Congress Nandigram candidate Milan Pradhan granted bail:Calcutta HC questions state govt, asks why he was re-arrested

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted bail to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, who is contesting the Nandigram by-election in West Bengal. The court also barred police from arresting him in connection with the case and allowed him to contest the election. Pradhan faces five cases and has been arrested in all of them. He was arrested on September 18 in a case related to protests against land acquisition in Nandigram. Court questions state government over re-arrest Justice Sougat Bhattacharya questioned the circumstances surrounding Pradhan’s arrest in the 2007 case. The court said the state government had not produced any document to establish that a production warrant had been served. The judge questioned why Pradhan had been re-arrested in the case. The court directed police not to take any action against Pradhan until October 12 in connection with the 2007 case registered at Khejuri police station in East Midnapore district. The order also allows Pradhan to contest the Nandigram by-election. Nandigram votes on October 6 Voting for the Nandigram by-election will be held on October 6, while campaigning will end on October 4. The counting of votes is scheduled for October 9. The lower courts’ orders had restricted Pradhan’s ability to campaign personally. His bail now allows him to take part in the election campaign. Adhikari vacated Nandigram seat The by-election was necessitated after Suvendu Adhikari won Nandigram in the 2026 Assembly elections and later vacated the seat. He had also won the Bhabanipur constituency in Kolkata. The Election Commission subsequently announced a by-election for Nandigram. The constituency has played an important role in West Bengal politics. In 2007, Adhikari was associated with the anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram led by Mamata Banerjee.