Keep informed about the recent Supreme Court decision to pause the investigation into unlawful appointments by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC). On Monday, the Supreme Court issued a stay order halting any further investigation into these illegal appointments. Nevertheless, this order does not affect the ongoing issue of the termination of 25,000 teachers who were illegally recruited. This decision, issued under the Chief Justice of India’s direction, occurs amidst active legal debates concerning these contentious appointments.
The nation’s highest court has also instructed that no forceful actions be undertaken until further notice, setting a temporary stop on the investigative proceedings until a more comprehensive judicial review is conducted. This directive follows a decision by the Calcutta High Court, which called for a CBI inquiry into the alleged appointment scams involving Group-C and Group-D staff (non-teaching) in state-controlled secondary and higher secondary schools.
The West Bengal Central School Service Commission (WBCSSC) and the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) were due to present an affidavit related to this case to a division bench of the Chief Justice on Monday. The mandate for a CBI investigation was issued subsequent to the affidavit’s submission to the division bench.
During the session, the Chief Justice emphasized the need to identify and prosecute the offenders, leading to an order for a CBI investigation and the establishment of an inquiry committee headed by a DIG-ranked officer to examine the fraudulent appointments.
The court highlighted concerns over the covert manipulations behind these fake appointments. “There is an invisible hand behind the fake appointments of at least 25 Group D staff. Those responsible for this manipulation need to be uncovered,” stated the court. The investigative body has been tasked to deliver a preliminary report by December 21. In 2016, the state had endorsed the appointment of roughly 13,000 Group D staff in state-run schools. Following this, the WBCSSC held examinations and interviews, finalizing a list of potential hires.
The legitimacy of this list expired on May 4, 2019, yet it is alleged that the Commission continued to recommend appointments from this expired panel. Subsequently, a group of unsuccessful candidates filed a legal complaint, asserting that the Commission continued these illegal recommendations past the panel’s validity. These petitioners identified 25 such unlawful appointments, drawing attention to the pervasive corruption within the system. In response to these ongoing hearings, the Court severely criticized the commission and hinted at a potential CBI investigation into these corruption allegations if necessary. Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay also considered the deployment of central forces to safeguard against the tampering of recruitment documents at the Commission’s office.
