Calcutta, April 8 :     West Bengal Congress working president Priya Ranjan Das Munshi today charged the ruling CPM with rigging elections to 55 Assembly seats in the state in 1996. Of them, 45 fell in rural areas. Das Munshi levelled the charge after Calcutta High Court yesterday nullified the Sabang Assembly elections in Midnapore, stating that the Left Front supported candidate had resorted to corrupt practices to win the seat. In Sabang, Biplabi Bangla Congress candidate, Makhanlal Bangal, supported by the Left Front, had defeated Congress? Manas Bhuniya by 825 votes. Bhuniya had filed a case charging Bangal with rigging the election. Justice Shyamal Kumar Sen, while passing his order, upheld the petitioner?s allegations against the Left Front nominee and declared the election null and void. Bhuniya said the high court ruling was a clear evidence of how the Left Front indulged in corrupt practices. ?Our allegations against the ruling communists were true and the high court ruling has proved it,? Das Munshi said. He also urged the Election Commission to make it mandatory for people to produce identity cards before casting their votes to prevent rigging. Asked whether the Left front or the state government would appeal against the high court order in the Supreme Court, CPM state secretary Anil Biswas said: ?We will consult legal experts on the matter and a decision will be taken after discussing the matter in the Left Front.?