Acting on the Supreme Court’s orders, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has reached out to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate an incident in West Bengal’s Malda district. The incident involved the alleged gherao and assault of judicial officers assigned to electoral roll revision work. The ECI, in a letter to the NIA Director General, cited the apex court’s directive regarding the safety of these officers during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Supreme Court had strongly criticized the incident, labeling it as a direct challenge to judicial authority. Following the Court’s instructions, the ECI was instructed to assign the investigation to an independent agency and provide a preliminary report. The Court also issued directives to ensure the safety of judicial officers and the smooth progress of the SIR process.
The apex court’s intervention came after receiving a report from the Calcutta High Court, highlighting the lackluster response of local authorities to the situation. The matter is set to be reviewed on April 6, with compliance reports due before the Supreme Court. The NIA is expected to commence its investigation in West Bengal promptly.
Earlier, seven judicial officers, including three women, were confined in a block office in Kaliachak by voters dissatisfied with the deletion of their names during the adjudication process. The officers were rescued after being held for about nine hours, with reports of an attempted attack during their relocation to a secure site.
Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, and BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya alleged that the incident was premeditated. Adhikari suggested a scheme to divide North Bengal from South Bengal, emphasizing demographic shifts in border regions. Bhattacharya raised concerns about militant activities and the spread of fake currency in the area.
