West Bengal Politics & Governance

Higher Secondary Council schedules English workshop for Bengali-medium students

1 January 2026

The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education scheduled a five-day practical English workshop for Class XI students at Vidyasagar Bhavan in Salt Lake, from 5 to 9 January. About 2,000 students from more than 150 Bengali-medium schools were expected to participate. The first phase was to cover schools in Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas, and parts of Howrah, with expansion to other districts planned.

Key Facts

• WBCHSE introduced a four-semester Higher Secondary system in 2024–25, dividing Class XI and XII into two semesters each.

Railways announces planned Howrah–Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper service

1 January 2026

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced plans for a Vande Bharat Sleeper service between Howrah and Kamakhya, connecting West Bengal and Assam. The proposed 16-coach train was designed to carry up to 823 passengers, with AC three-tier, AC two-tier and first-class coaches. Vaishnaw said the service was expected to be inaugurated in January.

Key Facts

• The proposed service would introduce Vande Bharat sleeper accommodation between West Bengal and Assam, extending the train series to overnight travel.

India and Bangladesh begin annual Ganga–Padma water measurements

1 January 2026

India and Bangladesh began annual joint water-level measurements at Farakka and upstream of Bangladesh’s Hardinge Bridge. Readings are recorded every ten days at designated points on the Ganga and Padma rivers through 31 May under the bilateral water-sharing arrangement.

The 1996 Ganga water-sharing agreement is due to expire in December 2026.

Key Facts

• The 1996 Ganga water-sharing agreement established a 30-year framework for sharing Ganges water at Farakka.

Bidhannagar Introduces Household-Waste Charges and Segregation Penalties

1 January 2026

Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation introduced monthly household-waste charges from 1 January 2026, with fees based on building area. The monthly charge ranges from ₹50 for buildings up to 500 square feet to ₹150 for those above 3,000 square feet, and applies to residential and commercial buildings.

Residents must separate wet and dry waste. Fines for failing to do so are ₹200 for a first offence, ₹300 for a second and ₹400 for each subsequent offence.

Key Facts

• The corporation says penalties aim to enforce wet-and-dry waste separation, which residents had often failed to practise.

CBI files final charge sheet in West Bengal municipal recruitment case

2 January 2026

The Central Bureau of Investigation filed a final charge sheet in a case concerning alleged irregularities in municipal recruitment in West Bengal. The CBI alleged that more than 600 appointments across eight municipalities, including North and South Dum Dum, Kamarhati and Baranagar, involved irregularities in recruitment to posts such as clerks, peons, assistants and drivers.

Key Facts

• The CBI derives its investigative powers from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.

Election Commission allows local inquiry for specified voters lacking SIR documents

2 January 2026

The Election Commission said specified groups of eligible voters—including sex workers, transgender people, members of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups and ashram residents—could attend Special Intensive Revision hearings without producing documents. If they lacked the required papers, an Electoral Registration Officer could use a local inquiry to consider their inclusion in the voter roll. The Commission also instructed officials not to accept OBC certificates cancelled by the Calcutta High Court for the revision process.

Key Facts

• The Election Commission prepares electoral rolls and periodically updates voter lists.

Dalsingpara tea garden reopens after about two-and-a-half years

2 January 2026

Dalsingpara Tea Garden in Alipurduar district reopened on 2 January after being closed for about two-and-a-half years, and workers returned to work. It had shut in October 2023 following a dispute between workers and management over bonuses.

Management said outstanding wages were to be paid before Holi and bonus arrears before Durga Puja. Some workers expressed dissatisfaction that the garden reopened before arrears were paid.

Foundation Stone Laid for Gangasagar Bridge

5 January 2026

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee laid the foundation stone for a four-lane bridge across the Muriganga River, connecting Kakdwip with Kachuberia on Sagar Island. Larsen & Toubro has been awarded the project, estimated at about ₹1,700 crore, with a completion target of two to three years.

The bridge is intended to improve access for residents and Gangasagar pilgrims, ...