Judge recuses self from hearing Nandigram poll plea, imposes Rs 5 lakh fine on Mamata

Kolkata: Calcutta High Court judge, Kausik Chanda, on Wednesday recused himself from hearing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s plea challenging the election of BJP candidate and her former aide, Suvendu Adhikari, from Nandigram.

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The chief minister had objected to justice Chanda hearing her petition citing “likelihood of bias “due to the associations the judge had with the BJP during his days as a lawyer”.

Observing that a deliberate and conscious attempt was made to influence his decision before the recusal application was placed before him, Justice Chanda imposed a cost of Rs 5 lakh on Mamata Banerjee and directed that the amount be deposited to the Bar Council of West Bengal within two weeks.

“Such calculative, psychological and offensive attempt to seek recusal need to be firmly repulsed and a cost of Rs 5 lakh is imposed upon petitioner,” he said in the order.

Banerjee had already written to acting chief justice Rajesh Bindal seeking recusal of Justice Chanda.

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Banerjee’s election petition challenges the election of BJP candidate Suvendhu Adhikari, who defeated her in Nandigram in the recently-held West Bengal assembly polls.