Today, On 9th September, The Supreme Court issues stay on a High Court ruling that directed the Uttar Pradesh government to prepare a new selection list for 69,000 assistant teachers. This decision offers temporary relief to the current appointees amid ongoing legal disputes. The original selection process had been challenged over allegations of irregularities.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court stayed the Allahabad High Court’s order that required the Uttar Pradesh government to create a new selection list for appointing 69,000 assistant teachers in the state.
The apex court also paused the High Court’s decision to nullify the selection lists for assistant teachers, which had been issued by the state in June 2020 and January 2022, affecting 6,800 candidates.
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A bench consisting of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra stayed the High Court’s ruling and issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government and other parties, including the secretary of the UP Basic Education Board.
This move followed a petition filed by Ravi Kumar Saxena and 51 others.
The Supreme Court stated it would conduct a final hearing on the matter and instructed the involved parties’ counsel to submit brief written notes, limited to seven pages.
The case scheduled for hearing during the week starting September 23.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati represented the Uttar Pradesh government.
In August, the Allahabad High Court directed the state to prepare a fresh selection list for the appointment of 69,000 assistant teachers, following a division bench ruling on 90 special appeals led by Mahendra Pal, challenging a single-judge order from March 13 last year.
The High Court directed,
“When creating the new selection list, steps should be taken to minimize any negative impact on the currently employed assistant teachers by allowing them to complete the ongoing academic session, emphasizing that this measure is necessary to avoid disrupting students’ education”
The Supreme Court’s stay allows for the continuation of the status quo while it deliberates on the merits of the case. It is now up to the apex court to decide whether the High Court’s directive for a fresh selection process justified or whether the current selection process fair and should be upheld.
In conclusion, the stay order by the Supreme Court provided temporary relief to the Uttar Pradesh government and the assistant teachers currently working in state schools. However, the legal battle is far from over, and the final outcome of this dispute will depend on the Supreme Court’s detailed examination of the issues at hand.
The case highlights the challenges that often accompany large-scale recruitment drives in the public sector, particularly when questions of fairness, transparency, and meritocracy are raised.