Supreme Court asks Bengal's top bureaucrat to apologise over siege of SIR officers in Malda

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the West Bengal chief secretary for "not taking calls of Calcutta high court chief justice" over the Malda incident and asked him to apologise.Taking strong exception to the attack on judicial officers adjudicating objections to voter list exclusions in West Bengal’s Malda district, the Supreme Court on Thursday said there was a breakdown of law and order in the state and issued show-cause notices to the chief secretary, DGP, district magistrate and SP, asking why action should not be taken against them. The court termed the incident a “deliberate and calculated” attempt to demoralise judicial officers and obstruct them from performing their duties, and said such actions could not be tolerated. It directed the Election Commission to seek deployment of central forces to protect the officers and their families, and ordered a probe by a central agency, either the CBI or the NIA.The Supreme Court also recorded that seven judicial officers, including three women, were gheraoed by antisocial elements and held hostage till midnight."In our considered view, and having regard to the attendant circumstances, the incident that took place yesterday (Wednesday) is a brazen attempt not only to browbeat judicial officers but also a challenge to the authority of this court. It cannot be construed as a routine occurrence and, ex facie, appears to be a calculated, well-planned and deliberate act to demoralise judicial officers and obstruct the ongoing adjudication of objections,” the bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi said.SC said the manner in which the chief secretary, home secretary, DGP, DM and SP acted was highly deplorable, and they owed an explanation as to why no effective measures were taken to secure safe evacuation despite being informed at 3.30pm.“We have no hesitation in observing that we will not permit any person to take law into their hands to create a climate of psychological fear in the minds of judicial officers discharging their duties. Such conduct amounts to criminal contempt under Section 2(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, and reflects a complete failure of the civil and police administration in maintaining law and order in Malda,” it said.