Judicial Officers Gheraoed in West Bengal Over Electoral Roll Deletions
In a concerning incident highlighting electoral tensions, seven judicial officers involved in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process were allegedly gheraoed for hours in West Bengal's Malda district. The protest erupted over the deletion of names from electoral rolls, with officials confirming the officers were stranded inside the Kaliachak II Block Development Office premises.
Protest Details and Timeline
The demonstration began earlier in the day outside the block development office and intensified as it continued late into the night. According to official reports, protesters initially sought a meeting with the judicial officers but were denied entry. This led to the launch of a protest around 4 pm, eventually resulting in the surrounding of the office premises.
Among those trapped inside were three women judicial officers, adding to the urgency of the situation. A senior official from the Chief Electoral Officer's office stated, "We have alerted the authorities. The district magistrate and the superintendent of police have been directed to reach the spot immediately." The official further mentioned that a report has been sought from the Director General of Police to assess the incident comprehensively.
Supreme Court Mandate and Electoral Review
As per Supreme Court directions, judicial officers are currently reviewing cases of voters whose names were marked "under adjudication" in the electoral rolls published on February 28. This process aims to decide whether these names should be retained or deleted, ensuring the integrity of the voter list ahead of upcoming elections.
Political Reactions and Accusations
Union minister and former Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar launched a sharp attack on chief minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that her "appeasement politics" and repeated instigation have led to a serious deterioration in law and order in the state. He claimed that even judicial officials are now being subjected to such attacks, undermining democratic processes.
Majumdar detailed the situation, alleging hours of siege, continuous threats, and intimidation, followed by a planned assault attempt. He described incidents including road blockades using bamboo sticks to obstruct movement and attacks on vehicles with bricks, stones, and sticks in broad daylight. Holding Mamata Banerjee responsible, he accused her of repeatedly engaging in instigative politics without maintaining the dignity of her constitutional position, thereby contributing to the current volatile environment.
Election Commission Involvement and Upcoming Polls
In light of the incident, Majumdar said he has drawn the attention of the Election Commission of India, urging it to take immediate and strict action to ensure the safety of officials and the fairness of the electoral process. This comes as West Bengal is set to go to polls in two phases on April 23 and 29, with counting scheduled for May 4, heightening the significance of such disruptions.
The gherao incident underscores the heightened political tensions and challenges in maintaining law and order during election periods, with judicial officers becoming unintended targets in the fray.
