12th February Strike: West Bengal Govt Mandates Attendance on 12th February Strike: Warns of Salary Deduction

12th February Strike: The Government of West Bengal has taken a firm stance regarding the nationwide strike called by various trade unions scheduled for 12th February, 2026 (Thursday). Through a notification issued by the Finance Department (Audit Branch), the state administration has made it mandatory for all state government offices to remain operational.

Mandatory Attendance and Strict Leave Rules

The directive explicitly states that all State Government offices, including institutions receiving Grants-in-Aid from the state, must remain open. Employees are required to report for duty on the day of the strike. To ensure compliance, the government has implemented stringent leave restrictions:

• No Casual Leave: No employee will be granted Casual Leave (CL) or any other form of absence on this day.
• Full Attendance Required: Applications for half-day leave, whether for the first half or the second half, will not be entertained.

The Concept of ‘Dies-Non’ and Consequences

The notification serves a stern warning to employees who might choose to skip work without a valid reason protected by the order. Unauthorized absence on 12th February 2026 will be treated as ‘dies-non’.

In administrative terms, this means the absence will not be counted as service time, and no salary will be admissible for that day. Furthermore, Heads of Offices have been instructed to issue Show-Cause notices to absentees. Failure to provide a satisfactory explanation or responding to the notice will lead to disciplinary action.

Who is Exempted?

While the order is strict, the Finance Department has outlined specific grounds where absence will be condoned upon production of documentary evidence:

• Hospitalization: If the employee is hospitalized.
• Bereavement: In case of a death in the family.
• Continuing Illness: Severe illness where the absence began prior to 11th February, 2026.
• Pre-sanctioned Leave: Employees already on Child Care Leave (CCL), Maternity Leave, Medical Leave, or Earned Leave that was sanctioned before 11th February, 2026.

Administrative Timeline

The government has set a tight deadline for enforcing these measures. All disciplinary actions and processing of show-cause notices related to the strike must be completed by 28th February, 2026, with a compliance report sent to the Finance Department.