In a significant setback for the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, the Calcutta High Court has invalidated the 2016 recruitment process for government-sponsored and aided schools. A staggering 25,753 appointees face job loss and are required to reimburse their salaries along with a 12% interest, following the court's ruling.
A division bench comprising Justices Debangsu Basak and Md Shabbar Rashidi declared the recruitment of school teachers, who had submitted blank OMR sheets, as illegal. They mandated the return of salaries within four weeks, with district magistrates assigned to oversee the collection process.
However, an exception was made for Soma Das, a teacher undergoing cancer treatment, who was allowed to retain her job on humanitarian grounds.
Prompted by a Supreme Court directive, the bench has instructed the CBI to conduct further investigations into the appointment process and submit a report within three months.
Additionally, the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) has been tasked with initiating a fresh appointment process.
Anticipating a legal challenge, the state government is expected to contest the ruling in the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, several Trinamool leaders, including former education minister Partha Chatterjee, are already in custody in connection with the teacher recruitment scandal.
Reacting to the court's decision, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused BJP leaders of influencing the judiciary and manipulating judgments. In response, the BJP Bengal faction criticized the Trinamool government, predicting defeat for Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee.
The recruitment process under scrutiny attracted over 23 lakh candidates for 24,640 vacant posts, with 25,753 appointment letters issued. These positions encompassed teachers for classes 9 to 12, as well as group-C and D staff.
This ruling comes on the heels of the Calcutta High Court's previous dismissal of 2016 WBSCC panels and the cancellation of 32,000 appointments for untrained primary teachers. Notably, Judge Abhijit Ganguly, who ordered a CBI probe into the matter, subsequently resigned and is now a BJP candidate in ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
While the initial judgment faced a temporary pause, the Supreme Court intervened last November, granting six-month protection to those whose appointments were invalidated and requesting the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to form a division bench to handle petitions and appeals related to the recruitment controversy.
