West Bengal

Amit Shah vows to 'throw out infiltrators' if BJP wins in Bengal polls

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday sharpened the BJP's pitch on infiltration, declaring that while "only names of infiltrators are being deleted now" from voter rolls, they would be "pushed out of the state" once the party comes to power with a full majority in West Bengal. Addressing the BJP's Poriborton Yatra here in South 24 Parganas district, his first visit to the state since the publication of the revised electoral rolls on Saturday, Shah said the Trinamool Congress (TMC) had turned Bengal into a "swarg (heaven) for infiltrators" and alleged that the border state's security was compromised because the ruling dispensation allowed illegal immigration. "Bengal is a bordering state. The TMC cannot ensure security because they allow infiltration. Only the BJP can provide security to a bordering state like Bengal," he said. His remarks come against the backdrop of the post-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) electoral rolls published on Saturday, which recorded 63.66 lakh deletion

WB's original inhabitants will become minority due to infiltration: Nadda

Accusing the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal of giving "shelter" to infiltrators, Union minister JP Nadda on Sunday claimed that the state's original inhabitants would become a minority if the trend continued. Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar in Nadia district, from where one of the BJP's 'Poriborton Yatras' was flagged off, Nadda alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress was trying to turn the state into a "hub of infiltrators". "Infiltration in Bengal has reached its peak. The state is being turned into a safe hub for infiltrators. The original inhabitants of Bengal will become minorities as infiltrators are being given shelter," he claimed. Alleging a complete breakdown of law and order, Nadda said the TMC stood for "terror, Muslim appeasement and corruption". Nadda, the Union health minister, accused the TMC government of blocking central welfare schemes, particularly Ayushman Bharat. "The TMC government did not allow the implementation of Ayushman Bharat in the .

BJP to launch 'Paribartan Yatra' across poll-bound Bengal from today

The BJP will launch 'Paribartan Yatra' across West Bengal on Sunday in a bid to sharpen anti-incumbency against the TMC and test its grassroots machinery ahead of the assembly polls this year. The programme will kick off a day after the publication of the revised electoral rolls under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in the state. During the SIR process, around 63.66 lakh names, nearly 8.3 per cent of the electorate, have been deleted from the state voter list since the exercise began in November last year, reducing the elector base to over 7.04 crore. The 5,000-km outreach initiative is designed as both a mass-contact exercise and an organisational stress test aimed at converting booth-level groundwork into visible street mobilisation, a party leader said. Nine yatras will originate from Cooch Behar, Krishnanagar, Kulti, Garbeta, Raidighi, Islampur, Hasan, Sandeshkhali and Amta, traversing every assembly constituency before culminating in a Brigade Parade Ground rally

Voters face issues as EC portal down in Bengal after SIR rolls publication

Voters in West Bengal were left high and dry for most parts of the day, unable to access their electoral status on the website of the Election Commission and its mobile application following the publication of post-SIR electoral rolls on Saturday, on account of the portal remaining dormant on "technical" grounds. Although online data on the EC-designated websites could not be accessed since morning, officials said they realised the problem after users reported them to be "down" and inaccessible at around 1 pm. The poll panel has started publishing the electoral rolls in phases, which marked the culmination of a 116-day statewide exercise that began on November 4 last year. The ECI's voter services portal and the state CEO's website were both unresponsive, triggering confusion among voters attempting to check their names on the list. "The final electoral roll will be published online in the afternoon," an official of the office of the Chief Electoral Officer had said. Following the

Earthquake tremors felt in Kolkata, adjacent districts of West Bengal

Earthquake tremors were felt in Kolkata and adjacent districts in West Bengal on Friday afternoon, triggering panic among people. There was no immediate report of any loss of life or damage to property. The magnitude and epicentre of the quake are not yet known. The tremors, which lasted for a few seconds, were felt in several parts of the city and adjoining areas, including high-rise residential complexes and busy marketplaces. Residents in many neighbourhoods said ceiling fans swayed, furniture shook and windows rattled during the tremors, with the impact more noticeable in multi-storey buildings. Further details are awaited.

