5 min readMaldaApr 2, 2026 04:00 PM IST
First published on: Apr 2, 2026 at 04:00 PM IST
A day after seven judicial officers, among them three women, were gheraoed at the BDO office in Malda district’s Kaliachowk-II block, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she did not know who was behind the protests in Malda and that the state administration was not under her control anymore, urging people to maintain peace and not “fall for any provocation”.
The CM’s statement in Murshidabad came on a day when demonstrators set up fresh blockades at two vital crossings on National Highway-12 in protest against the deletion of voters from electoral rolls after adjudication. Meanwhile, in Delhi, the Supreme Court criticised the “brazen attempt” to “browbeat the judicial officers”, saying it amounts to a challenge to its authority. The CM agreed with the court’s remarks, saying that what it “said today is correct”.
“I don’t know who was behind yesterday’s incident in Malda. I don’t have any information. The incumbent CS (Chief Secretary) has not even called me once. I got to know from a journalist that judges are gheraoed. There is discontent among people in Malda, Murshidabad, and Uttar Dinajpur. People have fallen prey to the BJP’s game plan,” Banerjee said at a public meeting in Dhumur Pahar in Murshidabad’s Sagardighi.
Banerjee alleged specific wards had been identified in her constituency, Bhabanipur, in south Kolkata and minority voters were deleted. “They have done the same here as well. That is why we approached the Supreme Court since they planned to delete 1.2 crore voters. The SC said this can’t happen. The SC ordered a detailed scrutiny of 60 lakh voters who are under adjudication. 22 lakh voters have been retained. For those who have been wrongfully deleted, tribunals have been set up. You must appeal. Carry all your documents, including those 13 documents that ECI has mentioned. We will provide free legal assistance. We will have to do it peacefully,” said the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson.
The CM alleged that the BJP had given money to “some traitors to provoke you”. “They made you block roads and gherao the judges. What was the result? Whatever the SC has said today is correct. Don’t you know that CBI and NIA are used against protesters? This is the BJP’s game plan. They don’t want elections. They want President’s Rule. Do you want that? Or do you want a peaceful election through which Trinamool Congress comes back to power? If you trust me, then don’t fall for any provocation,” she said.
Earlier in the day, the protesters initially blocked the Narayanpur crossing in the Old Malda police station area, before setting up a blockade at the SBI crossing in the Jodupur area of the English Bazar police station. The protesters placed bamboo poles, benches, wood, and tree trunks, and set tyres on fire to stop traffic from moving on the highway at the two spots. The police and central forces were deployed at the two spots and, by late afternoon, the blockade in Naraynpur was lifted.
Standing near the protest site in Jodupur, 46-year-old Rabiul Islam said that while his name is on the electoral rolls, his wife Ijon Bibi’s name has been deleted and her application was rejected during the adjudication phase. “I am standing here in support of the protesters,” he said.
A day earlier, the seven judicial officers reached the Kaliachowk-II BDO office around 11 am for the adjudication exercise. When they were about to leave around 4 pm, protesting villagers blocked the gate, stopping them from leaving. The villagers complained that the names of voters had been deleted and that they would not allow the officers to leave till their problems were resolved. The protests soon spread to Sujapur, Jalalpur, Mothabari, Jodupur, and the rest of Kaliachowk.
Around 12.30 am, a contingent of special police officers reached the BDO office and brought out the judicial officers. While they were being moved to safety, the locals allegedly pelted stones, injuring one constable and two bystanders, the police said.
The West Bengal CEO has sought a report from the Malda district administration and has also raised it with DGP Siddh Nath Gupta, who has instructed the SP to take action. The EC is also learnt to have informed the Calcutta High Court about the developing situation. As of now, the judicial officers have disposed of 49 lakh out of 60 lakh cases under adjudication, while 19 tribunals are set to hear the appeals of those deleted from the rolls. The tribunals have not started functioning yet.
