SC rejects Suvendu Adhikari's plea to transfer poll plea filed by Mamata outside State

Bench says it will ‘not allow this choice of High Courts’

The Supreme Court on Friday refused BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's plea to transfer an election petition filed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee outside the State.

A Bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud told Mr. Adhikari, who is the Opposition Leader in the State Assembly, that it will "not allow this choice of High Courts".

When Mr. Adhikari's lawyer, senior counsel Harish Salve, voiced apprehensions about the hostile atmosphere created whenever the case came up for hearing, the apex court said "judges have broad shoulders and have power under the law to deal with these situations".

The senior lawyer finally withdrew the plea.

"Mr. Harish Salve seeks to withdraw the petition, stating that the petitioner may move the learned judge of the High Court presiding over the trial of the election petition if any need arises to facilitate the issuance of appropriate directions for orderly conduct of the trial in the election petition," the court recorded.

Justice Chandrachud said an intervention by the Supreme Court in the plea for transfer would reflect a lack of faith in the High Court.

The dispute concerned an election petition filed by Ms. Banerjee in the High Court against Mr. Adhikari's election from Nandigram. Mr. Adhikari had defeated Ms. Banerjee in the 2021 Assembly elections from Nandigram.