West Bengal Government Restricts Employees From Speaking to Media Without Approval

The West Bengal government has issued a directive restricting government employees and officials from interacting with the media without prior permission.

The circular, issued by Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal, reiterates existing conduct rules and states that employees cannot share official information, documents, or publicly comment on government matters without authorisation.

The rules apply to officials from the All India Services (AIS), West Bengal Civil Service, West Bengal Police Service, and employees working in state-linked institutions and government bodies.

Authorities stated that the move is intended to ensure compliance with existing service conduct regulations and control the dissemination of official information.

The order has triggered political reactions, with opposition leaders criticising the decision and claiming it could limit freedom of expression among government employees.

Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee alleged that the directive amounts to “silencing dissent” and restricting public discussion.

Government officials, however, clarified that the circular does not introduce a new policy but reinforces existing provisions under service conduct rules regarding public communication and interactions with the media.

The development has sparked wider discussions around administrative discipline, transparency, and freedom of expression.