Supreme Court declines to disturb interim bail of Congress's Nandigram bypoll candidate

The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, refused to interfere with a Calcutta High Court order granting interim bail to Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate in the Nandigram Assembly bypoll, The Hindu, NDTV and Deccan Herald (the last two carrying PTI reports) said. The Bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, disposed of the State of West Bengal’s challenge to the bail order.

What the Court said

According to the reports, the Bench noted that the bypoll in the Nandigram constituency was held on 6 October and that votes will be counted on 9 October. PTI’s report, carried by NDTV, said the Court observed that although the cases against Pradhan indicate certain serious offences, the interim bail was essentially granted to enable him to contest the election and take part in the counting. The Court said it was expressing no opinion on the merits of the cases.

It left the State free to raise all its contentions before the appropriate court if Pradhan seeks an extension of interim bail or regular bail. The reports differ on the Bench’s composition: The Hindu named Chief Justice Kant and Justice V. Mohana, while the PTI reports also named Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The Hindu said Justice Bagchi had recused himself on 5 October, citing a conflict of interest arising from his earlier work in private practice.

Background

Pradhan was arrested on 18 September 2026, three days after filing his nomination, in connection with four cases registered at Nandigram police station and two in neighbouring Khejuri, NDTV’s PTI report said. The six cases were registered in 2007 during the Nandigram agitation against land acquisition. PTI describes the charges as including murder, attempt to murder and violation of the Arms Act. These are allegations in cases that are pending; no court has recorded a finding in them in the reports reviewed.

On 29 September the Calcutta High Court granted interim bail until 20 October for campaigning and directed Pradhan to surrender before the trial court on 21 October. It also set a bail bond of Rs 20,000 in each of the six cases. The Hindu quoted the High Court as observing that Pradhan “is a political activist who was associated with the land movement at Nandigram in 2007”.

The West Bengal government moved the Supreme Court, which agreed on 30 September to hear its petitions. The State had orally sought an urgent hearing; the Court said it had a long list of cases and posted the matter for 5 October, The Hindu reported. It was then adjourned to 7 October after Justice Bagchi’s recusal.

The Nandigram seat was vacated by Suvendu Adhikari, who retained Bhabanipur after winning both seats at the state elections earlier this year, according to PTI’s report carried by NDTV.

What happens next

Votes are to be counted on 9 October. Under the High Court’s order, Pradhan is due to surrender before the trial court on 21 October unless a court extends his interim bail or grants regular bail; the State may oppose any such request.