West Bengal Yet to Gazette Census Notification, TMC and Centre at Odds Again

Kolkata: A new dispute has emerged between the West Bengal government and the Central government over the conduct of the upcoming national census. While the Government of India issued a notification on June 16, 2025, authorizing the census under the Census Act, 1948, the West Bengal government has not published the notification in its official gazette, even six months later, raising concerns about procedural compliance.

The issue came to light during a recent conference of Chief Secretaries, state nodal officers, and census directors held in New Delhi, where central officials flagged the non-publication. According to the census schedule, house listing for the first phase is set to begin on April 1, 2026, while the second phase will commence on April 1, 2027. Under federal law, all states and Union Territories are required to republish the central government notification in their official gazettes to formalize their participation and confirm definitions of urban units.

So far, West Bengal has neither gazetted the notification nor confirmed urban definitions, which is required under the Census 2027 rules. Officials warn that this inaction could create constitutional and administrative complications, potentially delaying census operations in the state.

Centre and TMC at Loggerheads

The census issue adds to the existing tensions between the TMC-led state government and the central authorities, which already include disputes over Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana funding delays, the ED raids on I-PAC, and the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) for voter list amendments. Observers say the West Bengal government’s reluctance to republish the census notification and clarify urban unit definitions could further escalate friction with the Centre, complicating preparations for the upcoming nationwide census.