Academic qualification of BJP Nandigram candidate before her birth; Congress moves the court

The BJP dismissed the issue regarding Hasirani Rath’s year of birth as a typographical error. The party said that Hasirani Rath was a class 10 student in the school mentioned in 1980 and not as stated in the affidavit. File | Photo credit: ANI

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nandigram candidate Hasirani Rath’s academic qualification predates her year of birth, according to an affidavit filed by Ms. Rath at the time of her nomination. Disputing the matter, the opposition filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against the discrepancy.

On Wednesday (September 23, 2026), the West Bengal unit of the Congress party also went to court and filed a case in the Calcutta High Court challenging alleged discrepancies in the education and year of birth of the BJP candidate. The party also approached the court seeking bail for its Nandigram candidate, Milan Pradhan.

Mr. Pradhan was arrested in four cases dating back to 2007 and sent to judicial custody till October 3, 2026 by the Haldia District Court on September 19. Nandigram and Rejinagar go to polls on October 6, leaving Mr. Pradhan with no time to campaign. Opposition leaders criticized his arrest, calling it “selective targeting”.

Only fault: BJP

The affidavit filed by Ms. Rath at the time of her nomination listed her highest education as Class 10. “Highest Education: Class X, Chowkhali Ganga Padma Milan Kanya Vidyapith (ELS.), 1965,” the affidavit reads. However, her age is given as over 60, which means her year of birth must have been 1965 or 1966.

“The (Congress) party today moved the Calcutta High Court seeking bail on behalf of Nandigram Congress candidate Milan Pradhan and a writ petition regarding an affidavit filed by BJP candidate Hasiran Rath,” the West Bengal Congress said in a statement.

The Congress leadership also called for the cancellation of Rath’s candidacy. The BJP, meanwhile, dismissed the issue as a typographical error. The party said that Ms. Rath was a 10th grade student at the said school in 1980, not as stated in the affidavit.

Pradhan bail application

On Tuesday (September 22, 2026), the Calcutta High Court asked the state government to ensure that Congress candidate Mr. Pradhan is allowed to contest the elections properly if he secures bail in the cases filed against him.

The bail plea filed by the Congress on Wednesday (September 23, 2026) in the Calcutta High Court will be heard on Thursday (September 24, 2026).

Meanwhile, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Contai on Wednesday sent Mr. Pradhan to judicial custody till October 7, one day after the election date. “The government is afraid, that’s why they are framing me in false cases,” Mr. Pradhan said on his way to the court.

Published – 23 Sep 2026 21:09 IST