Seven judicial officers handling Special Intensive Revision (SIR) cases related to alleged discrepancies in the records of over 60 lakh voters in poll-bound West Bengal were confined inside a BDO office in the Kaliachowk
area of Malda district on Wednesday evening, after local residents surrounded the premises in protest. According to sources, three of the seven officials are women.
A team of police officers rescued them after nearly eight hours. While they were being taken away in a police van, the mob pelted stones. No injuries have been reported in the incident.
The protest began outside the Kaliachak 2 Block Development Office earlier in the day and was continuing late into the night.
According to officials, the protesters initially sought a meeting with the judicial officers; however, they began a demonstration at around 4 pm and gheraoed the premises after they were denied entry.
Three women judicial officers were among those stuck inside the office during the protest, officials said.
“We have alerted the authorities. The district magistrate and the superintendent of police have been directed to reach the spot immediately,” a senior official in the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office said, adding that a report on the incident has also been sought from the Director General of Police (DGP).
As per directions of the Supreme Court, judicial officers are currently examining cases of voters whose names were marked “under adjudication” in the electoral rolls published on February 28 to determine whether they should be retained or deleted.
West Bengal Assembly elections are set to take place in two phases on April 23 and 29, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4.
