The top brass of the Bengal administration are likely to formally share with Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla on Friday their reservations over the Centre’s notification that extends the jurisdiction of the BSF from 15km to 50km.

Senior officials in Nabanna said Bhalla would arrive in Bengal to hold talks with the state administration on the progress of border-related infrastructure such as outposts, fencing and roads along the international borders that Bengal shares with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

“But in all likelihood, the issue of extending the jurisdiction of the BSF from 15km to 50km within Indian territory from the international border will be the main point that the state administration would like to discuss as the ruling party considers it an infringement on state powers,” said a senior government official.

The official then explained why state officials were eager to sound the issue before the Union home secretary.

“Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to withdraw the notification, but the state is yet to get any response from Delhi in this regard. This is the first time that top Bengal officials will get a chance to discuss the issue (with Bhalla) and they will surely explain the state’s position,” the official said.

In her letter, Mamata said the extension of BSF’s jurisdiction would be an interference with the executive powers of the state as law and order is a state subject.

The chief minister added in her letter that the wider footprint of the BSF would bring 37 per cent of Bengal’s total geographical area (88,752 sqkm) within the ambit of the central paramilitary force.

Sources said the chief minister’s grievance is justified as in districts like Cooch Behar and South Dinajpur and in Siliguri subdivision, all police stations will come under BSF jurisdiction. If Murshidabad district is added, the number of such police stations will increase to 70.

Sources said in addition to the points raised by Mamata, officials are likely to point out that the BSF lacks manpower and expertise to investigate law and order issues.

“Hence, if the BSF starts interfering in law and order issues, it things may turn critical. The state does not have any problem with NIA (also a central agency) carrying out searches, seizures and arrests in Bengal because it has expertise that the BSF does not,” said an official.

According to sources, the meeting with Bhalla will be held at Hidco Bhavan in Rajarhat where DMs of all bordering districts will join virtually while the chief secretary, home secretary and DGP will be physically present.

Ruling Trinamul has decided to register its opposition to the new notification on record by passing a resolution that is likely to be moved in the ongoing Assembly session.

Parliamentary affairs minister Partha Chatterjee is likely to propose the resolution in a business advisory committee meeting of the Assembly on Friday.

“The decision to have such a discussion and pass such a resolution was taken before the session began. The business of the House remains decided till Friday, but we have time till November 18, this session. So it is likely to be scheduled for next week. We can say for sure after the business advisory committee meeting tomorrow (Friday),” said Nirmal Ghosh, Panithati MLA and Trinamul’s Chief Whip in the Assembly.

“We remain firm on the issue and the decision to conduct such an exercise in the House,” he added.

Sources in the treasury benches said the chief minister would’ve liked Bengal to be the first among the affected states to do this, but the Congress-led Punjab government already conducted a similar exercise in their Assembly on Thursday.

“The Punjab development is unlikely to alter our decision. But certain aspects of the resolution might undergo a little alteration, given the Punjab context,” said a source.

Mamata, who wrote a firm letter protesting the decision to the Centre, is yet to come out all guns blazing in her public addresses against it. But sources in the party said that’s largely on account of the long autumnal festive season that is just about to end. Her party’s spokespersons and its mouthpiece have been issuing critical statements for weeks.

“It was also a key issue in the Dinhata by-polls, in which we wrested the seat from the BJP with an all-time record margin…. Politically, this is likely to favour us, going forward,” said a Trinamul Rajya Sabha member.