Calcutta High Court Halts Kolkata Municipal Corporation Elections

The Calcutta High Court issued an interim order on November 6, 2026, restraining the West Bengal State Election Commission from issuing notifications for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections. A vacation division bench consisting of Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya and Justice Arjun Roy Mukherjee ruled that the polls cannot be called until a pending legal challenge regarding the delimitation of wards is resolved.

The dispute stems from a September notification that increased the number of civic wards from 144 to 209. Former CPI(M) councillor Dipu Das filed the appeal, arguing that the delimitation was illegal because it relied on recommendations from KMC Administrator Smita Pandey rather than an elected municipal board. Petitioners further alleged that the redrawing of boundaries constituted gerrymandering to benefit a specific political party. The West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee also sought corrections for alleged irregularities in the process.

Advocate General Surojit Nath Mitra, representing the state government, argued that the Administrator possessed the necessary authority and that the court is barred from interfering in municipal delimitation under Article 243 ZG of the Constitution. In response to the stay, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the government will challenge the order in the Supreme Court. Adhikari stated he would wait until November 13 before appointing coordinators for the 209 wards, maintaining that the government is preparing for a victory.