Shubhadeep Choudhury

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 7

Facing accusation of bias from petitioner Mamata Banerjee, Justice Kausik Chanda of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday recused from hearing an election petition filed by the Chief Minister challenging the victory of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram. The court, though, imposed a cost of Rs 5 lakh on Banerjee as fine.

Justice Chanda said when the case had first come up before him on June 18, no request was made for his recusal. The petitioner had already written to the Acting Chief Justice of the HC on June 16 requesting him to reassign the case to another court but no clue was given to the Bench regarding the letter, Justice Chanda said in his 13-page order.

However, immediately after the hearing, Trinamool Congress leaders were found ready with Justice Chanda’s photos and details of his association with the BJP and put out a number of tweets to that effect, Justice Chanda observed.

“The chronology of events clearly suggests a deliberate and conscious attempt was made to influence my decision before the recusal application was placed before the court. The calculated psychological offensive and vilification for recusal need to be firmly repulsed and a cost of Rs 5 lakh is imposed upon the petitioner,” the court ordered.

The cost has to be deposited with the Bar Council of West Bengal within two weeks and the same shall be used for families of lawyers who have succumbed to Covid, the court said.