West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced the implementation of India’s 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state. The declaration came after a meeting with Border Security Force (BSF) officials at Nabanna on Wednesday. According to the announcement, anyone entering India after December 31, 2024, will be considered an illegal immigrant. Such individuals will first be detained by West Bengal Police, handed over to the BSF, and then transferred to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

Adhikari stated that the move follows central government directives that the previous state administration had not enforced. He explained that the CAA provides citizenship benefits to certain religious groups but excludes those entering after the specified cutoff date. The Chief Minister also said that identified illegal entrants would be arrested and handed to the BSF.

Additionally, the West Bengal government has initiated the process of transferring land over a 27-kilometer area to strengthen border security, according to Adhikari.