Elected representatives in West Bengal panchayat, civic bodies barred from issuing birth, death certificates

Citing widespread irregularities in the issuing of birth and death certificates in West Bengal during the previous regime, State Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal on Thursday (July 23, 2026) said that elected representatives in panchayats and municipalities will no longer be allowed to issue these documents.

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On the same day, police raids were carried out at multiple local body offices across the State, including in Kolkata, as part of a probe into such irregularities. Most of the civic bodies in the State are still administered by Trinamool Congress representatives.

Fake certificates

Only designated government officials would be authorised to issue birth and death certificates, Mr. Agarwal said, removing the power from all elected public representatives. “During the SIR, many errors and irregularities were detected. The police have also received many complaints. Fake birth certificates have been found in many places,” the Chief Secretary said, adding that the complaints were received after the State’s Assembly election held earlier this year.

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Mr. Agarwal, who served as the State’s Chief Electoral Officer during the election, said that if anyone has knowingly and “deliberately committed fraud, they will not be spared”.

Police raids

Police teams conducted searches at municipalities and corporations in several districts of the State on Thursday (July 23), as part of an investigation into irregularities in the issuance of birth and death certificates. Searches were conducted in Kolkata, Birbhum, Cooch Behar, Paschim Bardhaman, Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, and South 24 Parganas districts.

Police teams also conducted searches of the headquarters of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and its borough offices 1, 2, and 10, where officials examined birth and death registers and scrutinised computer records. The police also collected documents from several crematoria as part of the probe.

Drive against illegal migrants

Ever since the Bharatiya Janata Party government came to power, the West Bengal government has stepped up efforts to identify Bangladeshi nationals illegally residing in the State.

The Chief Secretary said that the government would re-verify all certificates registered since 1997. On the basis of that exercise, a common database will be created, which will be linked to the central portal, he said.

Financial powers to be curbed too

The West Bengal government is also in the process of bringing in legislation to curb the financial powers of elected public representatives at panchayats and municipalities.

Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Dilip Ghosh had said in the State Assembly earlier this week that the Bill will be introduced in the next few days. Under the proposed amendments, panchayat pradhans will cease to be the “signatory authority” for official files and financial documents. Instead, the responsibility will rest with designated government officers, a move the Minister said was aimed at ensuring uninterrupted delivery of public services, and greater accountability.

These developments come against the backdrop of allegations that a large number of panchayat functionaries have remained absent from their offices since the change of government in the State.