The court mandated the deployment of central forces and called for an investigation into the incident by independent central agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA), according to LiveLaw.
A bench consisting of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice Vipul Pancholi addressed the issue promptly after receiving a letter from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court detailing the events.
Seven judicial officers — including three women — were purportedly surrounded by villagers while performing SIR adjudication duties. They were reportedly confined from approximately 3:30 PM until midnight and were only released after intervention from the Chief Justice of the High Court and the state administration, as per LiveLaw.
Vehicles attacked, officers held without food or water
The bench noted that the judicial officers were encircled for several hours without access to food or water during this period.
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When they were finally evacuated after midnight, their vehicles were allegedly struck with stones and bamboo sticks.
During the proceedings, the Chief Justice criticized the delayed response from local authorities, stating, “Till 11 o’clock, your Collector was not there. I had to issue very stern orders at night. A 5-year-old child was denied food and water!” according to LiveLaw.
The court remarked that the incident represented a significant administrative failure, labeling it as a “criminal lapse” by state officials, including the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, Superintendent of Police, and District Collector. Notices were issued to these officials, requiring them to explain why they should not face disciplinary action.
Officials including the Chief Secretary and DGP have been instructed to appear before the court via video conferencing on April 6 to address the notices.
‘Never seen such a polarised state’: CJI Kant on West Bengal
The bench also raised concerns regarding the political atmosphere in the state.
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“Mr Adv General, you are pushing us into a corner. Regrettably, in your state, you all seem to speak in political terms. This is truly unfortunate. We have never encountered such a polarised state. Even compliance with court orders is influenced by politics,” CJI Kant stated as reported by LiveLaw.
“It was only because all the parties were agreeable that we thought we were establishing a neutral framework (by involving judicial officers)…yet this is what we face…Do you think we are oblivious to who the wrongdoers are? I was monitoring everything until 2 AM! Truly unfortunate,” he continued.
Court orders central forces and independent probe
To safeguard judicial officers involved in the electoral process, the court directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure adequate central forces are deployed at locations where SIR adjudication is taking place.
The bench also instructed the ECI to delegate the investigation of the incident to either the CBI or the NIA.
Furthermore, it mandated authorities to evaluate security threats to judicial officers and their families and to implement essential protective measures.
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