Calcutta High Court asks Railways to decide on Swapna Barman resignation ahead of Bengal polls
Telegraph | 28 March 2026
A single bench of Calcutta High Court’s circuit bench in Jalpaiguri on Friday instructed the railways to decide by Monday on the termination of Swapna Barman, the Arjuna awardee and Asian Games gold winner heptathlete, who was declared as the Trinamool Congress candidate from the Rajganj Assembly seat of Jalpaiguri district.
Swapna, a railway employee, joined Trinamool in Calcutta last month. The railways then initiated departmental proceedings against her for joining a political party in violation of service rules. Swapna submitted her resignation letter, but the railways didn’t accept it.
The heptathlete approached the circuit bench with a plea to direct the railways to accept her resignation so that she could contest the polls. During the hearing earlier this week, Swapna’s lawyers said she was ready to file a fresh resignation letter and would forego all post-retirement benefits.
Swapna submitted the resignation letter on March 25, but the railways did not accept it. Instead, she was sent a letter, saying she had not submitted her response to the department proceedings.
“We mentioned that she was all set to contest the Assembly elections and the last date for filing of nominations is April 6, and she needed a no-objection certificate from the railways,” said a lawyer representing the Trinamool candidate.
Justice Gaurang Kanth, who heard the case, ordered that the railway authorities take a decision on the termination by Monday and communicate the same to the petitioner.
“We will wait till Monday to see whether the railways will act on the court’s order,” the lawyer added.
TMC perplexed
Such a situation has left the Trinamool leadership perplexed. Unlike other Trinamool candidates who are into a full-fledged campaign, Swapna has not yet initiated her campaign. Instead, the local and block leaders are campaigning for her.
The confusion over her candidature, as she is still a railway employee, made the state Trinamool leaders call Khageswar Roy, the four-time party MLA from Rajganj seat, to Calcutta.
“I reached Calcutta today to discuss certain issues with the party leaders,” Roy said briefly over the phone.
A section of party insiders hinted that if, eventually, Swapna could not file her nomination because of a job-related issue, Trinamool would have to field another candidate. “We believe that in such a case, Khageswar Roy is one of the prospective names,” said a party functionary.
Mukul Bairagya, a Trinamool leader and the chairman of the state Namasudra Unnayan Board, admitted the problem.
“She has recently lost her father, and now, she is worried about the NOC that would be issued by the railways. We are also eagerly waiting for it and hope she will launch her campaign soon,” he said.