West Bengal CM Denies President Returned Anti-Goonda Bill, Says It Is With MHA

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday dismissed reports that President Droupadi Murmu had returned the state’s anti-goonda bill, saying the legislation is still under consideration with the Union Home Ministry.

Calling the reports “fake news”, Adhikari said the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026 had not yet reached the President. “We are surprised by this news. We contacted the MHA. No such communication took place,” Adhikari told reporters at the state secretariat.

The bill, passed by the West Bengal Assembly in June, seeks to expand the state’s powers to tackle organised crime, extortion, illegal mining, cybercrime and public disorder. The Assembly had also passed the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2026, providing for recovery of compensation for damage to public and private property during riots and violent protests.

Adhikari said the anti-goonda legislation has two key components attachment of property and preventive arrest. He claimed the property-attachment provision had already come into effect and had been used against rioting offenders in Asansol.

Rejecting the description “goonda bill”, the chief minister said the term does not appear in the legislation and was coined by journalists. He defended the bill’s constitutional validity, saying it was framed within the state’s powers under Schedule 7 and Article 254(2) of the Constitution.

On provisions linked to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, Adhikari said states including Kerala and Andhra Pradesh had previously amended the central law and obtained presidential assent.

Adhikari expressed confidence that the bill would receive the President’s assent, claiming it was currently under consideration at the joint secretary level in the Home Ministry. The denial came after reports claimed the President had returned the bill over concerns about provisions potentially overlapping with central anti-narcotics legislation.

Following those reports, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee had criticised the BJP-led central government on X, saying, “Double engine on the posters. Reverse gear in governance. Homework returned for correction.”