West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata BanerjeeтАЩs counsel Friday wrote to the secretary of the Acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, seeking
reassignment of her petition challenging the election of BJPтАЩs Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram, to another bench.
Claiming Banerjee has been made aware that Justice Kausik Chanda, who is hearing her plea, was тАЬan active member of the BJPтАЭ and since the adjudication of the election petition will have political ramifications, it was prayed that the matter be assigned to another judge by the Acting Chief Justice, who is the master of roster.
The CMтАЩs lawyer also stated in the letter that she тАЬhad objected to the confirmation of the HonтАЩble Judge as a Permanent Judge of the HonтАЩble High Court at CalcuttaтАЭ and as such, apprehends there is a likelihood of bias on the part of the judge concerned.
BanerjeeтАЩs counsel urged that the letter be placed before the Acting Chief Justice forthwith тАЬfor necessary re-assignment of Election Petition so as to avoid any prejudice and/or presumption of prejudiceтАЭ.
Justice Chanda earlier in the day adjourned till June 24 BanerjeeтАЩs petition for declaring election of Suvendu Adhikari, at present the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, from Nandigram null and void.
Meanwhile, a section of lawyers staged a protest in front of the high court over Justice Chanda being assigned to hear the election petition by the Trinamool Congress supremo.
тАЬWe have no personal ill-feeling or allegation against the judge, but he was associated with a particular political party,тАЭ one of the lawyers said.
The judge should recuse himself from hearing BanerjeeтАЩs plea, he added.
