Durga Puja 2026 West Bengal: SAHAJ Permission Process, State Guidelines and District Rules

Quick answer: Every community Durga Puja in West Bengal applies through the SAHAJ single-window portal, which routes one application to the police, fire services, the power utility, the Pollution Control Board and the local body. For 2026 the state has banned DJs, made Maha Ashtami (Monday 19 October) a dry day, barred inaugurations before Mahalaya (Saturday 10 October), given free electricity and a fire licence fee waiver, and set immersion to finish before Kojagari Lakshmi Puja (Sunday 25 October).

Last updated: 9 October 2026. District administrations and police can add local conditions. Check the SAHAJ portal and your local police station for the latest orders.

This guide covers the statewide picture: districts, municipalities and rural pujas. If your pandal is inside Kolkata Police or KMC limits, our Kolkata Durga Puja permission guide covers city-specific rules such as the KMC hoarding NOC and the roads that must stay open.

Durga Puja 2026 dates in West Bengal

Note on panjikas: Saptami tithi runs across 17 and 18 October, so several Bengali panjikas, and the calendar shown on the SAHAJ portal, place Shashthi on 17 October and Saptami on 18 October. Puja timings in the Bengali panjika can differ slightly from Drik Panchang; your purohit's panjika decides the muhurta. Outside Bengal, Dussehra (Vijayadashami) is on Tuesday 20 October.

How SAHAJ works across the state

SAHAJ uses the same process in every district. One online file reaches:

• the police: the district police, or a city commissionerate such as Howrah, Barrackpore, Bidhannagar, Chandannagar, Asansol-Durgapur or Siliguri
• West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services
• the power utility: WBSEDCL in most districts, CESC in its licence area
• the West Bengal Pollution Control Board
• the local municipality or panchayat, through the district administration

Both returning committees and new pujas apply on the same system. Each department can raise an objection online; the committee replies on the portal, and local police and fire officers inspect the site before final clearance.

2026 status: on 9 October 2026 the portal says new signups, change requests and new puja requests are closed for the year. Pending applicants can still finish and submit their files and respond to objections. The helpline on the portal is 080-4936-8378.

Documents district committees should keep ready

• Previous year's permission, if any
• NOC from the landowner, or from the government department that owns the land
• Site plan with pandal size, entry and exit gates and fire points
• Electrician's declaration and the safety form for a temporary connection
• Decorator's declaration on the pandal structure
• Volunteer list with names and phone numbers
• Safety declaration and the Pollution Control Board undertaking (sound limits, eco-friendly idol and immersion)
• Immersion route chart from last year, for returning pujas
• Signatures of the committee's secretary and president

Districts may ask for more. For pujas on residential premises, the Calcutta High Court ruled on 30 September 2026 that police should not permit a puja in a building's common area without the flat owners' consent.

The 2026 state rules and concessions

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the rules at a coordination meeting with puja committees in Kolkata on Monday 7 September 2026, as reported by The Hindu, The New Indian Express and India Today.

Restrictions

• No puja inauguration before Mahalaya, which marks the start of Devi Paksha.
• No DJ music at puja venues or in immersion processions.
• Liquor shops and bars across the state closed on Maha Ashtami.
• No national highway may be blocked by a pandal or procession. In Kolkata, 13 major roads are also off limits.
• Idols, pandals and themes should not hurt religious sentiments or distort traditions. Theme pujas are allowed, but organisers are asked to choose themes with care.
• No forcing anyone to change an immersion date.
• The state will not hold the post-puja carnival this year.

Support for committees

• Free electricity for puja committees statewide, arranged with the state electricity authorities and CESC.
• Waiver of fees for the mandatory fire-safety licence (India Today).
• A ₹1 lakh grant for committees that cannot hold the puja without help. Big-budget committees have been asked not to take it, and several have said they will forgo it.
• Arrangements to help elderly people, old-age home residents and persons with disabilities visit pandals.
• Sharad Samman awards will continue, judged by an independent jury.

Immersion deadline

All immersions must be completed before Kojagari Lakshmi Puja. Republic and India Today report the last date as Saturday 24 October. Check local ghat slots with your police station; reports differ on crane use at ghats.

Safety standards fire and police inspectors check

• At least two separate gates for entry and exit, sized for the expected crowd.
• Fire extinguishers, sand and water at the pandal, with volunteers who know how to use them. Some districts run short training sessions for volunteers.
• Good-quality cables, proper earthing and an authorised connection. Inspections may be done in phases as the pandal goes up.
• Emergency access for ambulances and fire engines kept clear.
• Crowd management plans for popular pandals, including queues and volunteers at the gates.

Notes for district and rural committees

• The SAHAJ form is the same everywhere, but inspections are done by your local police station and fire station.
• Many districts name a nodal officer for pujas; your police station can tell you who handles your area.
• In rural areas, keep the Block Development Officer (BDO) and the local police station informed, especially for immersion at rivers and ponds.
• Collect subscriptions politely. Pressure or harassment over chanda can lead to police action.
• Prefer clay idols, natural colours and organised immersion to protect local water bodies.

Common mistakes that delay clearance

• Leaving objections on the portal unanswered.
• A site plan with only one gate, or exits that open onto parking.
• No landowner or flat-owner consent.
• Unlicensed wiring or temporary hooking into supply lines.
• Planning an inauguration before 10 October.

After the festival

• Complete immersion by 24 October and clean the site.
• Disconnect the temporary power connection through the utility.
• If you received the grant, keep bills and accounts as instructed by the district.
• Keep this year's permission and route chart; returning pujas are usually asked for them next year.

For the rituals, see our Durga Puja 2026 dates from Mahalaya to Sindoor Khela and the Navaratri 2026 nine Devi forms guide. Neighbouring Odisha's Cuttack Durga Puja follows a similar calendar.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SAHAJ portal?

SAHAJ (sahaj.wb.gov.in) is the West Bengal government's online single-window system for Durga, Kali and Jagaddhatri Puja permissions. One application is routed to the police, fire services, the power utility, the Pollution Control Board and the local civic body.

Is SAHAJ still open for new Durga Puja applications in 2026?

The portal's notice on 9 October 2026 says signup, change requests and new puja requests are closed for this year. Applicants can still complete pending applications and answer objections. Others should contact their local police station or the SAHAJ helpline.

Who can get the ₹1 lakh Durga Puja grant in 2026?

The state said committees that cannot hold the puja without help will get ₹1 lakh, and asked big-budget committees not to take the aid (The Hindu). Apply locally through your district administration or police as instructed, and keep accounts of how the money is spent.

Is electricity free for Durga Puja pandals in West Bengal?

Yes. The government said it had arranged with the state electricity authorities and CESC for puja committees across the state to get free electricity during the festival. You still need an authorised temporary connection and safe wiring.

When must Durga idols be immersed in 2026?

All immersions must be finished before Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Sunday 25 October, which reports put as a deadline of Saturday 24 October. Bijoya Dashami is Wednesday 21 October.

Is Maha Ashtami a dry day in West Bengal in 2026?

Yes. Liquor shops and bars across the state are to stay shut on Maha Ashtami, which falls on Monday 19 October 2026 by Drik Panchang.

Editor's note (9 October 2026)

This guide is based on the SAHAJ portal as seen on 9 October 2026 and on reports of the state's 7 September announcement by The Hindu, The New Indian Express, India Today and Republic, plus the Calcutta High Court order reported by LiveLaw. Earlier drafts gave Shashthi as 17 October; we follow Drik Panchang (16 October) and note the panjika difference. Rules can change; confirm with SAHAJ and your local police station.