The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to interfere with the Calcutta High Court order granting interim bail to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan. The court allowed him to campaign for the Nandigram bypoll until October 20. The Bengal government can still raise its concerns if Pradhan asks for any further bail extension.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to interfere with the Calcutta High Court order granting interim bail to Congress' Nandigram bypoll candidate, Milan Pradhan, for electioneering.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, however, allowed the Bengal government, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, to raise its contentions before the High Court if Pradhan seeks extension of grant of interim bail in criminal cases pending against him.
On September 30, the top court had agreed to hear the Bengal BJP government's plea challenging the interim bail granted to Pradhan in six criminal cases lodged in 2007.
It noted that the high court had granted the interim bail till October 20 for a limited purpose of allowing him to campaign and take part in the counting of votes.
Pradhan was arrested on September 18, hours after Mamata Banerjee announced that her party would support the Congress in the Nandigram by-election following the withdrawal of Mamata-TMC candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey. Dey announced her withdrawal after meeting Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari.
The bypoll to Nandigram assembly constituency took place on October 6.
Opposition parties, including Congress, both TMC factions, and CPM, echoing Pradhan's allegations of "vote-loot, voter intimidation and biased action of the police and security forces" and forcible eviction of the party's agents.