SC refuses urgent hearing on Bengal Police plea vs Milan Pradhan bail
Synopsis
The Supreme Court's refusal to grant an urgent hearing to West Bengal Police — with CJI Surya Kant bluntly saying 'No. Monday' — means Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, out on bail in two 2007 murder cases, will contest the politically charged Nandigram bypoll on 6 October unimpeded. The court's scheduling decision has, in effect, decided the electoral question.
Key Takeaways
The Supreme Court on 30 September declined to urgently hear West Bengal Police 's challenge to Milan Pradhan 's interim bail.
CJI Surya Kant said the matter would be listed on Monday , after the 6 October Nandigram bypoll.
The Calcutta High Court granted Pradhan interim bail until 20 October , covering all six cases against him.
Pradhan is in custody over two murder cases from 2007 linked to the Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement.
He was arrested on 18 September , shortly after TMC announced support for the Congress candidate in the bypoll.
Votes will be counted on 9 October ; the High Court revisits the matter on 11 October .
The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 30 September declined to grant an urgent hearing to the West Bengal Police, which had challenged the Calcutta High Court's decision to grant interim bail to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan — allowing him to contest the Nandigram Assembly bypoll scheduled for 6 October. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant indicated the matter would be taken up on Monday, effectively allowing Pradhan's bail to remain operative through the election.
What Happened in Court
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the West Bengal government, mentioned the matter before CJI Surya Kant and pressed for the plea to be listed on Thursday, 1 October. Mehta argued that any hearing after the election would render the challenge meaningless. 'He has been granted bail for the election. Can I take a chance tomorrow? That's all I'm saying,' Mehta submitted.
The CJI, however, cited a crowded court schedule and declined. 'Our board is very lengthy. We will surely dismiss this, but we will dismiss it on Monday, not tomorrow,' CJI Kant said. When Mehta pressed again, the CJI reiterated: 'No. Monday.'
The Calcutta High Court Order
On Tuesday, 29 September, a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court — Justice Tirthankar Ghosh — granted interim bail to Pradhan until 20 October, explicitly stating the relief was to enable him to contest the bypoll and participate freely in the election campaign on equal footing with other candidates. The High Court clarified that the bail would cover all six cases registered against Pradhan.
The court imposed strict conditions: Pradhan must contact the concerned police station at 8:30 am and 9:30 pm every day, speak to the Investigating Officer during the bail period, and surrender before a district court in Haldia in East Midnapore immediately after the election process concludes. The High Court is scheduled to hear the matter again on 11 October, a day after the interim bail period expires.
Background: Who Is Milan Pradhan
Milan Pradhan was in judicial custody in connection with two old murder cases registered in 2007, linked to the anti-land acquisition movement at Nandigram during the Left Front government in West Bengal. His judicial custody was otherwise set to continue until 5 October.
Pradhan was arrested on 18 September, shortly after former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that her All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) faction would back the Congress candidate in the Nandigram bypoll — a development that followed the withdrawal of TMC candidate Sanchita Dey Pradhan from the contest.
Why the Nandigram Seat Is Vacant
The Nandigram seat fell vacant after incumbent MLA Suvendu Adhikari, who had won from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the West Bengal Assembly elections earlier this year, chose to retain the Bhabanipur seat. The bypoll is scheduled for 6 October, with votes to be counted on 9 October.
What Happens Next
With the Supreme Court declining to intervene before the election, Milan Pradhan is set to contest the Nandigram bypoll on bail. The West Bengal Police's challenge will be heard by the Supreme Court on Monday, by which point the election will have already been held. The Calcutta High Court will separately revisit the matter on 11 October.
Point of View
Functionally, a substantive outcome — by deferring to Monday, the bench has ensured the election proceeds with Pradhan on the ballot, rendering the West Bengal Police's challenge moot in electoral terms. That CJI Kant also remarked the court would 'surely dismiss' the plea signals scepticism about the merits, not just the timing. The broader pattern — an opposition-backed candidate arrested weeks before a bypoll, then bailed out by the High Court over police objection — raises questions about the politicisation of custodial timing that neither side has fully answered. The Nandigram seat's history, steeped in the 2007 violence that helped end Left Front rule, adds a layer of political symbolism that makes every legal development here a proxy battle.
NationPress
30 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Supreme Court refuse an urgent hearing on the West Bengal Police plea?
CJI Surya Kant declined the urgent listing, citing an already lengthy court schedule, and indicated the matter would be heard on Monday. Since the Nandigram bypoll is on 6 October, this effectively means the court will not intervene before the election.
What did the Calcutta High Court order regarding Milan Pradhan's bail?
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh of the Calcutta High Court granted Pradhan interim bail until 20 October, specifically to allow him to contest the Nandigram bypoll and campaign freely. The bail covers all six cases registered against him, with strict reporting conditions attached.
Who is Milan Pradhan and why was he in custody?
Milan Pradhan is the Congress candidate for the Nandigram Assembly bypoll. He was in judicial custody in connection with two murder cases from 2007, linked to the anti-land acquisition movement at Nandigram during the Left Front government's tenure in West Bengal.
What are the conditions of Milan Pradhan's interim bail?
Pradhan must contact the concerned police station at 8:30 am and 9:30 pm daily, speak to the Investigating Officer throughout the bail period, and surrender before a district court in Haldia, East Midnapore, immediately after the election process concludes.
When is the Nandigram bypoll and why did the seat fall vacant?
The Nandigram bypoll is scheduled for 6 October, with vote counting on 9 October. The seat fell vacant after incumbent MLA Suvendu Adhikari, who won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the West Bengal Assembly elections, chose to retain the Bhabanipur seat.
