In a significant legal development ahead of the upcoming repoll in the Falta Assembly Constituency, Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Jahangir Khan has moved the Calcutta High Court seeking urgent protection from coercive police action. Khan has alleged that multiple criminal cases are being continuously slapped against him in a targeted manner.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya, presiding over the matter on Monday, May 18, 2026, allowed the urgent mentioning and stated that the court would hear the petition later in the day.
The legal battle comes against the backdrop of a highly contested electoral environment in the Falta Assembly Constituency, located in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
Polling in the constituency was initially held on April 29, 2026. However, following widespread allegations of large-scale irregularities on the day of voting, the election proceedings were countermanded. Subsequently, the Election Commission scheduled a repoll for the constituency on May 21, 2026.
With the crucial repoll just days away, the petitioner, Jahangir Khan, approached the High Court claiming administrative and police hostility aimed at disrupting his candidacy.
Appearing for the TMC candidate, senior advocate and former Advocate General of West Bengal, Kishore Dutta, sought an urgent intervention from the High Court.
Dutta argued that criminal cases are being systematically and continuously registered against Khan to harass him and restrict his movement ahead of the repoll on May 21. The petitioner raised concerns over potential arrest or coercive police action that could severely impact his ability to campaign and participate in the democratic process.
To safeguard his rights, the petitioner’s counsel prayed for:
- The immediate disclosure of all First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against Jahangir Khan across various police stations.
- An interim order protecting the candidate from any coercive police measures or custodial interrogation until the conclusion of the electoral process.
After hearing the primary submissions made by the petitioner’s counsel highlighting the urgency of the upcoming election, Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya acknowledged the press of time. The Court declined to defer the matter and listed it for an expedited hearing, scheduling it to be taken up later in the afternoon on Monday.
The outcome of the afternoon hearing will be crucial in determining whether the TMC candidate will receive temporary immunity from arrest as he prepares for the rescheduled voting in Falta.
