West Bengal poll tension: 7 judicial officers gheraoed, held inside Malda office for hours over SIR deletions

KOLKATA: Seven judicial officers involved in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process were allegedly gheraoed for hours in West Bengal’s Malda district following protests over deletion of names from electoral rolls, officials said.The protest began earlier in the day outside the Kaliachak II Block Development Office and continued late into the night. According to officials, demonstrators initially sought a meeting with the judicial officers. When they were denied entry, they launched a protest around 4 pm and eventually surrounded the office premises.Among those stranded inside were three women judicial officers, officials added. “We have alerted the authorities. The district magistrate and the superintendent of police have been directed to reach the spot immediately,” a senior official from the Chief Electoral Officer’s office said, adding that a report has also been sought from the Director General of Police.As per Supreme Court directions, judicial officers are currently reviewing cases of voters whose names were marked “under adjudication” in the electoral rolls published on February 28, to decide whether they should be retained or deleted. Union minister and former Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar launched a sharp attack on chief minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that her “appeasement politics” and repeated instigation have led to a serious deterioration in law and order in the state. He claimed that even judicial officials are now being subjected to such attacks.Majumdar alleged that the situation involved hours of siege, continuous threats and intimidation, followed by a planned assault attempt, including road blockades using bamboo sticks to obstruct movement and attacks on vehicles with bricks, stones and sticks in broad daylight.Holding Mamata Banerjee responsible for the situation, he accused her of repeatedly engaging in instigative politics without maintaining the dignity of her constitutional position, thereby contributing to the current volatile environment.In light of the incident, Majumdar said he has drawn the attention of the Election Commission of India, urging it to take immediate and strict action.West Bengal is set to go to polls in two phases on April 23 and 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.(With PTI inputs)