1 day ago
Supreme Court Lets Congress Candidate Contest Nandigram Bypoll
Milan Pradhan is the Congress candidate in a by-election in Nandigram.
The Supreme Court said he can take part in Tuesday’s election.
Pradhan had received bail from the Calcutta High Court in a case about a murder in 2007.
The Bengal government asked the Supreme Court to challenge that bail.
The Supreme Court did not stop the bail before the election.
It said the election should finish peacefully.
The court will hear the government’s appeal again on October 7, 2026.
One judge stepped aside because he had previously appeared as a lawyer for one of the parties.
The Supreme Court allowed Congress candidate Milan Pradhan to contest Tuesday’s Nandigram bypoll.
The court declined to stay the bail granted to Pradhan by the Calcutta High Court.
The Bengal government is challenging that bail in connection with a 2007 murder case.
The court scheduled further consideration of the appeal for October 7, 2026.
The government said 2007 arrest warrants were not executed then and it learned of the case after Pradhan filed his nomination.
- Who
- Congress candidate Milan Pradhan and the Bengal government.
- What
- The Supreme Court allowed Pradhan to contest the bypoll and set a later hearing on the government’s challenge to his bail.
- Where
- Nandigram, Bengal; the appeal is before the Supreme Court.
- When
- The ruling was made on Monday; the bypoll was scheduled for Tuesday, and the appeal was listed for October 7, 2026.
- Why
- The Bengal government is challenging bail granted to Pradhan in connection with a 2007 murder case.
Bengal Government
Milan Pradhan and the Bail Ruling
Whether bail should be challenged
Bengal Government
The Bengal government appealed against Pradhan’s bail, citing the alleged 2007 murder case and five other cases.
Milan Pradhan and the Bail Ruling
The Calcutta High Court granted Pradhan bail until October 21, and the Supreme Court declined to stay that bail before the bypoll.
Timing of the arrest effort
Bengal Government
The government said warrants had been issued in 2007 but were not executed because of Pradhan’s proximity to the then state government; it said the present administration learned of the case after he filed his nomination.
Milan Pradhan and the Bail Ruling
The Supreme Court questioned why arrest was sought so long after the case and after Pradhan had filed his nomination.
Key facts
- Candidate
- Milan Pradhan, Congress candidate
- Election
- Nandigram bypoll, scheduled for Tuesday
- Bail decision
- Granted by a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court
- Case
- A 2007 murder case connected to the Nandigram agitation
- Bail period
- Until October 21
- Next Supreme Court hearing
- October 7, 2026
- Government's account
- It said warrants issued in 2007 were not executed then and it learned of the case after Pradhan filed his nomination.
Quotes
Supreme Court bench
The bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, hearing the Bengal government’s appeal.
“List on 07.10.2026 before a bench of which one of us (Joymalya Bagchi, J) is not a member.”
telegraphindia.com
“Let him contest. Let elections conclude peacefully.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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