New Delhi: The Supreme Court issued a stay on Tuesday against the Calcutta High Court’s ruling that nullified the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff by the state’s School Service Commission (SSC) in both state-run and state-aided schools.
While the apex court allowed the CBI to continue its investigation into the alleged scam, it prohibited any coercive actions against the candidates or state government officials involved. However, the court granted permission for the CBI to extend its investigation to even members of the state cabinet.
Emphasizing the need for caution, the Supreme Court instructed the CBI to refrain from hasty actions such as making arrests during the course of the investigation.
In a conditional interim measure, the court upheld the previous order and directed the reimbursement of salaries to the unlawfully appointed individuals, pending the final judgment.
The Supreme Court scheduled further proceedings for July 16, maintaining the continuity of its earlier directive.
During the proceedings, the court denounced the purported recruitment malpractice in West Bengal as a “systemic fraud” and stressed the obligation of authorities to maintain digital records related to the appointments in question.
Challenging the April 22 decision of the Calcutta High Court, a series of petitions were heard by the top court, with the Chief Justice expressing concern over the erosion of public trust due to such fraudulent practices in public employment.
The bench scrutinized the state government’s failure to preserve relevant data and highlighted its responsibility in supervising such crucial records, expressing skepticism regarding the availability of requisite documentation.
The state government contested the High Court’s decision, arguing that the cancellations were made arbitrarily.
