Kolkata: The West Bengal Assembly on Monday passed two significant pieces of legislation aimed at strengthening public safety, maintaining law and order, and protecting public and private property from acts of violence and vandalism. The State government described the measures as necessary to address rising concerns over criminal activities, organised violence, and the destruction of public assets.
The first legislation, The West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026, empowers the government to place individuals under preventive detention for up to one year if authorities believe such action is necessary to prevent future anti-social activities. The law specifically targets individuals who are considered habitual offenders or those generally regarded as dangerous to the community.
To ensure accountability, the Bill provides for the constitution of an independent advisory board that will examine every detention case within three weeks. The board will be headed by a chairperson who is or has been a judge of a High Court, along with other qualified members. It will review the evidence and determine whether the detention should continue or if the individual should be released.
The legislation also states that detained persons will ordinarily not be represented by a legal practitioner before the advisory board. However, the board has been given the authority to permit legal representation in exceptional circumstances, provided the reasons for doing so are recorded in writing.
The Assembly also approved The West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which makes individuals responsible for compensating the government or private parties for damage caused to public or private property during acts of violence or unlawful activities. The move is expected to discourage vandalism and ensure that taxpayers are not burdened with the financial cost of repairing damaged infrastructure.
Speaking in the Assembly, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the legislation had become necessary due to the criminalisation of politics and repeated incidents of mob violence witnessed in the State over the years. He cited the killings of Haragobinda Das and Chandan Das in April 2025 as examples of the deteriorating law and order situation that demanded stronger legal safeguards.
The Chief Minister also noted that similar preventive detention laws already exist in several other States, including Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand. He assured the House that the government would not misuse the legislation for political purposes, emphasising that the law is intended solely to protect citizens and preserve public order.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sankar Ghosh defended the Bills, arguing that while the right to protest is a democratic right, the destruction of public property cannot be justified under any circumstances. He said the legislation would help restore order and deter those who seek to create unrest through violence.
Minister Agnimitra Paul described the new laws as an important step towards correcting years of deteriorating governance and ensuring a safer environment for ordinary citizens. According to the government, the legislation strikes a balance between maintaining public security and incorporating safeguards through judicial oversight, reinforcing its commitment to protecting law-abiding citizens while taking firm action against anti-social elements.
