“Hooliganism”: Calcutta HC Bar Association condemns attack on SIR judicial officers, suspends lawyer

The Calcutta High Court Bar Association has strongly condemned the recent attack and intimidation of judicial officers engaged in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal..In a resolution passed at an urgent general body meeting on April 6, the Association expressed strong concern over reports that seven judicial officers, including three women judges, were allegedly held hostage for about nine hours in Malda’s Kaliachak area on April 1 while performing their duties.“We, the members of the Bar Association High Court, Calcutta are excruciatingly perturbed by the disturbing visuals and the news that have been circulated widespread regarding the cowardly and dastardly attack on the judiciary and its organs that took place on 01.04.2026... carrying out extreme hooliganism and harassment acting on the active provocative statements made by a certain member of the Bar during the Special Intensive Revision(SIR) in the name of protest,” said the Association. Pertinently, the Bar Association took note of reports that advocate Mofakkerul Islam, a member of the Calcutta High Court Bar Association, had been named as a principal instigator of the alleged acts.Pending the outcome of criminal proceedings, the Bar Association suspended Islam from its membership.It also resolved to initiate disciplinary proceedings for his expulsion and to request the Bar Council of West Bengal to consider cancelling his law practice license by removing him from the rolls of advocates..The resolution further described the alleged acts as an attempt to intimidate the judiciary and undermine its functioning. It stated,“We are unable to remain unruffled on such heinous acts being purposely perpetrated on the esteemed Judiciary by way of disseminating a staid terror message promulgated all over the state of West Bengal.”.It also criticised the alleged inaction of the local administration during the incident.“We are apprised of the fact that police administration has acted like a mere spectator and allowed such barbarism and unchecked hooliganism to be continued for about 9 hours,” said the resolution..The development comes amid a wider controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, under which judicial officers have been tasked with adjudicating objections from voters whose names were removed from the electoral list.On April 2, the Supreme Court, taking note of the Malda incident, observed that the gherao of the judicial officers was a “brazen attempt to browbeat” them and could undermine the ongoing adjudicatory process..The Court ordered the deployment of central armed forces to ensure the safety of judicial officers carrying out the SIR work and directed senior State officials to explain why adequate protection had not been provided despite prior warnings.Subsequently, on April 6, the Supreme Court also directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the investigation into the incident, citing serious allegations against the State police and the need for an independent probe..West Bengal SIR: Each Judicial Officer decided between 12 to 18 objections an hour.[Read Resolution]