West Bengal Elections 2026: Mamata Banerjee Announces ₹500 Hike for Priests, Muezzins Hours Before Poll Dates

Just hours before the assembly election schedule is set to be announced, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has approved a hike in the monthly honorarium for priests and muezzins in the state. The payment for both groups has been increased by ₹500, taking the total monthly amount to ₹2,000.

The announcement was made on March 15 through a post on social media, shortly before the Election Commission of India is expected to release the election timetable for several states, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry.

Once the poll dates are declared, the Model Code of Conduct will come into effect, restricting governments from announcing new financial benefits or policy measures that could influence voters. The timing of the honorarium revision therefore places it among the final decisions taken by the state government before election rules begin.

Honorarium Raised to ₹2,000

Under the existing scheme, priests (purohits) and muezzins were receiving ₹1,500 per month from the state government. With the latest revision, the monthly payment for both groups has been increased to ₹2,000.

The honorarium scheme is designed to support individuals responsible for conducting temple rituals and delivering the call to prayer in mosques across the state.

Pending Applications Also Cleared

Along with announcing the hike, Banerjee said the government has also approved all pending applications from priests and muezzins seeking to be included in the scheme. She added that fresh requests submitted through the official process have been cleared as well.

According to the chief minister, the initiative reflects the state's commitment to recognising the contribution of religious functionaries in maintaining community traditions.

Poll Announcement Expected Soon

The Election Commission is scheduled to announce the election dates later in the day from New Delhi. The briefing will be led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

With the Model Code of Conduct set to begin immediately after the announcement, the honorarium hike stands out as one of the last policy moves made by the All India Trinamool Congress government ahead of the election process.