In a significant blow to the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal, the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s decision to cancel the appointments of over 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff under the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC). The court described the entire selection process as "vitiated by manipulation and fraud," rendering it illegitimate.
The bench, consisting of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, declined to interfere with the High Court's ruling, stating that the appointments were a result of cheating and fraud. As a result, the state government has been directed to initiate a fresh selection process within the next three months. Those who pass this new process will not be required to return the salary they had received since their appointment in 2016. However, candidates who fail the new process will be required to repay their salaries.
The court granted special provisions for persons with disabilities, allowing them to remain in their current positions, regardless of the outcome of the new selection process.
At the heart of the controversy are the supernumerary posts created by the state government during the recruitment process. In 2016, over 23 lakh candidates participated in the state-level selection test, yet more than 25,000 appointment letters were issued for just 24,640 vacancies. Allegations have surfaced that these supernumerary posts were used to facilitate illegal recruitment.
The irregularities in the recruitment process have led to a major political scandal for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government. Several high-ranking officials, including former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, a close ally of Mamata Banerjee, are currently behind bars in connection with the scam.
Senior BJP leader Amit Malviya sharply criticized the Supreme Court's verdict, calling it a "crushing defeat" for Mamata Banerjee. He pointed out that Chatterjee, who was arrested with large sums of cash, had played a central role in the corruption. Malviya further stated that the Chief Minister should be held accountable for the scandal, which he said has ruined the careers of thousands of youths in West Bengal.
The verdict is seen as a major setback for the Mamata Banerjee government and has intensified political tensions in the state. The focus now shifts to how the government will manage the fallout from the ruling and its impact on the recruitment process going forward.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)