Justice I P Mukherjee directed that status quo be maintained on the election till disposal of a petition challenging the process in view of alleged abduction of councillor Debojyoti Roy, whose vote would have played a pivotal role in the election to the post of chairman.
Trinamool Congress and Congress are evenly poised in the Kandi municipality, which has a strength of 18 members.
While TMC has 9 members, Congress has 7 members and is supported by 2 other independent members.
Roy had gone missing a few days before the election and had been found on Saturday last, a day after the election was held.
Justice Mukherjee today directed the SP of Murshidabad district to file a status report by March three regarding the alleged abduction and to find out whether Roy had himself restrained from voting or somebody had detained him with the purpose of not allowing him to vote.
The matter will be heard again on March three.