Bhabanipur poll case: HC judge discloses brother's BJP role; orders CCTV, EVMs preserved
Calcutta High Court judge Gaurang Kant, while hearing Mamata Banerjee's plea challenging the Bhabanipur Assembly seat poll result, on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) told the
Calcutta High Court judge Gaurang Kant, while hearing Mamata Banerjee's plea challenging the Bhabanipur Assembly seat poll result, on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) told the TMC chief's lawyer that his elder brother is a BJP spokesperson and he would hear the matter after full disclosure. After the preliminary hearing of Ms. Banerjee's petition, Justice Kant ordered the preservation of the May 4 CCTV footage of the counting hall, EVMs and VVPAT machines of all polling stations in the constituency. At the outset, the judge told Mamata Banerjee's lawyer, Kalyan Banerjee, that he wanted to "make it very clear" that his "elder brother is a national spokesperson for the BJP". Stating that this might be of some concern as far as the petition is concerned, Justice Kant said he would hear the election petition "after full disclosure so that you don't have any issues later on." Kalyan Banerjee, himself a Lok Sabha MP, told the court that he has all "confidence and regard" for the judge. "My confidence and respect for you as a judge is not determined by any other factor," the counsel said. "I have confidence in the judiciary, and I believe that the Indian judiciary can be independent only when a judge is independent," the senior advocate said.
He said that Justice Kant is one of the gentlemanly and erudite judges of the high court and feels that no one is a factor to him, whether a relative or not. "[It] doesn't matter to us, we are here to dispense justice," Justice Kant said. On a prayer by Kalyan Banerjee, the high court directed the Election Commission to preserve and keep in safe custody the May 4 CCTV footage of the counting centre at Sakhawat Memorial School in Bhabanipur, including footage inside and outside the counting hall. Justice Kant also ordered preserving the EVMs, including control units and ballot units used in all polling booths of Bhabanipur and all VVPAT machines used in the constituency. Justice Kant directed that the CCTV footage, EVMs and VVPATs will not be erased, overwritten, destroyed, tampered with, transferred, redeployed, opened or dealt with in any manner without the permission of the court. The court directed that the EVMs used at all polling stations concerned will be kept in the custody of the district election officer till final disposal of the petition by the courts. It directed the counsel for the respondents in the petition to file their affidavits in opposition within four weeks and affidavits in reply by the petitioner in four weeks thereafter.
The BriefWire