Supreme Court schedules West Bengal bail challenge for October 5

India’s Supreme Court has agreed to hear West Bengal’s challenge against interim bail granted to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, but declined the state’s request for an urgent hearing before the Nandigram bypoll. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, leading a three-judge Bench, said the petition would be listed on October 5. Polling was scheduled for the following day, October 6.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for West Bengal, argued that hearing the case on October 5 could make the petition infructuous. He said Mr Pradhan was facing a murder case and asked whether the state could take the risk of waiting. The Chief Justice said the court had a lengthy board and indicated that it might dismiss the challenge.

The court would do so on October 5 rather than October 1, he said. Mr Pradhan’s counsel had told the Calcutta High Court that he was arrested on September 18 in connection with a first information report filed 19 years earlier. The High Court also noted that he was taken into custody only after filing his nomination papers.

Mr Mehta told the Supreme Court that Mr Pradhan was involved in six first information reports. The cases relate to the 2007 Nandigram agitation and include allegations of rioting and murder. The High Court described Mr Pradhan as a political activist associated with the 2007 land movement and noted his participation as a political candidate.

It granted interim bail to enable him to contest the election. The Supreme Court’s listing leaves the challenge to be considered one day before polling. The source material does not state whether the court issued any final order on the petition at the time of publication.