BJP will win Bengal polls, drive out every single infiltrator: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday exuded confidence that the BJP will win the upcoming assembly polls in West Bengal, and "drive out every single infiltrator" from the state, which was among the ones "worst affected by demographic change". Shah made the remark in Araria district of Bihar, where he launched projects worth Rs 175 crore of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and dedicated to the nation a couple of new border outposts. "It is the top priority of the BJP government to drive out every single infiltrator from the country, who are not just a threat to national security, but also feed on welfare benefits meant for people, thereby diluting the impact schemes run by the government could make," he said. "Infiltration on a large scale also results in encroachments in bordering areas. We are committed to demolishing these. Infiltration also poses the threat of demographic change, which can wreak havoc with the culture, and even geography, of a region," Shah said. The Narendra

Great leveller: How SIR hearings blurred party lines ahead of Bengal polls

As West Bengal awaits publication of the final voter list on February 28 after the SIR, the state has been witness to an unusual spectacle over the past few months, with senior leaders and elected representatives from rival parties appearing at hearings to defend their names in the electoral rolls. For a brief interlude before the 2026 assembly polls, the SIR emerged as an unlikely political leveller, feel observers. Modest Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing rooms across the state turned into unlikely arenas of convergence during the past two months. From TMC MP and actor Dev to ministers Shashi Panja and Tajmul Hossain, MLA and former IPS officer Humayun Kabir to party leader Debangshu Bhattacharya and MLA Nandita Chowdhury, SIR notices travelled without regard for party colours. The BJP list was no different. Former Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta attended a hearing over a spelling discrepancy, while BJP MLAs Swapan Majumdar and Ashis Kumar Biswas were also summoned. The Le

Bengal SIR: SC allows Jharkhand, Odisha judicial officers for verification

SC permits deployment of additional judges to speed up Bengal's voter roll revision and allows the Election Commission to publish the final rolls on February 28 as verification continues

Mukul Roy: Bengal's 'Chanakya' who mastered defections, outlived alliances

Mukul Roy, the backroom strategist once hailed as the 'Chanakya of West Bengal politics', died early on Monday after prolonged illness, ending a career which saw him both engineer and embody defections. One of the founding members of the TMC, his passing ends one of the most layered political journeys of post-Left West Bengal. Roy, who was born in Kanchrapara in North 24 Parganas district in 1954, began his political career with the Youth Congress in the 1980s. When Mamata Banerjee broke away from the Congress to form the Trinamool Congress in 1998, Roy was among the earliest to follow. Soft-spoken and meticulous organiser, he avoided rhetorical flourish. His domain was arithmetic, booth committees, district equations, ticket distribution and alliance management. Within a few years, he emerged as the party's general secretary and principal troubleshooter in Delhi. Elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2006 and re-elected later, Roy became the TMC's leader in the Upper House in 2009. In the

Former railway minister, TMC leader Mukul Roy dies of cardiac arrest

Veteran politician and former railway minister Mukul Roy died of cardiac arrest at a private hospital here on Monday, his family said. He was 71. Roy breathed his last at 1.30 am at the private hospital, his son Subhranshu Roy said, adding that he had been in a coma for the last several days. Roy was a founder member of TMC when the party was formed in 1998. Later, following differences with the party, he joined the BJP in 2017. Roy became an MLA from Krishnanagar Uttar constituency in the 2021 West Bengal assembly polls on a BJP ticket, but returned to the TMC after the polls. During his long political career, he served as the railway minister in 2011 in the UPA-2 government, when the TMC was part of the Centre. He was elected twice to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal.

Central forces to be deployed in poll-bound West Bengal from March 1

As many as 480 companies of Central Armed Police Forces will be initially deployed in poll-bound West Bengal for area domination, confidence-building measures and other election-related duties from March 1, an EC official said on Saturday. They will also guard EVMs at strong rooms and counting centres during the election process. The assembly elections in the state are due in a few months. The official said that the first batch of around 240 companies will be inducted by March 1, while an equal number of companies will join them by March 10. The contingents will include personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Sashastra Seema Bal. The final electoral roll after the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is scheduled to be published on February 28, while the election schedule is expected to be announced in March.

