New Delhi/IBNS: The Supreme Court on Monday strongly criticised West Bengal’s top administrative officials over their handling of the Malda incident, where judicial officers were allegedly held hostage for hours during an ongoing electoral process.
The bench expressed concern over the lack of response from senior officials when the situation escalated.
“What’s the problem, Mr Chief Secretary? You don’t even take the call of the Chief Justice?” the Chief Justice of India remarked, questioning the accessibility of the state’s top bureaucrat.
Appearing via video conference, the Chief Secretary stated that he was in Delhi for official work and did not receive any calls.
However, the bench questioned this explanation and highlighted the importance of maintaining communication during emergencies.
SIR fallout spills over to streets of #Malda as locals block National Highway, gherao seven judicial magistrates engaged in #SIR adjudication process in #Kaliachak. Local police, CAPF at scene. pic.twitter.com/dr4Bgijjj8
— India Blooms (@indiablooms) April 1, 2026
Justice Joymalya Bagchi noted that timely access to contact details could have helped manage the situation more effectively.
When the official maintained that his number was available, the court responded that senior officials must remain reachable at all times.
“You cannot be so high that the Chief Justice has no access to you. Please lower yourselves so that even the Chief Justice can connect to you,” Justice Bagchi said.
The Supreme Court directed both the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police to issue a written apology to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.
The bench described the situation as a failure of both the civil administration and law enforcement.
“You must apologise — it is the sheer failure of your civilian administration and the police authorities,” the court observed, linking the lapse to the need for judicial intervention.
The incident involved seven judicial officers who were engaged in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Malda.
They were reportedly surrounded by a crowd for nearly nine hours before being rescued late at night.
'Our pilot is no longer with us.....take care of my children': One of the 7 Judicial Officers on #SIR adjudication duty, who had been held hostages for more than 8 hours at #Mothabari BDO office in #Malda's #Kaliachak, pleads for help after their convoy was attacked. pic.twitter.com/PQhjNndks6
— India Blooms (@indiablooms) April 2, 2026
The Chief Justice of India noted that the situation began in the afternoon but came to his attention only late at night.
He highlighted that a large crowd had gathered during this period, raising concerns about law and order management.
The bench also scrutinised the response of local authorities present at the site.
It referred to submissions indicating that senior district officials were present but did not intervene effectively.
“They were just watching,” the court observed, citing remarks attributed to the local police that action could not be taken due to the presence of women in the crowd.
The Supreme Court directed that the investigation be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), citing serious allegations in the case.
It instructed the state police to transfer all records and provide full assistance to the central agency.
The court also asked investigating authorities to identify those responsible for instigating the incident, noting that the gathering appeared organised rather than spontaneous.
“Find out who is responsible — we want to take this to a logical conclusion,” the bench stated.
'Our movement will continue until all legal voters are included in SIR': Mofakkeral Islam, who has been arrested from Bagdogra airport in Siliguri for his alleged role in #Malda violence. #BengalSIR #BengalPolls pic.twitter.com/oYGx4ExwZk
— India Blooms (@indiablooms) April 3, 2026
While refraining from immediate punitive measures, the court said it would await a report from the Chief Justice before deciding on further action.
It directed the state administration to extend full cooperation during the ongoing electoral revision process.
The remarks came amid broader concerns over coordination between administrative authorities and judicial institutions during sensitive proceedings.