The West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill 2026 and the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill 2026 have been passed in the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal today by 176 – 41 votes. Twenty members abstained from voting.
Under the provisions of the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill 2026, a person can be detained for a maximum of 12 months under the preventive arrest norm for anti-social activities, which may cause disturbance to public safety and disturb public peace and order.
This bill has been passed with the objective to curb antisocial activities, to severely punish the antisocial elements and to prevent their conspiratorial designs.
Before these bills were passed, a breakaway group of the Trinamool Congress submitted some amendments, which were not considered by the treasury bench.
On the other hand, by the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill 2026, the original West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order Act 1972 has been amended and passed today in the assembly. This bill has been passed to impose payment of compensation on individuals committing arson, vandalism and damage to public and private properties. A provision of the Claims Commission is there for adjudicating the claims for compensation for damages to any public or private property.
Offences under these two bills have been brought under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023. Participating in the discussion, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that the bills, after turning into an act, will be imposed strictly to curb antisocial activities and maintain law and order of the state.
