The Supreme Court of India on Thursday strongly criticised the West Bengal administration, describing it as a “complete failure” in handling the hostage-taking of judicial officers in Malda district.
The court termed the incident “deplorable” and a deliberate attempt to undermine judicial authority.
Incident in Malda Raises Serious Concerns
The case relates to an April 1 incident in Kaliachak, Malda, where seven judicial officers, including three women, were confined inside a government office for nearly 10 hours by a group of protesters. The officers were reportedly denied basic necessities such as food and water during the standoff.
The situation escalated further when the officers were allegedly attacked with stones and bamboo sticks while being evacuated late at night.
Court Takes Suo Motu Cognisance
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant took suo motu cognisance of the incident, calling it a “calculated and well-planned” effort to intimidate judicial officers.
The court emphasised that these officers were functioning as its “extended hands” in supervising the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, making the attack a direct challenge to the judiciary.
Sharp Criticism of State Authorities
The apex court expressed serious concern over the failure of civil and police administration. Despite multiple alerts from the high court registry, senior officials—including the district magistrate and superintendent of police—did not reach the site in time.
The court also questioned attempts to shift responsibility between the state government and the Election Commission of India.
“It makes no good to say we were not in charge,” the bench remarked, stressing that maintaining law and order remains the responsibility of the state.
Central Forces and Security Measures Ordered
To ensure the safety of judicial officers and the integrity of the electoral process, the court issued several key directives:
- Immediate deployment of central forces at all adjudication centres
- Security arrangements for judicial officers and their families
- Strict access control at venues to prevent crowding
- Continuous monitoring of compliance by authorities
Probe Handed to Central Agencies
The court directed that the investigation into the incident be transferred to either the Central Bureau of Investigation or the National Investigation Agency.
A detailed compliance report has been sought, and the matter is scheduled for further hearing on April 6.
Concerns Over Politicisation
The bench also raised concerns about the presence of political actors at the protest site, questioning their role in escalating tensions.
It warned that such incidents could create a “chilling effect” on judicial officers working under pressure to complete large-scale electoral revisions involving millions of voters.
