State clears census, BNS rollout

Kolkata: The new state govt on Monday approved the immediate rollout of the long-delayed census exercise in the state and formally initiating implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.Announcing the decisions after the cabinet meeting at Nabanna, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari accused the previous regime of deliberately stalling the census process despite repeated communications from the Centre."On June 16, 2025, the home ministry sent the necessary communication regarding the census. For nearly a year, the file remained untouched and instructions were pending. This was not just a betrayal of Bengal, but of the entire country," Adhikari said.The chief minister said the census exercise would begin immediately across the state, adding that the data collection process would play a crucial role in future delimitation and governance planning.The cabinet also approved the implementation framework for BNS and BNSS in Bengal, replacing the continuation of the colonial-era IPC-CrPC system.Adhikari said he was "surprised" to discover after assuming office that no formal rules had been framed in the state even nearly two years after the new criminal laws came into force nationally.