Kolkata Gazette Part 2 Guidelines Explained: The 2023 Notification in Plain Words
The rules for the West Bengal state gazette are set by one notification from the PE&IR Department. It is short but written for officials. This page turns each clause into a plain rule, says what it means for your file, and notes what changed from the 2022 version that older websites still quote.
Get Call and Name Change Format
What the Kolkata Gazette Part II Guideline Says (Quick Answer)
Notification 511-PEIR-99/59/2022 dated 17 May 2023 lets a West Bengal resident aged 18 or above, or a State Government employee, notify a change of name, surname (including deletion and reversion to maiden name), religion or gender in the Kolkata Gazette Part II, now published by Saraswaty Press Limited. The application is online. It needs an affidavit attested by a First Class Judicial Magistrate, one recent newspaper advertisement, photo ID, two photographs and category documents. Fees are Rs 1,100 for name or surname, Rs 1,700 religion, Rs 1,400 gender, on GRIPS. A complete file is issued within 7 days; false information forfeits the fee; redressal is within a week; a free help desk sits at Sealdah.
| Notification | 511-PEIR-99/59/2022 dated 17 May 2023, amended up to 8 May 2023 |
| Issued by | Public Enterprises and Industrial Reconstruction (PE&IR) Department, Government of West Bengal |
| Publisher | Saraswaty Press Limited, a Government of West Bengal enterprise (earlier WBG Press, Alipore) |
| Who may apply | West Bengal residents aged 18 and above; State Government employees; PSUs and Government organisations for notices |
| Admissible changes | Name (including spelling correction); surname, deletion, reversion to maiden name; religion; gender; PSU notices |
| Affidavit | Attested by a First Class Judicial Magistrate, showing father's or husband's name and residential address |
| Newspaper | One recent advertisement in a daily local newspaper, scanned |
| Fees | Rs 1,100 name; Rs 1,100 surname; Rs 1,700 religion; Rs 1,400 gender; Rs 1,400 PSU, on GRIPS head 0058-00-501-001-14 |
| Timeline | Issued within 7 days of submission where documents are in order; SMS on registered mobile |
| Consequence of false information | Forfeiture of fee and legal action |
| Redressal | Within a week, on submission of the registered document; free help desk at 32 A.P.C. Road, Sealdah, by appointment |
The Kolkata Gazette Part II Guideline: The Rules It Actually Sets
- The notification
- No. 511-PEIR-99/59/2022 dated 17 May 2023, issued by the Public Enterprises and Industrial Reconstruction Department under Article 166(3) of the Constitution, published in an Extraordinary Part I issue.
- Who may apply
- A resident of West Bengal aged 18 or above. State Government employees are expressly covered. Minors are not, so a child's case goes to the Gazette of India.
- What Part II covers
- Change of name including a spelling correction, change of surname including deletion, reversion to a maiden name, change of religion, change of gender, public notices and Bar Council enrolment of an advocate.
- Affidavit standard
- An original affidavit attested by a First Class Judicial Magistrate of a competent court. The portal asks for the affidavit number and the Magistrate's name, so a notary attestation does not pass.
- Languages accepted
- Six: Bengali, English, Hindi, Urdu, Nepali and Santali. That list is unusually wide and matters in the hills and the Jangalmahal districts.
- Undertaking annexures
- Annexure I for a name, II for a surname, III for religion, IV for gender. The wrong annexure is a shortfall, not a rejection.
- Fees
- Rs 1,100 for a name or surname change, Rs 1,700 for religion, Rs 1,400 for gender, paid on GRIPS under head 0058-00-501-001-14 and revised from time to time by the State Government.
- Timeline
- Where all documents are found in order, the notification is issued within 7 days of submission. There is no expedited option and no fee that buys speed.
- Scrutiny
- A team under the Nodal Officer examines the file. A gap arrives as an SMS with an OTP link on the registered mobile and is corrected online.
