On Wednesday, in a major development, the Calcutta High Court imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for ‘’putting the judiciary in a bad light.”
The high court bench said that the amount will be used for lawyers’ families who have been affected by Covid-19.
The Calcutta High Court’s single bench led by Justice Kausik Chanda passed the order while hearing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s election petition challenging BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s victory from the Nandigram Constituency in the recently held state assembly polls. At the outset of the argument, Justice Chanda refused to withdraw the case but later changed his decision to say that he was recused from the case.
Earlier in May, the Election Commission had declared BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari the winner in the fiercely contested election for the Nandigram constituency. Suvendu Adhikari had won the election against Mamata Banerjee by nearly 1956 votes.
West Bengal Chief Minister has also moved an application to change the judge in the case and alleged that Justice Chanda has connections with BJP.
Following the imposition of Rs 5 lakhs fine on Wednesday, West Bengal Cheif Minister Mamata Banerjee’s advocate Sanjay Basu said they would challenge the imposition of cost.
“We will take steps to challenge that and I am sure we will be successful,” said Basu.
After the verdict was announced, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s election agent Sheikh Sufian said, “It is a shame that a chief minister has been fined in this way. We are going to the Supreme Court against this verdict. “
West Bengal Chief Minister has also moved an application to change the judge in the case and alleged that Justice Chanda has connections with BJP
Meanwhile, the Bar Council member Achintyakumar Bandyopadhyay said, “Justice Kaushik Chanda today withdrew from the Mamata Banerjee vs Shuvendu Adhikari case. It is the triumph of the judiciary.”
“The victory of the impartiality of the judiciary. I have nothing to say about the fine of five lakh Rupees. Those involved in the case will speak out.”
With inputs from ANI.