In a massive blow to Mamata Banerjee’s government, the Supreme Court on Thursday scrapped 25,753 teacher and staff appointments in state-run and state-aided schools across West Bengal, ruling that the entire selection process was “vitiated and tainted.” The verdict upholds the Calcutta High Court’s April 22, 2024, ruling, which had earlier annulled the controversial appointments.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar delivered the decision, emphasizing that while the affected employees will not be required to return their salaries, their appointments stand canceled. The court directed the West Bengal government to conduct a fresh selection process within three months to fill the vacancies.
However, in a rare exception, the bench allowed disabled employees to retain their jobs on humanitarian grounds. The CBI probe into the recruitment scam, which was part of the High Court’s order, will be heard separately on April 4, keeping alive the legal battle surrounding Bengal’s education system.
This verdict further intensifies the political turmoil in West Bengal, where Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been facing allegations of corruption and nepotism in job appointments. The ruling also raises serious questions about the credibility of Bengal’s recruitment process, with opposition parties already sharpening their attacks against the TMC leadership.
With thousands of affected employees and an upcoming CBI probe, this judgment could significantly impact the political landscape in West Bengal, just as the 2025 elections loom on the horizon.
