Calcutta High Court grants interim protection to Jahangir Khan for Falta repoll

The Calcutta High Court has granted interim protection from arrest to Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan, allowing him to contest a court-ordered repoll in West Bengal's Falta Assembly constituency scheduled for May 21. The court directed police not to take any coercive action against Khan until May 26, while instructing him to cooperate fully with ongoing investigations.

Justice Saugata Bhattacharya issued the order on Monday after Khan’s legal team argued that multiple criminal cases filed against him were politically motivated and intended to disrupt his campaign. The court observed that allowing Khan to contest was necessary to uphold democratic principles, given the Election Commission’s decision to hold a fresh poll. It clarified that the relief does not halt criminal proceedings and requires Khan’s cooperation with investigators.

The repoll was ordered after the Election Commission cancelled the initial April 29 voting in Falta, citing what it described as severe electoral offences and a subversion of the democratic process. Officials cited complaints of voter intimidation, booth capturing, and tampering with Electronic Voting Machines, including the alleged...