‘Most polarised state’: SC slams West Bengal govt over Malda incident after SIR officers held hostage, says ‘gherao was preplanned’

Calling the incident a 'brazen attempt to challenge the authority of this Court,' the Chief Justice said the move was carefully planned to stall proceedings and create pressure on officials carrying out their responsibilities.

The Supreme Court on Thursday strongly criticised the West Bengal administration over the gherao of judicial officers in Malda, describing the incident as a “preplanned, calculated and motivated” attempt to disrupt the electoral process. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant observed that the incident appeared to be a deliberate effort to undermine the authority of the apex court and demoralize judicial officers involved in election-related duties. The court expressed serious concern over the developments, noting that such actions could obstruct the smooth functioning of the electoral process.

Calling the incident a ‘brazen attempt to challenge the authority of this Court,’ the Chief Justice said the move was carefully planned to stall proceedings and create pressure on officials carrying out their responsibilities.

“It was a well-calculated move to demoralise the judicial officers and to stall the process,” the CJI remarked during the hearing.