The Supreme Court of India on Thursday took suo motu cognisance of a “highly deplorable” incident in West Bengal’s Malda district, where a mob held seven judicial officers hostage for over nine hours. A Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant characterized the event as a “calculated attempt” to derail the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and indicated an inclination to order a CBI or independent probe into the security lapse.
The Incident
The crisis began on Wednesday afternoon, April 1, 2026, in the Kaliachak area of Malda. Seven judicial officers, including three women, were “gheraoed” (encircled and blockaded) by a mob while conducting duties related to the SIR process. The standoff lasted until approximately 1:00 a.m. on Thursday, when a combined force of police and paramilitary personnel finally secured their rescue. Reports indicate the mob consisted of individuals whose names had been deleted from the voter list.
“Highly Deplorable” Inaction
During the hearing on April 2, Chief Justice Surya Kant expressed grave concern over the state’s failure to prevent the escalation. The CJI revealed he remained awake until 2:00 a.m. to monitor the situation and make necessary interventions.
“The inaction on the part of the State government is highly deplorable,” the CJI remarked, adding that he had “never seen such political polarisation” as currently witnessed in West Bengal.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) offered a scathing assessment of the situation, describing the environment as “jungle raj” and noting that it was unprecedented for judicial officers to be held for ransom during an electoral exercise.
Legal Directives and Show-Cause Notices
The Supreme Court issued several urgent directions to ensure the safety of the judicial machinery:
- Show-Cause Notices: Senior police and administrative officials have been served notices asking why disciplinary action should not be taken against them for failing to protect the officers.
- Central Force Deployment: The Court directed the ECI to requisition and deploy central forces to protect judicial officers involved in the SIR process and the government offices where electoral revisions are being conducted.
- Family Protection: The Bench emphasized that the protection must extend to the family members of the affected judicial officers.
- Independent Inquiry: The Court stated it is inclined to order an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or another independent agency, with a formal order expected later today.
State Government Response
Representing the West Bengal government, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal informed the Bench that local authorities responsible for the area had already been transferred. Sibal also requested the Court to remove the phrase “complete breakdown of constitutional machinery” from its formal order.
The SIR process is a critical precursor to upcoming elections, and the Court’s intervention underscores the necessity of maintaining the integrity of the electoral roll revision without physical intimidation of the judiciary.
