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The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned to February 18 the hearing on a plea moved by the ED alleging obstruction by the West Bengal government, including by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in its search operation at the I-PAC office and the premises of its director in connection with an alleged coal pilferage scam. A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Sandeep Mehta deferred the matter after it was informed that senior advocate Kapil Sibal was unwell. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta agreed to the adjournment. The top court on January 15 said the West Bengal chief minister's alleged "obstruction" in ED's probe is "very serious" and agreed to examine if a state's law-enforcing agencies can interfere with any central agency's probe into any serious offence as it stayed FIRs against the agency's officials who raided political consultancy I-PAC on January 8. The top court, while staying the FIRs filed in West Bengal against ED officials, also directed the state police to protect
West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal on Saturday requested the Election Commission of India to extend the final date of hearing under SIR of electoral rolls by seven days, after several district election officers reported delays in completion of hearings, verification, and data uploading. The deadline for the hearing under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was February 7. Agarwal told reporters that the appeal was made following inputs from seven to eight districts where different stages of the process were still pending. "I have appealed to extend the last date of hearing for seven days after receiving inputs from seven to eight district election officers. In some places, the process of hearing is yet to be over, while in others uploading, verification, and final decisions by the AEROs and EROs are still pending," Agarwal said. He said if allowed, hearings will now continue till February 14, adding that the final electoral roll, which was earlier
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said her government had no objection in providing land for border fencing, but insisted that the Centre must first roll back the "arbitrary" decision to expand the BSF's jurisdiction in the state from 15 km to 50 km. Speaking in the assembly, amid allegations the state government was not cooperating in providing land for fencing along the India-Bangladesh border, Banerjee asserted that land had already been allotted to all central organisations and agencies, including the BSF. "Land will not be a problem. You will get land. But, first change the arbitrary rule of increasing BSF's jurisdiction (area) from 15 km to 50 km," she said during discussions on the governor's address. The chief minister also claimed that Home Minister Amit Shah, who recently alleged that the state was not providing land for border fencing, is not furnishing the full data of land given by the West Bengal government.
Observing that dearness allowance is a legally enforceable right, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the West Bengal government to pay it to its employees for the 2008 to 2019 period. A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Prashant Kumar Mishra directed the West Bengal government to pay 25 per cent of the outstanding DA to its employees by March 6. "To receive dearness allowance is a legally enforceable right that has accrued in favour of the respondents-employees of the State of West Bengal...The employees of the appellant-State shall be entitled to release of arrears in accordance with this judgment for the time 2008-2019," the bench said. The top court said dearness allowance emerges as a practical instrument of protection in the hands of the welfare state, which safeguards its employees from the adverse effects of rising prices. Dearness Allowance is not an additional benefit but a means to maintain a minimum standard of living, it said. Considering the financial implication
The West Bengal government on Thursday moved a resolution in the assembly over alleged hardships being faced by people due to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Moving the resolution under Rule 169, State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shovandeb Chattopadhyay claimed that the SIR process led to harassment of voters and the death of 107 people due to anxiety over the exercise. Criticising the Election Commission, he asserted it had "turned into a commission of harassment" ahead of the assembly polls in the state. Speaker Biman Banerjee, however, rejected the proposal, contending that since the matter was pending before the apex court, the assembly could not deliberate on it.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday reached the Supreme Court ahead of a crucial hearing on the petitions challenging the Election Commission's ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. The chief minister has also moved an interlocutory application seeking permission to appear and argue in person. Banerjee is personally present in court room one along with her lawyers. A gate pass was issued in the chief minister's name on Tuesday. As per the apex court website, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi is scheduled to hear the petitions of Banerjee and three others filed by Mostari Banu and TMC MPs Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday left the meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar here on the SIR matter in a huff without listening to the response of the EC top brass on the issues raised by her, EC officials said. The CEC told the TMC leaders that the "rule of law will prevail" and anybody taking the law into their own hands will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the provisions of law and powers vested in the Election Commission (EC), they said. Their reaction came as Banerjee lashed out at the EC after emerging from the meeting, accusing the poll panel of acting as a "dalal" (middleman) of the BJP. Wearing black shawls as a mark of "protest", Banerjee along with some "SIR-affected" families and party leaders met Chief Election Commissioner Kumar and fellow ECs here, her party said. First TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee spoke, followed by Mamata Banerjee, the officials said, adding that the points raised by them were duly noted down b
