The Calcutta High Court today dismissed a petition filed by the Congress party seeking the disqualification of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Hasirani Rath. The legal challenge raised concerns over alleged age discrepancies in her election affidavit for the upcoming Nandigram assembly bypoll. Congress leaders claimed that the candidate’s reported age contradicted her recorded school passing-out year in official election submissions. High Court proceedings concluded that the election plea lacked sufficient legal grounds to halt her candidature.

Why Did Calcutta High Court Reject Congress Disqualification Petition?

Congress leaders alleged that Hasirani Rath provided inaccurate personal background details in her election filings. Their petition highlighted a clear discrepancy between her declared age and school passing-out year in official documents. Although election petitions regarding affidavit accuracy seek candidate disqualification under representation laws, judicial scrutiny by the Calcutta High Court deemed the legal argument insufficient to disrupt the poll process, dismissing the plea and allowing her campaign to continue.

Hasirani Rath is the mother of late Chandranath Rath, a close political aide to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari who was shot dead in Madhyamgram in May. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) selected her to contest from the high-profile Nandigram assembly constituency. The seat became vacant after Suvendu Adhikari resigned from the position to retain the Bhabanipur constituency following his victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

The dismissal of the legal challenge allows Hasirani Rath to continue her official campaign without statutory interruptions. Election authorities will proceed with scheduled voting procedures without altering the candidate list. This High Court order provides immediate political relief to the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership while ending early procedural litigation surrounding the crucial West Bengal bypoll.