Why are administrative and financial powers of elected panchayat pradhans being curtailed in WB? | Explained
The West Bengal government has stripped elected panchayat pradhans of their administrative and financial powers, transferring these duties to appointed government officials. The state claims the move aims to increase transparency and curb corruption, though critics suggest it is a political maneuver to centralize control over birth and death registration.
Why it matters
This shift represents a significant change in local governance and decentralization efforts in India, impacting the autonomy of elected grassroots representatives.
In the last week of July 2026, the Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal stripped the elected heads of panchayats of administrative and financial powers. On July 23, 2026, a notification by the State government stated that gram panchayat pradhans and municipal chairpersons will transition out of their previous roles as registrars regarding birth and death registrations. The Suvendu Adhikari government said that dedicated government officers will now be appointed as registrars for every gram panchayat and municipality to streamline record-keeping of birth and death certificates and administrative workflows.
The very day the notification was issued, the State’s Chief Secretary, Manoj Agarwal, held a press conference stating that there were irregularities in the issuance of birth certificates during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The police held raids at several municipalities and civic bodies, where it seized birth and death records.
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