Supreme Court Condemns Gherao of Judicial Officers in West Bengal, Terms It a ‘Calculated Attempt’ to Derail Electoral Revision

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant described the inaction of the State government as “highly deplorable” and took suo motu cognisance of the incident. The court observed that such obstruction directly threatened the integrity of an ongoing nationwide electoral process.

The incident occurred in Kaliachak, Malda, where seven judicial officers, including three women, were gheraoed by a mob from Wednesday (April 1, 2026) afternoon and held hostage for over nine hours. The situation escalated to the extent that a contingent of police and paramilitary forces had to intervene, ultimately rescuing the officers around 1 a.m.

Reacting strongly, the court issued show-cause notices to senior police officers and administrative officials, questioning why responsible action should not be initiated against them for failing to prevent or promptly address the situation. In response, the State government informed the court that local authorities involved had been transferred.

Chief Justice Kant underscored the gravity of the situation, stating he had never witnessed such political polarisation in West Bengal. He revealed that he remained awake until 2 a.m., continuously monitoring developments and receiving briefings on the crisis.

During the proceedings, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the State government, urged the court to remove the phrase “complete breakdown of constitutional machinery” from its order, indicating the sensitivity surrounding the court’s observations.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) also reacted strongly, expressing shock that judicial officers could be held at ransom. It described the prevailing situation in West Bengal as “jungle raj,” highlighting concerns over law and order during the electoral revision exercise.

Taking immediate remedial steps, the court directed the ECI to requisition central forces and deploy them to safeguard judicial officers engaged in the SIR process, as well as government offices involved in electoral roll revision.

Reports indicated that the mob consisted of a group of voters whose names had been deleted from the voter list, suggesting a direct link between the unrest and the ongoing revision exercise.

The court further stated that it was inclined to order a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or an independent agency into the incident, with a formal order expected later in the day.

The episode has raised serious concerns about administrative accountability, electoral integrity, and the breakdown of law enforcement mechanisms, placing West Bengal under intense judicial scrutiny