- False information
- The guideline states that false or incomplete information means forfeiture of the fee and legal action. This is the clause most summaries leave out.
- Redressal
- Provided for within a week, subject to submission of the registered document. The free help desk is at the Sealdah office, 32 A.P.C. Road, Kolkata 700009, by prior appointment.
- Who prints it now
- Saraswaty Press Limited, 11 B T Road, Belghoria, Kolkata 700056. Part II printing moved here from the West Bengal Government Press at Alipore under this guideline.
On This Page
- The rules it actually sets
- Why the guideline exists
- Purpose and eligibility
- Admissible items
- General procedure and documents
- Category-wise documents
- Fees and payment
- Scrutiny, timeline, SMS
- False information and redressal
- 2022 vs 2023: what changed
- What the guideline does not say
- Common questions people search
- Guideline terms explained
- Districts we serve
- FAQ
- Enquiry form
Why the Kolkata Gazette Part II Guideline of 2023 Was Issued
Until 2023, Part II of the Kolkata Gazette, the section for citizen notices, was printed at the WBG Press, Alipore campus, under the Department of Industry, Commerce and Enterprise. Saraswaty Press Limited, a Government enterprise under the PE&IR Department, already published Parts I and III. The Government decided that Part II would also be published by Saraswaty Press, and the Department issued this guideline to say how. What the move from Alipore means for applicants.
The result was a single online route with fixed documents, fixed fees, a scrutiny team and a timeline. Everything on this page follows that structure.
Why it matters to you
Because most name change websites were written before 2023. They describe counters, demand drafts and the Alipore press. The guideline replaced all of that. When a website and this page disagree, the guideline wins.
Kolkata Gazette Part II Rules Clause by Clause: Eligibility, Documents, Fees
Purpose and Who May Apply
What it says: through the Kolkata Gazette Part II, a resident of the State of West Bengal may notify a change of name, surname (including deletion of surname and reversion to maiden name on divorce, separation or death of husband), religion and gender. This applies to Government employees as well. PSUs and Government organisations may publish their official notices.
Plain rule: you must live in West Bengal, and the portal accepts applicants aged 18 and above. A child, or a person living in another state, uses the Gazette of India. State Government staff are expressly included.
Admissible Items
What it says: the admissible notifications are change of name including correction of spelling; change of surname including deletion of surname and reversion to maiden name on divorce, separation or death; change of religion; change of gender; and PSU or Government organisation notices.
Plain rule: a spelling correction is filed as a change of name. A married surname added, a surname dropped, or a maiden name restored are all filed as change of surname. Religion and gender have their own annexures and fees. Nothing else, such as a date of birth, goes in Part II.
General Procedure and Common Documents
What it says: the applicant uploads, on the portal, a scanned copy of one recent advertisement on the subject in a daily local newspaper (or the signed PSU notification), a photo ID (Aadhaar, Passport or Driving Licence; any Government photo ID for Government employees), and two passport size photographs.
Plain rule: the newspaper notice must be recent and on the same subject as the application. The ID must be one of the three named, or a Government ID card for employees. The portal manual adds the size limits: ID under 2 MB, photo under 100 KB.
Category-Wise Documents
What it says: for change of name, the original affidavit attested by a First Class Judicial Magistrate showing full details of father's or husband's name and residential address. For change of surname, the same affidavit, plus the court decree or order for divorce or separation, or the death certificate. For change of religion, the conversion certificate from a Mandir, Masjid, Monastery, Gurudwara or Church only. For change of gender, the GID certificate from the CMO or Head of Department of the treating hospital. For PSU notices, the Board authorisation and the text to be published.
Plain rule: the attestation is by a Magistrate, not a notary. That is the single clause most applicants miss, and the portal's declaration asks for the affidavit number and the Magistrate's name. A conversion certificate from a trust, society or institution is refused.
