Handover border land to BSF by March 31: HC tells Bengal govt

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the West Bengal government to hand over all acquired land required for border fencing to the BSF by March 31, citing concerns linked to national security.

A division bench of Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen issued the direction while hearing a public interest litigation on delays in fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal. The court noted that although the Central government has already paid compensation and completed acquisition in several cases, the land has not

yet been transferred to the BSF for installation of barbed-wire fencing.

On Tuesday, the court made it clear that land parcels where acquisition has been completed must be handed over within the stipulated time.

For cases where land acquisition is yet to receive state Cabinet approval, the court said it would consider whether emergency acquisition of border land is permissible under law, keeping in view issues of national security. All parties have been directed to submit affidavits. The matter will be heard next on April 2.