The Supreme Court of India expressed deep anguish and “extreme disappointment” over the recent attack on judicial officers in West Bengal, describing the region as the most “politically polarised state” it has ever seen. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi, took up the matter urgently following a distressing report from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court. The incident occurred in a village in the Malda district, where seven judicial officers—including three women—were performing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) adjudication duties related to voter rolls. These officers, who are considered neutral agents of the law, were gheraoed by an angry mob and held hostage from 3:30 PM until midnight. Even as they were eventually being evacuated under high-level intervention, their vehicles were pelted with stones and attacked with bamboo sticks.
The Chief Justice of India pulled no punches during the hearing, observing that in West Bengal, “everyone speaks in political language,” even when dealing with court-ordered neutral processes. The Court was particularly appalled by the state administration’s “tardy” response, noting that the District Collector was reportedly unavailable until late at night while judicial officers and a five-year-old child were trapped without food or water. The CJI revealed that he personally had to monitor the situation until 2 AM to ensure the safety of the officials. Dismissing claims that the protest was “apolitical,” the Court questioned why local political leaders did not intervene to uphold law and order if the agitation was truly grassroots. The bench remarked that while the SIR process had proceeded smoothly across the rest of the country, West Bengal stood out as a volatile exception where even the judiciary is not spared from political hostility.
In a stern move to prevent further escalation and protect the morale of the judiciary, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to immediately requisition and deploy Central Forces at all locations where judicial officers are adjudicating claims. Furthermore, the Court issued a show-cause notice to the Chief Secretary, the Director-General of Police (DGP), and the District Magistrate of Malda, demanding an explanation for their failure to provide security. The ECI has also been directed to entrust the investigation of the Malda violence to an independent agency, such as the CBI or NIA. Characterizing the attack as a “calculated move to demoralize the judiciary,” the Court warned that any attempt to obstruct the solemn duty of these officers would be treated as criminal contempt, asserting that it will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands to create a climate of psychological fear.
