The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday deferred the hearing in the election petition challenging the Bhabanipur Assembly election results after counsel for former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee informed the court that essential case documents had not been supplied.
Expressing displeasure over the lapse, Justice Gaurang Kanth sought a report from the Registrar General of the High Court on why the documents had not reached the petitioner's legal team despite the matter being listed for hearing.
Appearing for Mamata Banerjee, senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee submitted that the hearing could not proceed as his client had not received the relevant records required for the case.
Counsel for Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Advocate Jaydeep Kar, sought four weeks' time to file a written response. Kalyan Banerjee opposed the request and criticised the pace at which election petitions are heard.
"It has almost become an unwritten rule in the Calcutta High Court that election petitions are not decided even in five years," Kalyan Banerjee told the court.
Responding to the allegations, CM Adhikari's counsel argued that all directions issued by the court had been complied with.
According to the respondent, the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and all records relevant to the election petition have been preserved as directed by the court, and there is no justification for any delay in the proceedings.
After hearing both sides, Justice Kanth directed all parties to exchange copies of all relevant documents in their possession within four weeks and file affidavits confirming compliance before the court.
The matter will now be taken up for hearing after four weeks.
The High Court also directed the Registrar General to submit a report after another candidate who had contested from the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency wrote to the court seeking to be impleaded as a party in the case.
The report will be considered during the next hearing along with the progress made on the exchange of documents.