Security has been stepped up around Banga Bhawan in New Delhi after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee confronted police personnel deployed outside the building and alleged harassment of families affected by the SIR of electoral rolls in her state. Addressing reporters, she claimed that people from West Bengal who were staying at Banga Bhawan were being "threatened" and questioned the heavy police deployment. She added, however, that she doesn't blame police, but "those who are on the top". Banerjee, who arrived in Delhi on Sunday, reached the West Bengal government's guest house here, ahead of her scheduled meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the eastern state. She was seen directly confronting the security personnel outside the building, asserting that she was in the national capital for justice to the families that suffered during SIR, and not for an agitation. "People from Bengal are being threatened i
Bombs were hurled and bullets fired during a clash between two groups here, leaving two persons injured, police said on Monday. At least 10 people were arrested in the clash that broke out in south Kolkata's Golpark area under the Rabindra Sarobar Police Station limits on Sunday night, a senior officer said. "The situation is now under control. Ten people were arrested early on Monday, and raids are underway to arrest others involved in the clash," he said. The violence broke out on Kankulia Road around 8.30 pm on Sunday when a group of youths from another area entered the locality and were confronted by locals, he said, adding that "two persons were injured in the incident". Stones were hurled from both sides, creating panic in the area, the policeman said. "Crude bombs were thrown, and at least one round of bullets was fired during the clash. Empty cartridges and splinters have been recovered from the area," the officer said. A mob later vandalised several motorcycles and made
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday asserted that the strategically crucial Siliguri Corridor, often referred to as the 'Chicken's Neck', belongs to India and no one would be allowed to threaten or tamper with it. Addressing a BJP workers' meeting here, Shah said some people had raised slogans in Delhi claiming they would "cut off the Chicken's Neck", the narrow strip of land connecting mainland India with the northeastern states. "Some people raised slogans in Delhi saying they would cut off the 'Chicken's Neck'. Why, brother, how will you cut it? Is this your father's land? This is India's land; no one can lay a hand on it," Shah said. He said Delhi Police had arrested those who raised such slogans, but alleged that leaders of the opposition 'INDIA' alliance had attempted to secure their release. "Delhi Police put them behind bars. Leaders of the INDI alliance tried hard to get them released. Their MPs even went to the Supreme Court to argue on their behalf. But in the end,
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government, accusing it of "providing shelter to infiltrators", institutionalising corruption and deliberately obstructing border security measures for electoral gains. Addressing a BJP workers' meeting at Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas, Shah also asserted that the TMC government was "certain to go" in the upcoming assembly elections. He said formation of a BJP government in West Bengal was crucial not just for the state, but for national security as well. "The way infiltration is taking place in West Bengal, it has become a security issue for the entire country. Even after court orders, the TMC government is not giving land to the BSF for border fencing because infiltrators are its vote bank," Shah alleged. He claimed that the administration and police in the state were not stopping illegal migrants, who were being sent across the country using fake documents. Referring to the
West Bengal's net state domestic product (NSDP) at current prices grew by 9.86 per cent to Rs 16.32 lakh crore in the 2024-25 financial year, showing an improvement from the 8.94 per cent growth recorded in the previous fiscal, according to the latest Economic Survey. The Statistical Appendix of the survey showed the state's NSDP stood at Rs 14.85 lakh crore in 2023-24. The Economic Survey 2025-26 was tabled in Parliament on Thursday. However, West Bengal trailed behind other major states in terms of percentage growth at current prices. Tamil Nadu registered a robust growth of 15.76 per cent, while Uttar Pradesh recorded 12.64 per cent and Maharashtra 11.85 per cent during the same period, the Statistical Appendix of the survey said. In the eastern region, West Bengal's NSDP growth rate was outpaced by its neighbours, Bihar and Odisha. Bihar recorded an NSDP growth of 13.07 per cent, while Odisha registered 13.04 per cent in 2024-25. Jharkhand also reported a higher growth rate o