(i) Region of the state where district is located:

Murshidabad is situated on the Eastern peripheral plains of the State of West Bengal and it is the Northern-most district of Presidency Division. It forms the Eastern international boundary of State bordering Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan) from 1947 when India became independent. River Padma creates the Northern and Eastern boundary, separating the district from the district Maldah to the North and Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh to the East. Districts Burdwan and Nadia are in the Southern side and Birbhum and the Pakur (Jharkhand) are on the Western side of the District. Murshidabad is in the middle of West Bengal lying between 24º50’20”N latitude and 23º43’30”N latitude and 88º46’00”E longitude and 87º49’17”E longitude. It has a total area of 5324 sq. km. \

(ii) Total number of C.D. Blocks or the next Administrative units after district and changes therein including jurisdictional changes during 2001-2011:

The district has 5 Sub-divisions, viz. Berhampore Sadar, Jangipur, Lalbag, Kandi & Domkal. There are 26 Community Development (C.D.) Blocks, 7 Municipalities and in the district. Behrampore Sadar Sub-division has got 5 C.D. Blocks namely, Beldanga-I, Beldanga-II, Berhampore, Hariharpara and Nawda with 2 Municipalities viz. Berhampore (M) and Beldanga (M). Jangipur Sub-division has got 7 C.D. Blocks namely, Farakka, Samserganj, Suti-I, Suti-II, Raghunathganj-I, Raghunathganj-II and Sagardighi with 2 Municipalities viz. Jangipur (M) and Dhulian (M). Lalbagh Sub-division has got 5 C.D. Blocks namely Lalgola, Bhagawangola-I, Bhagawangola-II, Murshidabad-Jiaganj and Nabagram with 2 Municipalities viz. Murshidabad (M) and Jiaganj-Azimganj (M). Kandi Sub-division has got 5 C.D. Blocks namely Kandi, Khargram, Burwan, Bharatpur-I and Bharatpur-II and 1 Municipality namely Kandi (M). Domkal Sub-division has got 4 C.D. Blocks namely Domkal, Jalangi, Raninagar-I, Raninagar-II. There are 26 Police Stations (P.S.) in the district. 6 P.S. are situated in Behrampore Sadar Sub-division viz. Behrampore, Daulatabad, Hariharpara, Nowda, Beldanga and Rejinagar. 5 P.S. are situated in Jangipur Sub-division viz. Raghunathganj, Farakka, Sagardighi, Suti and Samserganj. 6 P.S. are situated in the Lalbag Sub-division viz. Murshidabad, Nabagram, Jiaganj, Bhagwangola, Ranitala and Lalgola. 5 P.S. are situated in Kandi Sub-division viz. Kandi, Khargram, Salar, Bharatpur and Burwan. 4 P.S. are situated in Domkal Sub-division viz. Domkal, Jalangi, Islampur and Raninagar. There has been no major jurisdictional change in the district during 2001-2011.

(iii) Total number of Towns/Villages etc.:

As per Census of India, there are 72 urban units in Murshidabad district. There are 7 municipalities in the district viz. Dhulian, Jangipur, Jiaganj-Azimganj, Murshidabad, Kandi, Beldanga and Berhampore. The remaining are classified as Census Towns (previously called Non-Municipal Towns) numbering 65 and namely Farakka Barrage Township (CT), Srimantapur (P) (CT), Benia Gram (CT), Arjunpur (CT), Sibnagar (CT), Mamrejpur (CT), Paranpara (CT), Mahadeb Nagar (CT), Anup Nagar (CT), Jafrabad (CT), Kankuria (CT), Uttar Mahammadpur (CT), Chachanda (CT), Dhusaripara (CT), Serpur (CT), Kohetpur (CT), Bhasaipaikar (CT), Jaykrishnapur (CT), Basudebpur (CT), Madna (CT), Ramakantapur (CT), Nayabahadurpur (CT), Fatellapur (CT), Jagtaj (CT), Debipur (CT), Aurangabad (CT), Mahendrapur (CT), Hafania (CT), Dafahat (CT), Paschim Punropara (CT), Ichhlampur (CT), Chakmeghoan (CT), Kakramari (CT), Khanpur (CT), Khidirpur (CT), Bhabki (CT), Ghorsala (CT), Srikantabati (CT), Charka (CT), Dafarpur (CT), Ramnagar (CT), Mirzapur (CT), Giria (CT), Mithipur (CT), Jot Kamal (CT), Osmanpur (CT), Sahajadpur (CT), Khodarampur (CT), Donalia (CT), Teghari (CT), Krishna Sali (CT), Bara Jumla (CT), Islampur (CT), Harharia Chak (CT), Goaljan (CT), Kasim Bazar (CT), Banjetia (CT), Sibdanga Badarpur (CT), Gopjan (CT), Gora Bazar (CT), Ajodhya Nagar (P) (CT), Chaltia (CT), Haridasmati (CT), Barua (P) (CT) and Salar (CT). A total of 2166 villages are distributed in 26 C.D. Blocks of the district.

(Iv) Urban Local Bodies:

India has seen the formation of urban local bodies since the time of Indus Valley Civilization. The first Municipal Corporation was set up at erstwhile Madras (now Chennai) under a charter granted by James-II during the British rule in 1687. There are different types of urban local bodies, namely, Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, Municipalities, Notified Area Committees, Cantonment Boards etc. Except the Cantonment Boards all other types of municipal bodies are governed by the state municipal laws. Cantonment Boards are controlled by the Central Act called Cantonment Acts, 1924. A municipality is constituted with elected members of the inhabitants of a city or town and municipal corporations, and is created by the enactment of State Legislatures or of Parliament in case of Union Territories. The area which does not fulfill all the conditions laid down as necessary for the constitution of a municipality or it may also be created for newly developing towns or areas are known as Notified Area Committee. Except Notified Area, the councils of all these corporate bodies comprise of elected members of the public through adult franchise (citizen of 18 years and above) based on secret ballot. The notified area is governed by the state governments through a body nominated by it. Apart from overall planning, creation and maintenance of Civil Administration, the primary object of every urban local body is to provide certain civic amenities to the people. As already stated there are 7 municipalities. Amongst them, 6 municipalities were established on a same date i.e. 1st April 1869. The remaining, i.e. Dhuliyan Municipality was established in 1909.

(vi) Civil Administration:

The civil Administration of the district is consisted of District Magistrate as the Principal Executive of the district along with 5 Sub-Divisional Officers being Subdivisional heads of Behrampore Sadar, Jangipur, Lalbagh, Kandi and Domkal Sub Divisions. The C.D. Blocks are headed by the Block Development Officers under the control of the S.D.O.s. Under the Police Administration, Superintendent of Police is the head of the district under which 5 Sub-Divisional Police Officers with Inspector InCharges or Officer-In-Charges for 26 Police Stations of the district are in function. From the Judicial point of view, District Judge is the head of the District Judiciary and SubDivisional Judicial Magistrates are the head at the Sub-Divisional levels.

Source : District Census Handbook (series 20, Part-XII-A)
Source URL: http://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/19/1907_PART_A_DCHB_MURSHIDABAD.pdf