Fees and Payment
What it says: printing charges of Rs 1,100 for change of name, Rs 1,100 for change of surname in all cases under clause 3(b), Rs 1,700 for change of religion, Rs 1,400 for change of gender, and Rs 1,400 for a PSU notification, paid through the GRIPS portal under head of account 0058-00-501-001-14.
Plain rule: pay on GRIPS first, then record the deposit ID and upload the receipt on the gazette portal (full fee breakdown). No demand draft, no counter. Fees may be revised by the State Government; the challan raised for your application is what binds.
Scrutiny, Timeline and SMS
What it says: the documents submitted are scrutinised by a team under the Nodal Officer for the Gazette Part II. Where all documents are found in order, the notification is issued within 7 days of submission. The applicant is informed through SMS on the registered mobile number and downloads the soft copy from the portal.
Plain rule: 7 days counts from a complete file. A shortfall comes by SMS with an OTP link and is fixed online; the count restarts. Publication is confirmed by SMS; the PDF is on the portal, not on egazette.gov.in.
False Information, Redressal and Help Desk
What it says: submission of false, incomplete, misleading information or misrepresentation leads to forfeiture of the application fee and appropriate legal action. Redressal is provided within a week, subject to submission of the registered document. A help desk at the Sealdah office, 32 A.P.C. Road, Kolkata 700009, assists applicants free of charge by prior appointment.
Plain rule: treat the fee as spent the moment you pay, and get the file complete before you do. If the published notice carries an error, raise it within the week. If you need a person, the help desk is free but by appointment.
Kolkata Gazette Part II Guideline: What Changed From August 2022 to May 2023
The PE&IR Department's circular page still carries the August 2022 text. The portal carries the May 2023 text. Here is the difference, because websites quote both without saying which.
| Point | August 2022 version (peir.wb.gov.in) | May 2023 version (wbgazettepart2.in) |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | Move to Saraswaty Press Limited announced | Saraswaty Press Limited confirmed; online portal live |
| Newspaper languages | Legible Urdu, Nepali, Santhali, Bengali, English or Hindi only, with box size specified | Language list not repeated; "one recent advertisement in daily local newspaper" |
| Advocates | Enrolment with the Bar Council of West Bengal could be notified through Part II | Not mentioned |
| Scrutiny | Not detailed | Team under the Nodal Officer; SMS on registered mobile |
| Timeline | Not stated | Within 7 days of a complete file |
| Help desk | Not mentioned | Sealdah office, 32 A.P.C. Road, by appointment, free |
| Fees | Same schedule | Same schedule; GRIPS head stated |
If a website tells you the state gazette accepts Santhali or Nepali notices, it is quoting 2022. It is likely still true in practice, but the portal guideline no longer says so; we publish in Bengali and English so the pages work for both gazettes.
What the Kolkata Gazette Part II Guideline Does Not Cover
Acceptance outside West Bengal
The guideline sets how to publish, not who must accept it. Passport offices look for the Gazette of India. For state records, Aadhaar, PAN and banks, Part II is accepted in practice.
Minors
The guideline speaks of residents; the portal accepts applicants 18 and above. A child's name change goes to the Department of Publication, Delhi.
How many newspapers
It asks for one recent advertisement. We publish in one Bengali and one English daily anyway, so the same pages serve the Gazette of India if you later need it.
Refunds
Only forfeiture is mentioned. There is no refund clause, so assume none.
Fast-track
Nothing. 7 days for a complete file is the only timeline, and nobody can sell you a shorter one.
Agents
The application is in the applicant's own login and name. We prepare and check; you submit.
Common Questions People Search About the Kolkata Gazette Part II Guidelines
Three short answers to the searches that bring people to this page.
Where can I download the Kolkata Gazette Part II guidelines PDF?
Free, from wbgazettepart2.in. The guideline sits on the portal as a PDF and is the same document quoted throughout this page. Nobody should charge you to read it, and any summary, including this one, is worth less than the text itself. Read the clause that applies to your case before you pay anyone.
