The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday permitted the West Bengal Pradesh Congress to file a petition challenging the election affidavit of Bharatiya Janata Party's Nandigram candidate Hasirani Rath, alleging discrepancies in the particulars relating to her age and educational qualification.

Congress leader and advocate Ritzu Ghosal raised the issue before Justice Krishna Rao.

Ghosal submitted that the particulars furnished by Rath in her election affidavit appeared to be factually impossible. According to the submissions made before the Court, Rath had stated that she was over 60 years of age, while the affidavit also mentioned 1965 as the year in which she passed the Madhyamik examination.

Ghosal questioned how Rath could have passed the Madhyamik examination in 1965 if she was born around that period.

Justice Krishna Rao asked Ghosal what relief the petitioner was seeking. Ghosal submitted that Rath's candidature should be cancelled if the educational qualification mentioned in the affidavit was found to be false.

He further submitted that the Election Commission had scrutinised the affidavit but had not taken any action regarding the alleged discrepancy.

Seeking an urgent hearing, Ghosal also submitted that cancellation of the candidature would not affect the bypoll as other candidates were in the fray.