3 hrs ago
Calcutta High Court Seeks Fair Chance for Nandigram Candidate
Milan Pradhan is the Congress candidate for an election in Nandigram.
He has been arrested in five older criminal cases.
Because he is in custody, he cannot campaign normally.
His lawyer asked the Calcutta High Court for help.
The state said some of the cases mentioned by the lawyer had already been withdrawn.
The court told the state that Pradhan should be allowed to contest properly if he receives bail.
The government said the arrests followed court warrants, some of which had been pending since 2021.
The election is scheduled for October 6.
The Calcutta High Court asked West Bengal authorities to allow Congress candidate Milan Pradhan to contest the Nandigram bypoll if he secures bail.
Pradhan has been arrested in five criminal cases, including cases linked to the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement.
Two lower courts placed Pradhan in judicial custody until October 3 and October 5 in separate proceedings.
The state said five of six cases cited in Pradhan’s plea had been withdrawn and that he was not wanted in the sixth.
The Nandigram bypoll is scheduled for October 6, with campaigning ending October 4 and counting on October 9.
- Who
- Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, the West Bengal government, and the Calcutta High Court are involved.
- What
- The High Court said Pradhan should be allowed to contest the Nandigram bypoll properly if he secures bail.
- Where
- Nandigram constituency in West Bengal, India.
- When
- The bypoll is scheduled for October 6; campaigning ends October 4 and votes will be counted October 9.
- Why
- Pradhan is in custody after arrests in five criminal cases, while the state says the arrests followed lower-court warrants.
Candidate’s Position
State’s Position
Timing and purpose of arrests
Candidate’s Position
Pradhan’s lawyer said he was arrested on September 18 in old cases only after he received support from the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress for the bypoll.
State’s Position
The additional advocate general said Pradhan was arrested under a lower-court warrant in a 2007 case, with the warrants pending since 2021.
Ability to contest
Candidate’s Position
Pradhan’s lawyer sought protection from coercive action and said the arrests had effectively prevented him from campaigning.
State’s Position
The state said police must execute pending arrest warrants before elections under an Election Commission guideline.
Cases cited in the plea
Candidate’s Position
Pradhan sought protection in six cases and asked police to disclose whether any other cases were registered against him.
State’s Position
The state said five of those six cases had been withdrawn by the previous government and that Pradhan was not an accused in the sixth.
Key facts
- Candidate
- Milan Pradhan of the Congress
- Election
- Nandigram Assembly bypoll
- Polling date
- October 6
- Campaigning deadline
- October 4
- Counting date
- October 9
- Arrests
- Pradhan has been arrested in five criminal cases
- Total cases cited by state
- The state said 11 criminal cases exist against Pradhan
Sources
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