Bengal Officers Held Hostage In Malda Had Complained. Administration Says 'No Such Letter'

The judicial officers involved in the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR (an exhaustive revision of electoral rolls), who were held hostage in Bengal's Malda this week had a deep foreboding about what was to unfold.

And it did unfold - seven officers, including three women, were gheraoed and held hostage at around 3:30 on Wednesday afternoon inside the Kaliachak 2 Block Development Office (BDO) in Malda by a large crowd, alleging that genuine voters' names had been deleted from the electoral rolls.

Nearly a week before the hostage incident, the officers, in a letter to Malda District Magistrate (DM), the district's top official, had expressed "palpable apprehension of breach of security". On Saturday, the Malda District Administration said the DM received no such communication.

"As the date for the publication of the supplementary list approaches, the environment at the BDO Office, Kaliachak-ll, is becoming increasingly sensitive. There is a palpable apprehension of breach of security from disgruntled local elements who have been found ineligible for enrollment. This risk extends to our daily commute to this interior location," the officers wrote on March 23.

The seven officers were gheraoed and held hostage for several hours. At around 1 am on Thursday, a large police contingent led by senior district officials reached the spot, dispersed the protesters and rescued the judicial officers.

The standoff was triggered by mass deletions from the electoral rolls under the SIR process ahead of the Bengal Assembly election scheduled for April 23 and 29.

As many as 700 judicial officers from West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand are deployed in the ongoing SIR to deal with over 60 lakh objections of those who are excluded from the voter lists.

The Supreme Court had described the incident as a brazen and deliberate attempt to obstruct the administration of justice. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed concern that, despite prior intimation, the state authorities failed to provide prompt protection, leaving the officers without food or water for hours.

The top court issued show-cause notices to senior state officials, including the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Director-General of Police, asking them to explain their inaction.

It directed the Election Commission to requisition and deploy adequate central forces to ensure the safety of judicial officers and the smooth conduct of the SIR adjudication process.

In the letter, the judicial officers spotlighted the "severe space crunch" at the BDO office and the lack of "hygienic washroom facilities".

"The current workspace at the BDO Office is hampered by a severe space crunch, making it difficult to conduct adjudicatory work with the required judicial decorum. Most critically, there is a lack of adequate and hygienic washroom facilities, causing significant hardship-particularly for the three lady officers in our team," the officers complained.

The officers also complained about the 54-km round-trip to Kaliachak and urged that their workplace be shifted to a suitable location within Malda town.

"Five of us are currently residing in Malda Town. The daily 54 km round-trip to Kaliachak-ll is not only physically exhausting but also consumes nearly two hours of time that could be better utilised for the disposal of SIR cases. Furthermore, the daily requirement of security escorts and pilot cars for this long journey is an avoidable drain on public exchequer," the officers said.

"In the interest of administrative efficiency, personal safety, and the timely completion of the SIR process, we collectively request that our workplace be shifted to a suitable location within Malda Town (preferably within or near the DM Establishment/Collectorate). This relocation would ensure a secure environment, provide proper amenities for the lady officers, and allow us to focus entirely on our adjudicatory functions without the burden of long-distance transit. We look forward to your favorable and immediate intervention in this matter," they further added.

Administration's Response

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Office of the District Information and Cultural Affairs Officer, Malda, said the district magistrate had not received any such communication.

"There is a news circulating that the District Administration, Malda, has received a letter on 23/03/2026 from a few Ld. Judicial Officers mentioning concerns regarding their security while discharging their duties. A thorough verification has been made, and it is hereby stated that the office of the District Magistrate, Malda, has not received any such communication from 23.03.2026 till date (04/04/2026)," the statement said. 

"Despite that District Administration Malda is always committed to provide safe and secure working environment and for the welfare of the Ld. Judicial Officers. Lastly, it is reiterated that the District Administration, Malda, firmly stands for a free, fair, and peaceful election." it said.