The Calcutta High Court has provided a major boost to the CPIM candidate from Purulia’s Manbazar, Sonamani Tudu, by allowing her to file her nomination under certain conditions. Justice Krishna Rao directed the Returning Officer to accept Tudu’s nomination papers, addressing the dispute over her ST certificate issued by the Jharkhand government. Tudu, originally from Jharkhand, moved to West Bengal after marriage and had faced rejection from the Election Commission due to the lack of a local ST certificate.

During the hearing, Justice Rao remarked that the Santhal community in West Bengal and Jharkhand are fundamentally the same. While the court ordered the acceptance of her papers, it mandated that the Returning Officer must verify the authenticity of the tribal documents before declaring the nomination valid. Sonamani Tudu, who previously contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Jhargram, can now proceed with her candidacy before the April 6 deadline. This ruling brings much-needed clarity to the reserved seat contest in Manbazar.