Bengal Assembly votes for withdrawal of BSF's 50 km order by Centre

The West Bengal assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution against the Centre's move to extend the Border Security Force's territorial jurisdiction to 50 km from the international border in the state. The 112 MLAs of the ruling All India Trinamool Congress voted in favour of the resolution while 63 BJP MLAs voted against it.

West Bengal became the second state after Punjab to pass such a resolution.

Last month, the Centre had empowered the BSF to conduct searches and make arrests and seizures up to an area of 50 km inside the Indian territory from the international border along India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh border. "The Centre did not take the decision after discussion with the state. The decision has been taken unilaterally," state parliamentary affairs minister and leader of the legislative party Partha Chatterjee, who moved the resolution under rule 169 of the procedures of conduct of business of the House.


Terming the Centre's move "a direct attack on the federal structure", he said, "This is a violation of constitutional rights. Power of the police force will be restricted due to this decision."

Chatterjee further said, "We demand that this decision be withdrawn immediately. The Centre did not take the decision after discussion with the state. The decision has been taken unilaterally."