In a blow to the West Bengal government, the Supreme Court on April 3 upheld the Calcutta High Court’s verdict to cancel the recruitment of over 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff in 2016 by SSC for state-funded schools
“We find no valid ground or reason to interfere with the decision of the High Court that services of tainted candidates must be terminated”, a bench led by CJI Sanjiv Khanna said while pronouncing the verdict
The high court, citing irregularities such as OMR sheet tampering and rank-jumping, had invalidated the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in state-run and state-aided schools of West Bengal.
In February, the apex court had reserved its judgement on petitions against the Calcutta High Court's April 22, 2024 decision invalidating the appointment of 25,753 teachers and other staff in state-run and state-aided schools of West Bengal.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said, “Arguments heard. Judgement reserved.” It heard 124 petitions, including the one filed by the West Bengal government, against the verdict.
A battery of senior counsel including Mukul Rohatgi, Ranjit Kumar, Abhishek Singhvi, Dushyant Dave, P S Patwalia, Rakesh Dwivedi, Maninder Singh, Shyam Divan, Prashant Bhushan, Meenakshi Arora and Karuna Nandi argued in the case, representing both the parties.