‘Complete collapse of law and order in Bengal: Hours after judicial officials held hostage over SIR removal, Supreme Court orders
New Delhi: Supreme Court In a serious spotlight on the Malda incident on Thursday, seven judicial personnel involved in the Special Intensified Revision (SIR) exercise were held hostage for several hours. The court also issued show notices to senior officials of West Bengal, including the chief secretary and attorney general.The backlash followed reports that the officers, including three women, were detained in Malda by a group of voters whose names had been removed from the electoral rolls.
The court asked the chief secretary and attorney general to explain why action should not be taken against them, calling the incident an “abdication of duty” and seeking reasons for their “inaction”.The Supreme Court called the incident “regrettable” and said the protest appeared to be a “planned and motivated” attempt to demoralize judicial officials and disrupt the ongoing electoral process. It added that it would not allow anyone to interfere in the process or take the law into their own hands to psychologically attack officials.The court held that the Mamata Banerjee-led state government must inform the Election Commission and seek deployment of central forces to ensure the safety of judicial officials. It also allows the Election Commission to seek CBI or NIA investigation into the incident.Noting the “complete breakdown of law and order” in the state, the court directed deployment of central forces to protect officials handling objections under the SIR process.The Supreme Court further appealed to leaders of all political parties not to politicize the issue and to agree on ensuring the safety of officials in discharging their duties. It also emphasized that those responsible for maintaining law and order must remain more vigilant.
what happened to malda
The incident occurred during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral list. Seven judicial officials, including three women, were surrounded by protesters and held for several hours.Officials said the protest started outside the Kaliachak 2 block development office when people demanded a meeting with officials. After being denied entry, the crowd began protesting at around 4pm and subsequently cordoned off the venue, which continued late into the night.Protests sparked by the deletion of the electoral roll spread across Malda, with reports of road blockades in several areas affecting normal life.
Bharatiya Janata Party’s reaction
Union Minister and BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar condemned the incident and blamed the situation on the Chief Minister’s statement Mamata Banerjee.He claimed in a video message that police vehicles were vandalized and roads were blocked during the incident. He also said that the situation in West Bengal is worrying.“What happened scared everyone. Seven judicial magistrates went there. Not only were they stopped there, but their vehicles were also vandalized. When the SP rescued them from there, the woman judicial magistrate’s vehicle was vandalized. The road was blocked and no vehicle was allowed to pass. During the Left Front rule, a woman officer, Anita Dewan, was dragged out of her car and beaten to death. This is a similar plan. Mamata Banerjee’s constant inflammatory remarks are the reason for this,” Majumdar said.
