The Supreme Court came down heavily on the West Bengal government over the nine-hour gherao of judicial officers in Malda, calling it a pre-planned, calculated and motivated attempt to derail the electoral process and demoralise officials.
Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna made sharp remarks on the political climate in West Bengal, stating that unfortunately in the state, everyone speaks politically and it is the most polarised state. Seven judicial officers, including three women officials, were engaged in the special intensive revision of electoral rolls and were held inside the Block Development Officers’ Office as protesters objected to voter deletions. The CJI noted that he had to issue stern orders late at night for the administration to come into action, and questioned why officials failed to ensure safe evacuation despite being informed. The court ordered the deployment of Central Armed Forces to ensure the safety of judicial officers and their residences. A show cause notice was issued to the Chief Secretary, DGP, District Magistrate and SSP, directing them to appear before the court on 6 April.
