Bengal Cabinet Clears Long-Delayed Census and New Criminal Laws
Kolkata: The new state government on Monday approved the immediate rollout of the long-delayed census exercise in West Bengal and formally initiated the implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Announcing the decisions after the cabinet meeting at Nabanna, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari accused the previous regime of deliberately stalling the census process despite repeated communications from the Centre.
“On June 16, 2025, the home ministry sent the necessary communication regarding the census. For nearly a year, the file remained untouched and instructions were pending. This was not just a betrayal of Bengal, but of the entire country,” Adhikari said.
The chief minister stated that the census exercise would begin immediately across the state, emphasizing that the data collection process would play a crucial role in future delimitation and governance planning.
Implementation of New Criminal Laws
The cabinet also approved the implementation framework for BNS and BNSS in Bengal, replacing the continuation of the colonial-era Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Adhikari expressed surprise at discovering after assuming office that no formal rules had been framed in the state even nearly two years after the new criminal laws came into force nationally.
The new criminal laws aim to modernize the legal system and ensure faster justice. The state government will now work on training personnel and updating procedures to enforce these laws effectively.
