SC Declines to Stay on Calcutta HC order cancelling 25753 teachers’ jobs, Stays CBI Action Against Govt Officials

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to issue any interim order to stay the Calcutta High Court’s decision, which cancelled 25,753 appointments in teaching and non-teaching posts made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016.

However, the bench, led by Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, stated that no precipitative action would be taken by the CBI against state government officials involved in approving the creation of super-numeric posts until the next date of listing. The matter will be taken up for further hearing next Monday.

Last week, the Calcutta High Court nullified the appointment of candidates selected from the expired panels and asked them to return the entire salary drawn, along with an annualised interest of 12 per cent, within the next four weeks.

The High Court also directed the WBSSC to initiate the recruitment process anew and allowed the CBI to continue its investigation into the matter. The court took cognisance of the state cabinet’s decision for the creation of super-numeric posts and stated that the CBI could question the masterminds behind the creation of these seats, which exceeded the number of vacant posts, if necessary.

These super-numeric posts have been under scrutiny since their inception, as they are perceived to provide room for the illegal recruitment of ineligible candidates.

In July last year, the apex court had set aside the interim direction passed by the Calcutta High Court that terminated the services of 32,000 primary teachers and asked the West Bengal authorities to complete the recruitment process for the newly created vacancies within three months.

The Supreme Court urged the high court to decide the appeal pertaining to the school-jobs-for-cash scam at the earliest, emphasizing that all concerned must be given the opportunity for a hearing.