Calcutta High Court holds high-level meet on SIR after SC directive

A high-level meeting on the SIR exercise began at the Calcutta High Court on Saturday afternoon, in accordance with the SC's directives, officials said. The meeting, presided over by HC Chief Justice Sujoy Paul, aims to establish a framework for judicial oversight as mandated by the apex court, they said. The meeting follows the Supreme Court's direction that the remaining stages of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls must now be conducted under the supervision of judicial officers and former judges. Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty and Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal were among the officers attending the meeting. The CEO said the meeting would allow all stakeholders to present their "points of view" to resolve existing complexities and receive specific directions on the way forward. Dismayed over the ongoing tussle between the West Bengal government and the Election Commission, the Supreme Court on Friday issued an "extraordinary" direction to .

SC orders deployment of judicial officers in Bengal's SIR exercise

In an extraordinary order, the Supreme Court on Friday directed deployment of serving and former district judges to assist the Election Commission in the controversy-ridden special intensive revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal. Ruing the "unfortunate blame game" between the EC and the TMC-led government, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi passed a slew of fresh directions to ensure completion of the special intensive revision (SIR) process in the state. The bench ordered deputation of judicial officers for adjudication of claims and objections of persons put under logical discrepancy list. It asked the Calcutta High Court chief justice to spare judicial officers and find former judges to assist in SIR work as it took serious note of state government not sparing enough grade 'A' officers for the revision exercise. The top court permitted the EC to publish a draft list of voters in the state by February 28 while allowing the p

NGT sets up committee to address alarming Sundarbans coastal erosion

Tribunal notes severe erosion in Ghoramara Island and directs a joint committee to prepare a comprehensive conservation and mitigation plan within three months

EC suspends 7 West Bengal officials for serious misconduct amid ongoing SIR

Using its powers under the electoral law, the Election Commission has suspended seven officials in West Bengal with immediate effect for serious misconduct, dereliction of duty and misuse of statutory powers in connection with SIR. All the suspended officers were working as assistant electoral registration officers for the EC. Booth-level and electoral registration officers and their assistants are state government employees who work on deputation for the EC to update the voters' list and help hold elections. Quoting orders, EC officials said the poll authority has directed state Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravarty that disciplinary proceedings be initiated against these officials by their respective cadre controlling authorities immediately, without any delay and the Commission be apprised in this regard. The EC and the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal have been at loggerheads over the ongoing special intensive revision of the voters' list.

SIR discrepancy hearings in Bengal end; final rolls to be released Feb 28

The hearing for 'logical discrepancy' cases in the SIR exercise concluded across West Bengal on Saturday, a senior EC official said, adding that the the final electoral rolls is scheduled to be published on February 28. The hearings, which addressed omissions and inconsistencies in name spellings, began on December 27 and continued across the state at camps set up in schools, club rooms and administrative buildings. "The poll officials will now scrutinise documents till February 21, and the final electoral rolls is slated for publication on February 28," the official said. Any pending data for Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) must be uploaded by Monday. During the enumeration exercise, around 58 lakh names (deceased/duplicate/shifted voters) were referred as fit for omission and kept out of the draft electoral rolls published in December. The last date of publication of the final electoral rolls was February 14, which was later extended by the EC to February 28.

Preserve SIR records for 5 years: CEC Gyanesh Kumar to Bengal officials

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Friday directed that all records related to the SIR of electoral rolls be preserved for five years and warned of strict disciplinary action against officials found responsible for errors or deliberate lapses, an official said. At a meeting held virtually with district magistrates (DMs), electoral registration officers (EROs) and assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs) of Bengal, Kumar said decisions taken during the SIR process would remain stored in the commission's database for many years. "These records will not remain for one or two years, but for several years. If any foreign national's name is found in the voter list in future, the officer concerned will face action," Kumar was quoted as saying. In a stern message to the district election officers (DEOs), he cautioned that the poll panel would be empowered to initiate action even years later. "Do not assume you can escape. Even after two years, the commission can proceed

I-PAC raids: SC adjourns ED plea against Mamata's 'interference' to Feb 18

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

SC limits micro-observers' role in Bengal SIR, extends scrutiny deadline

The Supreme Court clarified that micro-observers have no adjudicatory role in West Bengal's voter roll revision, allowed their replacement with Group B officers and extended scrutiny timelines

Won't allow impediments to SIR, says SC; extends Bengal voter list deadline

The top court extended the deadline for publication of the final voter list in West Bengal by one week