Christmas & New Year: State cancels police leave till Jan 20

Kolkata: With the state gearing up for Christmas and the New Year, the West Bengal government has directed the cancellation of all leave for police personnel across ranks during the festive period to ensure public safety.

A special directive issued by the Home Department states that “regular leave” will not be granted to police personnel — from the top brass down to the rank of constable — for nearly a month. The order will remain in force from December 24 to January 20.

This means that during Christmas, the New Year and other winter festivities in early January, all police and law-enforcement personnel will be required to remain on duty. Leave during this period will be allowed only in cases of extreme urgency or unavoidable necessity. Nabanna sources said the decision has been taken to ensure a watertight law-and-order arrangement across the state.

In addition, personnel of specialised forces deployed during emergencies — including the Rapid Action Force (RAF), Emergency Force (EFR), Gorkha Battalion and Narayani Battalion — have also had their leave cancelled.

Administrative sources said that every year between December 25 and December 31, as well as on January 1, there is a massive influx of people across Kolkata and other districts. Areas such as Park Street, Eco Park and the Alipore Zoo, along with picnic spots and tourist destinations, witness overwhelming crowds, posing significant challenges for crowd management.

Traffic regulation and women’s safety also become major concerns during this period. The directive also contains a clear instruction for those already on leave.

All police personnel and officers currently on leave have been asked to report back to duty immediately and rejoin by December 24.