SC slams Mamata govt after mob gheraos judicial officers in Muslim-dominated Malda, calls West Bengal ‘most polarised State’

Supreme Court on Malda judicial officers attack
SC slams Bengal govt after Malda violence (Image via AP, Britannica and News18)

The Supreme Court on Thursday, 2nd April, took a very serious view of the situation in Muslim-dominated Malda district of West Bengal, where judicial officers were threatened during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The top court said such incidents cannot be taken lightly and ordered the deployment of central armed forces to ensure the safety of officers involved in the process.

A Bench comprising Surya Kant, Joymalya Bagchi and Vipin Pancholi strongly criticised the Mamata government of West Bengal, saying there was a clear “abdication of duty” on its part. The court also made a sharp remark, saying that in the state, everyone seems to “speak political language,” calling it “the most polarised State.”

In its order, the court said the incident appeared to be far more serious than a routine law-and-order issue. “This incident is a brazen attempt not only to browbeat judicial officers but also to challenge the authority of this Court,” the Bench observed. It further added that the act looked like a “calculated, motivated move to demoralise the judicial officers” and disrupt the ongoing verification process.

The court also expressed concern that despite repeated communication from the Calcutta High Court, local authorities failed to act in time. It pointed out that the officers were stuck for hours, and even after their release past midnight, their vehicles were attacked with stones and sticks.

Court lays down clear steps for safety of officers

To prevent such incidents in the future, the Supreme Court issued a series of directions to ensure the safety of judicial officers working on electoral roll verification. 

  1. It directed the Election Commission of India to immediately deploy central forces at all locations where these officers are working, so that they can carry out their duties without fear.
  2. The court also said that if any judicial officer feels there is a threat to their family, central forces must be deployed at their residences as well. It stressed that such threat perception should be assessed quickly, and proper protection must be given without delay.
  3. Both the Election Commission and the state government have been asked to take all necessary steps to ensure that the verification process continues smoothly and safely. 
  4. The court made it clear that strict crowd control measures must be followed. It directed that only a limited number of people should be allowed to enter offices for filing objections, and gatherings during hearings must be tightly regulated.
  5.  The Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, and the State Chief Electoral Officer have been asked to submit a detailed compliance report. 

The court has also asked top officials, including the Home Secretary and district authorities, to explain why action should not be taken against them for failing to act on time. They have been directed to appear before the court on 6th April.

In another move, the Supreme Court also ordered that the investigation into the incident be handed over to a central agency like the CBI or NIA. It said a preliminary report must be submitted directly to the court.

Background of the case

The case relates to an incident in West Bengal’s Malda district, where seven judicial officers, including three women judges, were gheraoed by a huge mob on Wednesday evening (1st April) for over 9+ hours. The officers were working at the Block Development Officer (BDO) office in Muslim-dominated Kaliachak as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The trouble reportedly began around 3:30 pm, when a large group of people gathered outside the office, protesting the deletion of their names from the voter list. The crowd blocked the premises, preventing the officers from leaving for several hours.

According to the court, the situation remained tense well into the night, with little immediate response from local authorities. It was only after the intervention of senior officials, including the Director General of Police and the Home Secretary, that the officers were finally rescued after midnight.

However, even after their release, the officers were not completely safe. As they were heading back, their vehicles were attacked with stones and sticks, raising serious concerns about their security.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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