Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, May 13: In a significant administrative shift, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will no longer need prior approval from the West Bengal government to launch inquiries into corruption involving state government officials. The announcement was made on Wednesday, marking a reversal of the earlier policy that restricted the agency’s autonomy in the state.
The previous Trinamool Congress-led administration had withdrawn general consent—often referred to as “standing clearance”—for the CBI to independently register corruption cases, meaning the agency could only act in West Bengal based on court directives or explicit judicial approval. The latest decision restores that general permission, allowing the CBI to initiate investigations without waiting for state clearance.
The move was declared under the leadership of newly appointed Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who also used the occasion to clarify his legislative position and constituency choices following recent electoral outcomes.
Adhikari confirmed that he would retain his seat from the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency in South Kolkata and relinquish his mandate from the Nandigram constituency in East Midnapore. He emphasized that although he is stepping away from representing Nandigram in the legislature, his engagement with the area’s development would continue, and he expected the newly elected representative to carry forward local governance responsibilities while he maintained personal oversight.
He also noted that constitutional requirements compelled him to choose between the two constituencies after being elected from both. According to him, the decision to continue with Bhabanipur does not diminish his long-standing association with Nandigram, where he has been elected multiple times across party lines.
Adhikari’s political journey includes three electoral wins from Nandigram—first as a candidate of the Trinamool Congress in 2016, when he also served as transport minister in the then state cabinet, and later twice as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. In the 2021 assembly election, he achieved a high-profile victory over then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram by a narrow margin of under 2,000 votes.
Subsequently, Banerjee returned to the legislature through a by-election from Bhabanipur and continued as Chief Minister for a third consecutive term. In the 2026 elections, Adhikari once again secured victories from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur, defeating Banerjee in Bhabanipur by over 15,000 votes, reinforcing his strong electoral presence in both constituencies.