Judicial officers involved in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Malda district, West Bengal, raised safety concerns a week prior to being held hostage by an agitated crowd. The officers, including three women, were trapped for several hours at the Kaliachak 2 Block Development Office due to protests over alleged voter name deletions. They had alerted the Malda District Magistrate on March 23 about their fears of a security breach as the publication date for the supplementary electoral list approached. Following police intervention, the officers were rescued late Wednesday night. The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, criticized the state authorities for their inaction and issued show-cause notices to senior officials, demanding explanations for the lack of timely protection. The court also directed the Election Commission to ensure adequate security for the officers during the SIR process, which is crucial ahead of the Bengal Assembly elections scheduled for April 23 and 29. The judicial officers also highlighted infrastructural challenges at their workplace, including inadequate facilities and the burden of long commutes, requesting relocation to a more secure and accessible location within Malda Town to facilitate their work.