Are the 2022 and 2023 Kolkata Gazette guidelines different?
Yes, and the 2023 notification of 17 May is the one in force. Pages still quoting the earlier version, or naming the Alipore press as the place to apply, describe an arrangement that has moved on. Check the notification number and date on whatever you are reading before relying on it.
Does the guideline apply to Government employees?
State Government employees, yes, expressly, including a female employee adding or changing a surname on marriage or remarriage and reverting after divorce or separation. Central Government employees are outside it: they execute a deed through their department under the Office Memorandum of 12 March 1987, and the service book entry is what changes the record.
People Also Search For
Guideline Terms Explained: Article 166(3), Nodal Officer, Forfeiture
Eight words from the notification, in one line each.
Notification
A formal Government order published in the gazette. This one is numbered 511-PEIR-99/59/2022 and dated 17 May 2023.
Article 166(3)
The constitutional provision under which a State Governor makes rules for the conduct of Government business. It is the authority the guideline is issued under.
Extraordinary issue
A gazette issue published outside the regular schedule, used for urgent or standalone matters. This guideline appeared in one, in Part I.
PE and IR Department
The Public Enterprises and Industrial Reconstruction Department of the Government of West Bengal, which owns the Part II process and the press that prints it.
Nodal Officer
The officer whose team scrutinises applications. Your file passes through that scrutiny before the notification is issued.
Admissible items
The categories the guideline allows in Part II, from a change of name or surname to religion, gender and public notices. Anything outside the list has no route here.
Forfeiture
Losing the fee. The guideline states that false or incomplete information means forfeiture and legal action, which is why the affidavit is worth reading before swearing.
Supporting proof
What a published notification is. It rewrites no register by itself. You still apply to Aadhaar, PAN, the bank and every other office separately, carrying the gazette page.
Guideline Checking for Kolkata, Howrah, Siliguri and Every District
The guideline applies identically across West Bengal, and the application is fully online. Only two steps are local: the affidavit before a Magistrate at a court in your subdivision, and the newspaper booking. Tell us your case on WhatsApp and we will point you at the clause that decides it.
Kolkata Gazette Part II Guidelines: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kolkata Gazette Part II guideline?
Notification 511-PEIR-99/59/2022 dated 17 May 2023, issued by the Public Enterprises and Industrial Reconstruction Department, Government of West Bengal. It sets who may notify a change of name, surname, religion or gender in the Kolkata Gazette Part II, which is now published by Saraswaty Press Limited, and lists the documents, fees, timeline and consequences of a false application.
Who is eligible under the Kolkata Gazette Part II guideline?
A resident of West Bengal aged 18 or above, and State Government employees. PSUs and Government organisations may also publish official notices. Minors and people without West Bengal domicile use the Gazette of India instead.
What changes are admissible under the guideline?
Change of name, including spelling correction; change of surname, including deletion of surname and reversion to maiden name on divorce, separation or death of husband; change of religion; change of gender; and official notices of PSUs and Government organisations.
Does the guideline require a Magistrate or a notary?
A First Class Judicial Magistrate of a competent court must attest the affidavit, which must show the father's or husband's name and residential address. A notary-only affidavit does not meet the guideline.
What newspaper does the guideline ask for?
One recent advertisement on the subject in a daily local newspaper, uploaded as a scanned copy. The 2022 version also listed the accepted languages: Urdu, Nepali, Santhali, Bengali, English or Hindi.
What are the fees under the guideline?
Printing charges of Rs 1,100 for name, Rs 1,100 for surname in all cases, Rs 1,700 for religion, Rs 1,400 for gender and Rs 1,400 for a PSU notice, paid on GRIPS under head 0058-00-501-001-14.
How long does the guideline give for publication?
Where all documents are found in order, the notification is issued within 7 days of submission. The applicant is informed by SMS on the registered mobile number.
