The Calcutta High Court has strongly criticised the West Bengal government for failing to follow its earlier order regarding the transfer of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) for fencing along the India-Bangladesh border. The court noted that despite clear directions, only eight kilometres of land have been handed over so far, out of the required 127 kilometres.

The issue dates back to January 27, when a division bench led by Chief Justice Sujoy Paul directed the state government to transfer 127 kilometres of land to the BSF by March 31. The court had specified that this land had already been acquired or purchased, and that compensation for it had already been received by the state government from the Centre. The direction was clear and time-bound, considering the importance of the matter.

However, when the case was taken up again on April 22, the court expressed serious concern over the lack of progress. It was observed that the state had failed to meet the deadline and had only handed over a very small portion of the required land. The bench found this delay unacceptable, especially given the national importance of securing the border.

The court also criticised the state government for not submitting a proper report explaining the delay. It noted that no detailed affidavit had been filed, which was expected in such a case. Instead, the report submitted was termed inadequate and lacking necessary details.

"What is surprising and shocking is that in a matter of national importance, the respondent state has not thought it proper to file their report on affidavit," the court observed.

The bench further pointed out that the report did not provide any clear information about the steps taken since the January order. It lacked specifics such as dates, locations, and actions taken by different districts.

"A sketchy and evasive report has been filed which does not disclose date and place-wise as to what action has been taken for handing over the land after passing the order of this court on January 27, 2026," it noted.

Expressing its dissatisfaction, the court said that such a casual approach could not be accepted in a matter linked to national security. It imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the officer who submitted the report. The court directed that this amount must be paid personally by the officer, highlighting the seriousness of the lapse.

"We deprecate the practice of filing such an evasive and sketchy report," the division bench, which also included Justice Partha Sarathi Sen, said.

To ensure accountability, the court has now directed the state government to submit a fresh and detailed affidavit within two weeks. This report must clearly mention the steps taken on a day-to-day basis and district-wise after the January 27 order. The court emphasised that each district must provide a clear account of its actions regarding the land transfer.

"The report must disclose the steps taken by each of the districts for handing over the land" to the BSF after the January 27 order, the division bench directed.

The court also stated that if the full 127 kilometres of land could not be handed over, the state must explain the reasons for the delay. It pointed out that the current report did not offer any such explanation, which further added to the concern.

The matter came up during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation filed by Lt General Subrata Saha (retd). The petition seeks directions to the West Bengal government to transfer the required land to the BSF to complete border fencing, citing national security concerns.

The High Court has scheduled the next hearing of the case for May 13. The upcoming proceedings are expected to review the compliance report and assess whether the state government has taken concrete steps to follow the court’s directions.