West Bengal

Kolkata, West Bengal: Following the commencement of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in West Bengal, a notable trend has emerged in the state’s minority-dominated border districts. Many Muslim couples, who traditionally solemnize marriages under Islamic law, are now rushing to register their marriages under the Special Marriage Act, 1954, citing legal and administrative concerns. According to official data, between November 2024 and October 2025, 1,130 Muslim couples in West Bengal applied for marriage registration, with over half of these applications (609) filed between July and October, coinciding with the SIR exercise in the neighboring state of Bihar. Border Districts Lead the Surge The highest number of applications came from North Dinajpur (199) and Malda...

**West Bengal Schools to Mandatorily Include Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Banglar Mati’ in Morning Assemblies; Mamata Takes Big Cultural Step Kolkata, West Bengal: In a major cultural move, the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) has made it compulsory for all schools across the state to include the state song, ‘Banglar Mati, Banglar Jal’, in their morning assemblies. Written by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in 1905, the song was officially declared the state anthem in 2023. Official Notification and Implementation The WBBSE issued a notification on Thursday instructing all principals of higher primary and secondary schools to ensure the state song is sung daily during morning prayers. West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu stated, “This renowned song by Tagore, co...