What happens if I give wrong information under the guideline?
Submission of false, incomplete, misleading information or misrepresentation leads to forfeiture of the application fee and appropriate legal action.
Is there a redressal mechanism in the guideline?
Yes. Redressal within a week, subject to submission of the registered document. A free help desk at the Sealdah office, 32 A.P.C. Road, Kolkata 700009, is available by prior appointment.
What changed between the 2022 and 2023 versions?
The August 2022 version on peir.wb.gov.in listed six accepted notice languages and an Advocates' enrolment notice for the Bar Council of West Bengal. The May 2023 version on the portal drops those lines, moves publication to Saraswaty Press Limited and adds the online application, the Nodal Officer scrutiny team, the 7-day rule and the Sealdah help desk.
Is the Kolkata Gazette Part II accepted for a passport?
The guideline is silent on acceptance by other authorities. In practice passport offices look for the Gazette of India, so a passport case should also use the central route.
Where can I read the original guideline?
On wbgazettepart2.in as guidelines.pdf, and in the Kolkata Gazette Extraordinary of 18 May 2023, Part I, published by the PE and IR Department and printed at Saraswaty Press Ltd.
Official Text of the Kolkata Gazette Part II Guideline (PDF)
May 2023 guideline (current)
wbgazettepart2.in/img/guidelines.pdf, Notification 511-PEIR-99/59/2022 dated 17 May 2023, also printed in the Kolkata Gazette Extraordinary, Part I, 18 May 2023.
August 2022 version
peir.wb.gov.in circulars, the earlier text with the six-language list and the Advocates' enrolment clause.
Process Manual v1.2.0
Portal manual that turns the guideline into screens: registration, declaration, GRIPS, uploads, submit, download.
Gazette Name Change in West Bengal: The Complete Series
Nine guides on the gazette notification itself: which gazette, the wording, the documents, the time, and the marriage, minor, passport, spelling and Kolkata cases.
Gazette Name Change in West Bengal
What the notification is, which gazette to use, and what it is worth.
Read →Gazette Name Change After Marriage
When the marriage certificate is enough, and when you need a gazette.
Read →Gazette Name Change for a Minor
Central only, Rs 1,700, parent as applicant, school and board timing.
Read →Notification Format and Sample
The wording of the affidavit, notice, form and published entry.
Read →Documents Required
Both routes item by item, with size limits and category extras.
Read →How Long It Takes
7 days state, 30 to 45 days central, day by day, and what adds weeks.
Read →Gazette Name Change for Passport
Why the passport office wants the Gazette of India, and how to time it.
Read →Name Correction in Gazette
Three cheaper routes first, then the gazette as change of name.
Read →Gazette Name Change in Kolkata
Courts, dailies, Sealdah desk, Belghoria press and our Park Circus office.
Read →Gazette Office Guides for West Bengal: The Complete Series
Six guides that cover the West Bengal gazette offices end to end: where they are, how to apply, what it costs, what the rules say, and where the old Alipore address went.
Gazette Office in West Bengal
Saraswaty Press, the Sealdah help desk and the Delhi office: which one your case needs.
Read →Kolkata Gazette Part 2 Online Application
Every screen of wbgazettepart2.in, from registration to Final Submit.
Read →Kolkata Gazette Part 2 Download and Status Check
Application Status, the shortfall SMS, and where the PDF appears.
Read →Gazette Notification Fees in West Bengal
Every cost separated: GRIPS, BharatKosh, stamp paper, newspapers, courier.
Read →Government Press Alipore Name Change
Where Part II moved in 2023 and what to do if you were sent to Alipore.
Read →Get Call and Name Change Format
Does Your Case Fit the Guideline? We Check It Free
Send your ID photo and what you want to change. We tell you whether the Kolkata Gazette Part II covers it, which clause applies, and what the file needs, before you pay a rupee. Monday to Saturday.