Calcutta HC Directs Bengal Govt to Hand Over Land to BSF for Border Fencing by March 31

• The Calcutta High Court ordered the West Bengal government to transfer acquired land in nine border districts to the BSF by March 31, 2026, for Indo-Bangladesh border fencing.
• The directive came during a PIL highlighting national security concerns due to unfenced stretches of the Indo-Bangladesh border, which accounts for over half of India's total border with Bangladesh.
• The court emphasized that national security obligations cannot be delayed by administrative or electoral considerations, especially for land already acquired and funded by the Centre.
• The PIL, filed by retired Army officer Subrata Saha, argued that delays in land transfer contribute to smuggling and cross-border infiltration.
• The bench categorized the issue into three segments: land acquired and paid for but not handed over, land with ongoing acquisition, and land where no process has commenced, directing immediate transfer for the first category.

Why It Matters: Calcutta HC mandates West Bengal to expedite land transfer to BSF for critical border fencing.