Disappointed That West Bengal Chief Secretary Could Not Be Contacted When Judges Were Gheraoed : Supreme Court
The Court slammed the conduct of the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and the DGP as 'deplorable'.
Expressing strong displeasure over the administrative response to the gherao of judicial officers in West Bengal, the Supreme Court on Thursday said it was "extremely disappointed" that the State's Chief Secretary remained out of reach of the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court during the crisis, noting that he had not shared a mobile number with WhatsApp facility to enable communication.
The Court was dealing with a suo motu case concerning the safety of judicial officers deputed for work relating to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State.
The bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi recorded that seven judicial officers, including three women, were gheraoed by anti-social elements at a BDO office in Kaliachowk area of Maldah district around 3:30 p.m., and that urgent intervention sought by the High Court authorities was met with "conspicuous inertia" until about 8:30 p.m.
Chief Secretary Could Not Be Contacted During Crisis
Taking note of the communication received from the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice, the Supreme Court specifically flagged the inability to reach the State's top bureaucrat during the unfolding emergency.
The Court observed that it was "extremely disappointed" to note from the Chief Justice's letter that the Chief Secretary could not be contacted because he had not shared a mobile number with WhatsApp facility, resulting in a breakdown of communication at a critical time.
"We are also extremely disappointed to note, from the D.O. letter of the learned Chief Justice, that the Chief Secretary of the State could not be contacted, as he had not shared a mobile number with WhatsApp facility, as a result of which no communication could be conveyed to him," the Court recorded in the order.
The Bench described the conduct of senior administrative officials, including the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Director General of Police, Collector and Superintendent of Police, as "highly deplorable," and directed them to explain why effective measures were not taken promptly after being informed about the gherao.
"It also pains us to observe that the manner in which the Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary, the Director General of Police, the Collector and the Superintendent of Police have acted is highly deplorable. They owe an explanation to this Court as to why, upon being informed that the judicial officers had been gheraoed at around 03:30 p.m., no effective measures were taken to secure their safe evacuation. It was incumbent upon the State administration to immediately inform the Election Commission of India and seek deployment of central forces, wherever necessary, to ensure the safety of the judicial officers."
On March 16, the Election Commission of India had replaced the top officials of the State Administration, including the Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary. The ECI appointed Dushyant Nariala as the Chief Secretary of the state Government in place of Nandini Chakraborty. The ECI also posted Sanghamitra Ghosh as Principal Secretary, Home. The ECI also changed the DGP, appointing Siddh Nath Gupta replacing Peeyush Pandey.
On March 31, the Calcutta High Court had dismissed a PIL challenging the ECI's transfers of the top officials of the State.
The officials have been directed to remain virtually present before the Court on the next date of hearing.
During yesterday's hearing, the State's lawyers submitted that these officials were appointed by the ECI, and that the State had no control over them.
Also from the hearing - Supreme Court Slams West Bengal Officials Over Attack On Judges During SIR Duty, Directs Use Of Central Forces
Case : In Re : Safety and Security of Judicial Officers deputed for work relating to SIR of Electoral Rolls in the State of West Bengal and Ancillary Issues | SMW(c) 3/2026