“This order is illegal”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Challenges the Calcutta High Court Order that Scrapped the 2016 SSC Panel

“This order is illegal,” said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee challenging a Calcutta High Court order that scrapped the 2016 School Service Commission panel. The Calcutta High Court earlier on Monday nullified the recruitment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff by the 2016 School Service Commission panel, instructing them to return their salaries with a 12% interest. In addition, the court has mandated fresh recruitment against these positions within 15 days. The division bench comprising Justice Debangshu Basak and Md Shabbar Rashidi emphasized that individuals appointed through the submitting blank OMR sheets must repay their salaries within four weeks, with district magistrates tasked with overseeing the collection of these funds.

“I want to tell these 26,000 teachers, do not feel scared, do not take a life-altering decision, we will stand by you and keep fighting till the end…We challenge this verdict, because 26,000 jobs easily translates to 1.5-2 lakh families. They are saying that those who had been employed for the past 8 years will now have to return their salaries within 4 weeks. You tell me, is it possible?... This order is illegal, and so I challenge this order. We will move the Supreme Court with this,” said the Trinamool Congress Supremo while addressing a poll rally in Raigunj. Mamata Banerjee hit out at Justice Abhijit Ganguly without naming him and said that the initial order was delivered by him. “You saw one of them joined BJP and is now contesting the elections, this was his order,” added Banerjee.

In addition to scrapping the 2016 SSC panel, the Calcutta High Court also instructed the Central Bureau of Investigation to further probe into the appointment process and submit a report within a period of three months. It has also called upon the West Bengal School Service Commission to initiate a fresh appointment process.

The legal saga dates back to the State Level Selection Test, in 2016, where over 23 lakh candidates vied for around 24,640 vacant posts. Despite this, 25,753 appointment letters were issued, raising concerns about alleged irregularities in the recruitment process. Last year, the Calcutta High Court had invalidated panels established by the WBSCC in 2016 and had revoked the recruitment of 36,000 untrained primary teachers, subsequently revised to 32,000. Notably, Justice Abhijit Ganguly, who had issued the ruling, later resigned amidst controversies and is now a BJP candidate from the Tamluk constituency in the ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Expressing disappointment, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh criticized the decision. “Teacher employment case. Where there is wrong, injustice, let there be a system. The guilty should be punished. However, employment of qualified candidates should not be hindered. The government of @MamataOfficial tried their job with sincere goodwill. Let not the meritorious be left in limbo in preferring some injustice. The government has done what is necessary for their interest. They need jobs immediately. I hope the government's efforts to open this job mess will be recognized by the court verdict,” said Kunal Ghosh taking to social media platform “X”. Conversely, West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar condemned the TMC, alleging that the government had commodified the teaching profession.

The recent ruling by the bench led by Justice Debangsu Basak highlights the manipulation of OMR sheets for Group C, Group D, Class IX, and X recruitments in 2016, rendering all appointments illegal. In a related development, the Justice Bag committee was tasked with reviewing Group C and Group D recruitments in 2021, leading to subsequent investigations by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED). Former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and other SSC officials were arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with this case.​