BJP's Kalyan Choubey withdraws, clears way for Maniktala assembly bypoll

• BJP's Kalyan Choubey withdraws the Maniktalla assembly election case after three years, clearing way for bypolls
• The move comes after the SC recently pulled-up Chaubey for "willfully and deliberately” delaying court proceedings
• Chaubey had been constantly filing applications citing prior commitments related to Asian Games, health issues delaying proceedings 

After three years of legal battle, BJP's Kalyan Choubey has withdrawn his case challenging the results of the Maniktalla assembly election. This move paves the way for an assembly by-election in Maniktalla, clearing the path for the electoral process in the constituency.

Chaubey had contested the outcome of the Maniktala seat, which he lost to All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) candidate Sadhan Pande in the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections. However, Pande, a three-time MLA, passed away in February 2022, leading to a delay in the by-election due to the pending election petition.

Last year, three residents of Maniktala sought intervention from the Supreme Court through advocate Mithu Jain to expedite the election petition proceedings. They cited Section 151A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which mandates that no constituency can remain vacant, and a by-election must be conducted within six months to fill the vacancy.

The Calcutta High Court addressed the case 12 times after an order on August 18. However, only five of these hearings were effective. Chaubey's legal team frequently filed applications citing prior commitments, such as engagements related to the Asian Games, official duties, and health issues, leading to delays in the proceedings.

Recently, the Supreme Court on Friday pulled up Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kalyan Chaubey for “willfully and deliberately” delaying proceedings. The top court said it was satisfied that he was “adopting delaying tactics” and proposed that the high court holds daily hearings to ensure the proceedings end by June 30. The bench also explored the possibility of relieving him from the posts of All India Football Federation (AIFF) president and Indian Olympics Association (IOA) joint secretary.