Overview
- The West Bengal government offered official support for restarting the 118-year-old Calcutta Stock Exchange in its June 22 budget, framing the move as a way to attract private investment and boost jobs in the region.
- CSE applied for a voluntary exit in February 2025 but SEBI has not issued a final exit order, leaving a narrow procedural opening for the exchange to seek withdrawal of that application.
- Revival faces clear technical and regulatory hurdles including outdated trading systems, weak clearing and settlement links, governance gaps flagged by SEBI, and a near-total loss of broker membership and market liquidity.
- The state budget also proposed listing profitable West Bengal public sector undertakings on stock exchanges as part of broader capital mobilisation plans, a measure the government presents as complementary to the CSE initiative.
- Coverage differs on some facts—several outlets cite CSE inactivity since April 2013 while others report a 2023 suspension—but reporters and analysts agree that a credible restart would need SEBI’s consent, significant private or public funding, and a realistic pipeline of listings to restore sustained trading.