Calcutta HC defers hearing Mamata’s petition challenging BJP rival’s win in Nandigram

The Calcutta High Court today deferred a hearing on a petition filed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to June 24 challenging her BJP rival Suvendu Adhikari's win in Nandigram constituency in the recent state assembly elections.

The case was scheduled to be virtually heardf by Justice Kausik Chanda this morning but Mamata's lawyer Soumendra Nath Mukherjee requested that the matter be deferred by a next week to June 24 which the court acepted, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

Even though Mamata lost in Nandigram, she was sworn in as chief minister for a third consecutive term on May 5, three days after West Bengal poll results were declared.

Under Indian law, Mamata has to get elected to the state assembly within six months of her assumption of office of the chief minister.

Mamata, in her petition, has sought that Suvendu Adhikari's election is set aside on three grounds --alleged corrupt practices, promotion of hatred and enmity, seeking votes based on religion and booth capture and alleged discrepancies in the vote-counting procedure.

Mamata's petition also questioned the decision of the Election Commission to reject her plea for a recount of votes.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) returned to power in the recent assembly polls for the third consecutive five-year term but Mamata lost to her former aide Suvendu Adhikari by a margin of 1,956 votes.

The defeat in Nandigram was Mamata's first loss in an election in over three decades.