42 Days After Bhabanipur Shocker, Mamata Banerjee Challenges Election Result In Calcutta HC

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday moved the Calcutta High Court challenging the result of the Bhabanipur Assembly election, escalating her legal battle against a verdict that dealt a major blow to the party and ended her long hold over one of its strongest bastions.

According to reports, Mamata personally visited the Calcutta High Court to sign documents before filing the election petition challenging the outcome of the recently concluded Assembly polls.

The petition seeks judicial scrutiny of the Bhabanipur result, where BJP leader and current West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari defeated Mamata by more than 15,000 votes in one of the most closely watched contests of the election. Official Election Commission data showed Adhikari winning the seat by a margin of 15,015 votes.

Allegations Of Electoral Malpractice

Mamata has reportedly raised allegations of electoral malpractice and questioned the conduct of the election process in Bhabanipur.

The plea reportedly cites concerns over the role of central forces deployed during the election and refers to reports alleging that the Election Commission's actions influenced the electoral process. The petition is also understood to have sought the court's attention towards recent incidents involving Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), including reports of EVMs being destroyed in a fire, which the TMC has repeatedly cited while questioning the integrity of the electoral process.

The challenge is in line with Mamata’s post-election stand that the Bhabanipur verdict was not a fair reflection of the people's mandate. Soon after the results, she publicly alleged large-scale irregularities and accused the Election Commission of acting unfairly during the election process.

Battle For A Former Stronghold

Bhabanipur has long been considered synonymous with Mamata’s political rise in Kolkata and has repeatedly delivered victories for the TMC supremo. The constituency assumed even greater significance in 2021 when Mamata returned to the Assembly through a bypoll from Bhabanipur after losing the high-profile Nandigram contest.

The 2026 election, however, produced a dramatically different outcome, with Suvendu Adhikari wresting the seat from Mamata and handing the BJP a symbolic as well as political victory.

Rivalry With Suvendu Continues

The latest legal move marks another chapter in the long-running political rivalry between Mamata and Adhikari.

In 2021, Adhikari had emerged as the "giant killer" after defeating Mamata in Nandigram. Banerjee subsequently challenged that result in court and legal proceedings relating to the Nandigram contest have remained part of the wider political battle between the two leaders.

The Bhabanipur petition comes against the backdrop of an ongoing political crisis within the TMC, with the party grappling with defections, internal dissent and challenges to its organisational structure following its defeat in the Assembly elections.

What Happens Next?

Election petitions are adjudicated under provisions of the Representation of the People Act and allow courts to examine allegations relating to electoral misconduct, irregularities, counting procedures and violations of election law.

The Calcutta High Court is expected to examine the maintainability of Mamata’s petition before issuing further directions.

The case is likely to trigger another high-profile legal and political confrontation between the BJP and the TMC, with the outcome expected to have significant implications for West Bengal's evolving political landscape.

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