The Calcutta High Court has issued strict instructions to the West Bengal state government to expedite the installation of barbed-wire fencing along unfenced sections of the India-Bangladesh border.

Prioritizing national security, the court has set a firm deadline of March 31 for the state to hand over the required land to the Border Security Force (BSF). Specifically, the court ordered the immediate transfer of land for which the Central Government has already provided compensation funds.

A significant portion of the India-Bangladesh border has remained porous for a long time, leading to legal friction between the Center and the State.

The Central Government has consistently alleged that despite the allocation of necessary funds, the state government has been delaying the land acquisition process.

Judicial Intervention
On Tuesday (January 27), a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Parthasarathi Sen passed this landmark order. During the hearing, the Chief Justice questioned the state’s role, asking why land acquisition was being delayed in a matter as critical as national security.

The court stated unequivocally that the process cannot be stalled under the pretext of conducting a "Social Impact Assessment." The justices described the state's perceived apathy as "concerning," given the sensitive nature of international borders.

• Key Details of the Order:
  Funding: The Center has already disbursed funds to the state for land acquisition covering approximately 180 kilometers of the border.
• Emergency Acquisition: For areas where cabinet approval is still pending, the court has directed both the Center and the State to file affidavits exploring whether land can be acquired on an emergency basis in the interest of national security.
• Next Hearing: The court has scheduled the next hearing for April 2.

Source: The Telegraph