Kolkata, Dec 3 (IANS) The division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday dismissed the verdict of a single-judge bench of the same court, which had cancelled the appointment of 32,000 primary teachers in state-run schools.
The verdict brought a big relief to the West Bengal government. The six-month-long argument in the case had ended at the division bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Ritabrata Kumar Mitra on November 12. However, the division bench reserved the judgement on that day, and on Wednesday afternoon, the verdict was pronounced.
While dismissing the earlier order of the single-judge bench, the division bench observed that while it was an accepted fact that there were irregularities in the recruitment process, cancellation of jobs for so many primary teachers after they had served for so many years was not possible.
The division bench also observed that the innocent candidates, who had no connection with the irregularities in the recruitment process, could not be penalised altogether. The division bench also observed that the cancellation of the jobs for 32,000 primary teachers would hurt their families.
The details of the observations of the division bench, based on which the decision for dismissing the single-judge bench order was taken, will be clear once the order of the copy is uploaded on the website of the Calcutta High Court.
The hearing in the matter at the division bench of the Calcutta High Court started on April 28.
To recall, on May 12, 2023, the single-judge bench of the then judge of Calcutta High Court and the current BJP Lok Sabha member, Abhijit Gangopadhyay, ordered the cancellation of 32,000 primary teacher jobs in the state.
Gangopadhyay passed the order acting on petitions filed by some candidates alleging that many secured recommendations for appointments despite ranking much lower in the recruitment examinations.
The state government challenged that order at the division bench, and the matter was referred to the bench headed by Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Smita Das De.
However, Justice Sen recused from hearing in the matter, following which the case was referred for hearing to the bench of Justice Chakraborty and Justice Mitra.
Based on the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) conducted by the West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE), a total of 42,500 primary teachers were recruited in 2014. Some candidates appearing for the TET filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court alleging massive irregularities in the recruitment process involving payment of cash for securing jobs.
A prolonged hearing at the single-judge bench of the then Justice Gangopadhyay, on May 12, 2023, cancelled the appointments of 32,000 primary teachers.
Finally, on Wednesday, the judgement of the division bench of Justice Chakraborty and Justice Mitra dismissing the single-judge bench order brought relief for the 32,000 primary teachers.
–IANS
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