New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday set aside a portion of the Calcutta High Court interim order, which directed the West Bengal Board of Primary Education to conduct fresh selection for 32,000 teacher posts. A bench comprising justices J.K. Maheshwari and Justice K.V. Viswanathan said the court is setting aside the interim order to the extent of directing fresh selection as directed by a single judge and also asked Calcutta High Court to take a decision on the plea in connection with the school jobs for cash scam at the earliest.
The West Bengal Board of Primary Education contended before the top court that the direction for 32,000 teachers’ selection and to conduct their interviews would not be possible. It further emphasized the entire process will also be costly, and pointed out that the order was passed by the single judge of the high court without hearing the petitioners. The top court agreed with this contention of the board.
The top court was hearing a plea by the board challenging the high court’s division bench order, which stayed the termination of 32,000 teachers but directed fresh selection to the posts. Earlier, the high court’s single-judge bench had directed termination of 32,000 teachers and ordered fresh selection to be conducted within 3 months. The plea before the apex court contended that by staying the termination the division bench had granted interim relief, but the direction to conduct fresh selection was not proper.
After hearing arguments, the apex court said the direction to conduct fresh selection was not proper, after the termination of the teachers was stayed. The high court’s single bench had cancelled the appointment of 32,000 primary school teachers, who were recruited by the board in 2016.
