Mamata, others can file fresh pleas on victory margins being less than deletion of votes: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Monday said that former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and others can file fresh applications regarding their claim that the victory margins were less than the deletion of votes during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in various assembly constituencies.

A bench comprising of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the submissions after senior advocate and TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee alleged that in 31 seats, victory margins were less than the number of votes deleted.

The Election Commission (EC) opposed the submissions, saying that the remedy was an election petition, and the poll panel can be held accountable for issues related to the SIR and the consequential appeals against the addition or deletion of votes.

In the recent West Bengal Assembly Elections. the BJP secured 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, while TMC won 80 seats.

A voter turnout of above 90 per cent in the polls was registered in the state.

(With PTI inputs)