The Calcutta High Court on Monday directed the West Bengal Police not to take coercive action against Trinamool Congress leader Jahangir Khan, who is a candidate in the Falta Assembly constituency where repolling will take place, Live Law reported.The repolling will be held on May 21 and the votes will be counted on May 24.Justice Saugata Bhattacharya was hearing a plea by Khan, who alleged that he was being targeted with several criminal cases during the election and sought protection from coercive actions.Khan also asked that he be informed about all pending first information reports against him.Deputy Solicitor General Dhiraj Trivedi, representing the newly-formed Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state, said that the cases against Khan pertain to allegations of booth capturing and voter intimidation.On May 4, the BJP defeated the TMC in the state polls, ending the 15-year rule of the Mamata Banerjee-led party.While voting in Falta was held on April 29, the Election Commission on May 2 ordered repolling in the constituency citing “severe electoral offences”. There had been allegations of electoral malpractices in the seat.The poll panel said that it had received complaints from political parties and candidates, and there were reports “alleging application of black adhesive tape/perfume on ballot unit buttons of EVMs [Electronic Voting Machines] in favour of or against particular political parties”.A probe report by the poll panel found that voting machines in at least 60 of the 285 polling stations in the constituency had been tampered with.On Monday, the court said that considering that repolling had been ordered in the constituency where Khan is a candidate, he must be allowed to contest again as long as he was directed to cooperate with the investigation.“That doesn’t mean all proceedings will be halted,” Live Law quoted the court as saying. “Subject to cooperation [by Khan], no steps to be taken till election is concluded.”The judge also directed that the copies of FIRs in pending proceedings be shared with Khan within seven days.The court said that its observations do not mean that Khan had been absolved of the allegations, adding that the cases are subject to investigation.The judge verbally said that the change in government had meant a change in political scenario that had led to several cases being registered between May 4 and May 10.“In order to keep the spirit of democracy alive, the petitioner needs to be allowed to contest the repoll,” Live Law quoted the bench as having said. “At the same time, this has to be balanced with continuance of investigation in connection with criminal cases against him.”The judge added that if Khan does not cooperate with the probe, the state can approach the court.The matter will be heard next on May 26.Edited by Nachiket Deuskar.