The Congress has approached the Calcutta High Court, alleging discrepancies in the electoral affidavit submitted by Hasirani Rath, the BJP’s candidate for the Nandigram Assembly bypoll. The mother of Chandranath Rath, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s aide who was murdered in May, Hasirani’s candidature was announced on September 15.
When the matter was mentioned before a single-judge bench of Justice Krishna Rao on Wednesday, senior advocate Riju Ghoshal submitted that Hasirani’s affidavit contains discrepancies related to her year of birth and the year she passed her Madhyamik or Class 10 examination.
The affidavit states that her birth year is roughly 1966. However, the same affidavit mentions that she was a Class 10 student at Chaukhali Ganga Padma Milon Kanya Vidyapith school in 1965, he submitted, asking how one could appear for Class 10 examinations a year before one was born.
The Congress has also flagged that the school in question opened in 1963, operating only up to Class 5 at the time. It reportedly only received government approval to teach up to Class 10 in 1973.
“The party has moved the high court challenging the discrepancy in her election affidavit. We demand a detailed investigation into the matter. The Election Commission should have been more careful when admitting the affidavit,” Ghoshal told The Indian Express.
Meanwhile, Hasirani Rath told the media she was aware of the development. “I have full faith in the law. Whatever decision the court will take, that will be taken,” she added.
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Bypolls will be held in Nandigram and Rejinagar on October 6, with counting on October 9.
Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage.
Experience
Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness.
Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances.
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State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies.
Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues.
Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE).
Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.
Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More
