged before the respondent authority on 14th July, 2023.

The petitioners pray for consideration of the same.

It appears that the result of the election was declared on 11th July, 2023 whereas the complaint was lodged long after the date of declaration of the result.

Had there been a genuine grievance, complaint ought to have been lodged immediately.

As complaint was lodged before the concerned authority long after declaration of the results, accordingly, the prayer of the petitioners for consideration of the representation cannot be allowed. The writ petition fails and is hereby dismissed. Dismissal of the writ petition will however not stand in the way of the petitioners 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.)