BENGAL CABINET CLEARS GOVERNMENT JOBS FOR FAMILIES OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE VICTIMS OVER 25 YEARS
October 31, 2026
KOLKATA, OCTOBER 31: The West Bengal cabinet has approved a proposal to provide government employment to eligible family members of people killed in political violence over the past 25 years, covering incidents associated with elections and political clashes under successive state governments.
According to a minister who attended the cabinet meeting, the proposed appointments will be made in Group D positions, for which several vacancies are reportedly available across the state. One eligible member of each affected family will be considered for employment, subject to verification and the final eligibility conditions.
The initiative is expected to cover victims of political violence associated with Lok Sabha, Assembly, municipal and panchayat elections since 2000. District magistrates have already been instructed to prepare reports identifying families affected by such incidents, with particular attention to the election years 2019, 2021 and 2024.
The proposed scheme is not officially restricted to supporters or workers of any particular political party. A minister stated that although BJP workers and their families had suffered losses during previous episodes of political violence, the government would extend the benefit to eligible families across political affiliations.
The 2021 Assembly election period and its aftermath witnessed allegations of attacks and killings involving political workers, particularly BJP supporters. The BJP had repeatedly accused the then ruling Trinamool Congress of responsibility for violence, allegations that the party denied. Political violence has also been reported during earlier electoral periods under different administrations.
Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal has reportedly discussed the implementation process with district magistrates, asking district administrations to begin preparing preliminary records. Police documents, historical case files, death certificates and other official records are expected to form the basis of verification.
Applicants will be required to establish the circumstances surrounding the death of their family members and demonstrate its connection with political violence. The district administration will scrutinise the claims before eligible cases are considered for appointment.
The government is expected to issue a formal notification specifying the eligibility requirements, age limits, educational qualifications, application procedure and other conditions governing recruitment. Until that notification is published, the precise operational framework and number of beneficiaries remain undetermined.
The proposed employment initiative seeks to provide long-term financial support to families who lost members in political violence across different electoral cycles and political administrations in West Bengal.
