Despite objections from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and a section of the legal community, High Court Justice Kaushik Chandra will hear the Nandigram case on Thursday.
According to court sources, no new judge has been appointed for the case. As a result, despite objections from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and a section of the legal community, Justice Kaushik Chandra will hear the case tomorrow. Ahead of hearing of the case, Mamata Banerjee had drawn attention to the background of the judge concerned and claimed that Kaushik Chandra was an active BJP activist while being a lawyer. The verdict could be biased if he tries the case. A section of the Calcutta High Court’s lawyers also said in a deputation that the case should not be heard in the court of Justice Kaushik Chandra. However, such concerns have been brushed aside, and the case is going to be heard in the court of Kaushik Chandra only.
CM Mamata Banerjee had filed a case in the Calcutta High Court challenging the victory of Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram. However, Banerjee also questioned the role of the judge who is hearing the case on the very first day of the trial. In a letter to the Acting Chief Justice, requesting a change of court, Mamata Banerjee reminded that the consent of the Chief Minister is required when a lawyer becomes a judge. Since Kaushik Chandra was an active BJP supporter, the Chief Minister had objected to his promotion to the post of justice.