Supreme Court Nullifies Appointment of 25,753 Teachers and Staff in West Bengal

NEW DELHI:
In a significant setback for the West Bengal Government, the Supreme Court has quashed the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in state-run and state-aided schools, declaring the selection process as “vitiated and tainted.”

The verdict, delivered by a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna along with Justice Sanjay Kumar, upheld the Calcutta High Court’s April 22, 2024 decision that annulled the appointments due to violations of constitutional principles under Articles 14 and 16.

Although the Supreme Court invalidated the appointments, it clarified that the affected employees would not be required to return the salaries and benefits they received during their employment. However, the Bench directed the West Bengal Government to conduct a fresh selection process and complete it within three months.

The court’s order came as a response to petitions challenging the Calcutta High Court’s directive for a CBI investigation into the recruitment process. While the Supreme Court allowed the CBI to continue its probe, it instructed the agency not to take any coercive actions, such as arrests, against suspects during the investigation.

Describing the appointment process by the School Service Commission (SSC) as a “systemic fraud,” the court criticized the state authorities for failing to maintain digitized records and highlighted the gravity of compromising public employment opportunities.

“Public jobs are extremely scarce today and essential for social mobility. When these appointments are tainted, people will lose faith in the system. This is a systemic fraud,” the Bench remarked, urging the government to uphold transparency and integrity in the hiring process.

The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on April 4 to address petitions challenging the CBI probe into the invalidated appointments.

The state government had previously challenged the High Court’s decision, arguing that the annulment was “arbitrary.” However, the Supreme Court’s latest ruling reaffirmed the need for a thorough investigation and corrective measures.