West Bengal: 7 Judicial Officers Held Hostage for 9 Hours, Supreme Court Raps State

New Delhi/Kolkata: Seven judicial magistrates on election duty were allegedly held hostage for over nine hours in Malda district of West Bengal, prompting a sharp rebuke from the Supreme Court of India, which termed the incident a “complete breakdown of law and order”.

The magistrates, deployed for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, were gheraoed by a group of villagers at a government office in the Kaliachak area on Wednesday afternoon. The protest, triggered by alleged deletion of names from voter lists, escalated into a prolonged standoff, leaving the officers confined inside the premises till late night.

West Bengal: Protesters in Malda’s Mothabari blocked seven Election Observers (Judicial magistrates) including 3 women for many hours

Central forces rushed and along with police later rescued the observers and brought them to Malda city. pic.twitter.com/mkCWwQaD6t

— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) April 2, 2026

Officials said repeated appeals for police intervention yielded delayed results, and the magistrates—among them women officers—were rescued only after several hours, close to midnight.

🔴#BREAKING | 7 Judicial Officers Held Hostage In Bengal For 9 Hours Over SIR Deletion

NDTV’s @RittickMondal joins @ParmeshwarBawa with more details pic.twitter.com/BoIDoKgQkK

— NDTV (@ndtv) April 2, 2026

Taking serious note, the Supreme Court of India observed that the episode amounted to a direct challenge to judicial authority and an attempt to disrupt the electoral process. The court criticised the state administration for its failure to ensure timely protection to officials performing statutory duties.

The apex court has issued notices to senior state officials, including the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, seeking explanations over the lapse. It also indicated that a probe by a central agency could be considered if necessary.

The Election Commission of India has been asked to take appropriate measures to safeguard officials engaged in the revision exercise and ensure that the process is conducted without intimidation.

The incident has triggered a political row, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleging attempts to disturb the electoral process, while opposition parties accused the government of failing to maintain order.

The development has raised concerns over the safety of judicial officers and the conduct of election-related exercises in sensitive regions, with the Supreme Court making it clear that any interference in such processes will invite strict action.