Nandigram bypoll: Congress candidate Milan Pradhan's bail hearing deferred to Tuesday
Synopsis
With polling just days away, the Calcutta High Court has deferred the bail hearing of Congress's Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan to Tuesday — even as the judge last week signalled bail would likely be granted. The case sits at the intersection of judicial process and political strategy, with TMC's surprise backing of the Congress candidate adding a charged backdrop to an already high-stakes bypoll.
Key Takeaways
The bail hearing of Milan Pradhan , Congress candidate for the Nandigram bypoll , was deferred by the Calcutta High Court to Tuesday, 29 September .
Pradhan is in judicial custody in connection with two cases, including a 2007 murder case .
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh had indicated last week that bail would likely be granted, raising expectations of Pradhan's release on Monday.
The Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly bypolls are scheduled for 6 October , with results on 9 October .
Pradhan was arrested on 18 September , hours after former CM Mamata Banerjee announced TMC support for the Congress candidate in Nandigram.
The Nandigram seat fell vacant after CM Suvendu Adhikari chose to retain Bhabanipur after winning both constituencies.
The bail plea of Milan Pradhan, the Indian National Congress candidate for the upcoming Nandigram assembly bypoll in East Midnapore district, West Bengal, has been deferred to Tuesday, pushing back any prospect of his release before the 6 October poll date. The hearing was adjourned on Monday, 28 September by the Calcutta High Court.
What Happened in Court
The final hearing was scheduled before the Calcutta High Court's single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh in the second half of Monday. However, Justice Ghosh announced that the hearing would now be taken up on Tuesday, after which judgment will be delivered. Pradhan remains in judicial custody in connection with two old cases, including a 2007 murder case.
Notably, during last week's hearing, Justice Ghosh had observed that Pradhan should be allowed to contest the polls freely like other candidates and had indicated that bail would ultimately be granted. That remark had raised expectations that Pradhan could be released on Monday to join the campaign trail.
The Bypoll at Stake
The bypolls for the Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly constituencies — the latter in Murshidabad district — are scheduled for 6 October, with results to be declared on 9 October. With polling just days away, the timing of Pradhan's possible release carries significant political weight for the Congress campaign in the constituency.
The Political Background
Pradhan was arrested on 18 September, just hours after former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that her All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) faction would back the Congress candidate in Nandigram. That announcement followed the dramatic withdrawal of TMC's own candidate, Sanchita Dey Pradhan. The move was widely read as a meaningful step towards Opposition unity in West Bengal following Banerjee's defeat in the state assembly elections earlier in the year.
The Nandigram bypoll itself was necessitated after current West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari contested and won simultaneously from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in South Kolkata in those assembly polls. He subsequently chose to retain Bhabanipur, vacating the Nandigram seat.
What Comes Next
All eyes are now on Tuesday's hearing, where Justice Ghosh is expected to deliver a verdict on the bail application. If granted, Pradhan would have a narrow window to campaign before polling day on 6 October. The outcome will also be watched as a barometer of Opposition cohesion in West Bengal ahead of future electoral contests.
Point of View
The optics feed a familiar West Bengal narrative: electoral politics and law enforcement moving in uncomfortable proximity. The Calcutta High Court's own signals last week, suggesting bail would be granted, make the continued delay more conspicuous. With polling on 6 October, every day Pradhan remains in custody is a day lost to the Opposition's fragile unity experiment in Nandigram — and that, more than the legal outcome, is what both sides are watching.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Milan Pradhan's bail hearing been deferred?
The Calcutta High Court's single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh adjourned the final hearing on Monday, 28 September, to Tuesday, after which judgment will be delivered. No specific reason for the deferral was reported.
What cases is Milan Pradhan in custody for?
Milan Pradhan is in judicial custody in connection with two old cases, including a 2007 murder case. He was arrested on 18 September.
When is the Nandigram assembly bypoll scheduled?
The Nandigram bypoll, along with the Rejinagar bypoll in Murshidabad district, is scheduled for 6 October, with results to be declared on 9 October.
Why is the Trinamool Congress supporting a Congress candidate in Nandigram?
Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that her TMC faction would back the Congress candidate in Nandigram as a step towards Opposition unity, following TMC's own candidate Sanchita Dey Pradhan withdrawing from the contest.
Why did the Nandigram bypoll become necessary?
The bypoll was necessitated after current West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari won both the Nandigram and Bhabanipur seats in the state assembly elections and subsequently chose to retain Bhabanipur, vacating Nandigram.
