The Calcutta High Court has dismissed a petition filed by the Trinamool Congress challenging the appointment of central government employees as supervisors in vote-counting centres. In his ruling, Justice Krishna Rao said that it is the prerogative of the office of the Election Commission of India to appoint the counting supervisor and counting assistant either from the State Government or the Central Government.

This Court does not find any illegality in appointing a counting supervisor and a counting assistant from the Central Government or Central PSUs. The judgment noted that under Section 100 of the Representation of the People Act, if it is later proven that the Election Commission’s decision gave undue advantage leading to the defeat of a Trinamool candidate by a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate, the result may be legally challenged.