Malda hostage crisis: West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee on Thursday stirred a new controversy by claiming she was unaware of the incident, in which seven judicial officers were held hostage overnight in the Malda district, even as the Supreme Court (SC) issued a stern warning over the same. While addressing a poll rally in Murshidabad district, she said that she was apprised of the crisis only from a journalist late at night. “No one informed me. I don’t know who is responsible,” she remarked, adding that she no longer had effective control over the state’s administrative machinery.
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Bengal CM says ECI has taken over governance in state
CM Banerjee alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had taken over the governance in West Bengal. She said, “The administration is not in my hands. The ECI is controlling law and order. They listen to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. All my powers have been transferred. It is the Super President’s rule.” She further accused the poll panel of failing to maintain law and order, insisting that the situation reflected a complete falter of administration under its watch.
Malda hostage crisis: SC terms incident ‘Calculated challenge’
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Supreme Court[/caption]
CM Banerjee’s remarks came hours after a strong rebuke from the apex court. Chief Justice of India (CJI), Surya Kant described the incident as a ‘calculated and motivated’ attempt to undermine judicial authority. The bench said, “This incident is a brazen attempt not only to browbeat judicial officers but also to challenge the authority of this court,” adding that either the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA) should probe the incident.
What happened in Malda earlier?
The hostage crisis transpired in Malda after a large group of voters, who were enraged over deletion of their names from the electoral roll, detained seven judicial officers, including three women, for nine hours. The unrest is linked to the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists ordered ahead of the state’s Assembly polls, with polling slated for April 23, 2026. Opposition parties criticised the incident, alleging it is aimed at disenfranchising certain voter groups.
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Visuals from the incident in Malda[/caption]
Tensions escalated on Wednesday evening as protests intensified and turned violent. Police and paramilitary forces intervened at around 1 am on Thursday to rescue the officers and shift them to safety. As per media reports, the evacuation was met with resistance, as the protestors attempted to attack vehicles ferrying the officials. Visuals from the scene showed shattered windowpanes and stone-pelting mobs targeting convoy vehicles.
While CM Banerjee acknowledged public anger over the voter list revision, the incident has intensified scrutiny over governance and security arrangements in the run-up to crucial state elections.
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