The Supreme Court scheduled to consider the plea filed by the Bengal Government regarding the Calcutta High Court’s decision concerning 25,753 school job positions. The Bengal Government is seeking the Supreme Court’s review and possible intervention in the matter following the High Court’s ruling. The decision holds significance for numerous individuals awaiting these job opportunities and reflects ongoing legal debates regarding employment matters in the region.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court scheduled to hear a collection of petitions on Monday, including an appeal by the West Bengal government. These petitions challenge the Calcutta High Court’s decision to annul 25,753 appointments in educational and non-educational roles made by the WBSSC in 2016. According to information on the Supreme Court’s website, a panel led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud will resume deliberations on May 6. In the last session, the panel, which includes Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, declined to issue any temporary orders to suspend the High Court‘s verdict delivered on April 22.
The Supreme Court instructed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to refrain from taking any coercive action against state government officials involved in sanctioning super-numeric posts, pending further hearings. The appellants have been asked to present any secondary evidence that might differentiate the legitimate appointments among the 25,753 individuals shortlisted in 2016 for various roles in secondary and higher secondary schools in the state.
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Previously, in the third week of April, the Calcutta High Court invalidated the appointments of candidates chosen from expired panels and mandated that they return their entire drawn salaries, along with an annualized interest of 12 percent, within four weeks.
In addition to instructing the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) to initiate a fresh recruitment process, a division bench comprising Justices Debangsu Basak and Shabbar Rashidi also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to continue its investigation into the matter.
The Calcutta High Court has acknowledged the state cabinet’s decision to create super-numeric posts and stated that the CBI, if necessary, can interrogate those responsible for the creation of these additional positions beyond the number of vacant posts. These super-numeric posts have been a subject of controversy since their inception, as they believed to have provided opportunities for the illegal recruitment of ineligible candidates.
In July of the previous year, the highest judicial body nullified the temporary ruling issued by the Calcutta High Court, which resulted in the termination of employment for 32,000 primary teachers. The apex court directed the West Bengal authorities to promptly conclude the recruitment process for the recently established positions within a three-month period. Emphasizing the need for the high court to expedite the resolution of the appeal concerning the scandal involving the exchange of money for school jobs, the Supreme Court highlighted the importance of providing a fair opportunity for all stakeholders to present their arguments.