Daijiworld Media Network- Kolkata
Kolkata, Apr 8: A newly constituted division bench of the Calcutta High Court, led by Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty, has been assigned to hear the high-profile case involving alleged irregularities in the recruitment of approximately 32,000 primary teachers in state-run schools across West Bengal.
This development comes after Justice Soumen Sen, who was initially heading the previous division bench alongside Justice Smita Das, recused himself from the proceedings on personal grounds earlier this week. The matter was subsequently referred to Chief Justice T. S. Sivagnanam, who reassigned it to the new bench under Justice Chakraborty.
The case holds immense significance as the future of thousands of teachers appointed through the West Bengal Board of Primary Education hangs in the balance. These appointments have been under legal scrutiny following allegations of serious discrepancies in the recruitment process.
The controversy dates back to May 2023, when then Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay — now a BJP Lok Sabha candidate — ordered the cancellation of appointments of 32,000 primary teachers. The order followed petitions from several candidates who alleged that ineligible individuals were recruited despite performing poorly in the selection process.
The state government challenged Justice Gangopadhyay’s decision before the division bench of the High Court, which led to the matter being placed before Justice Sen’s bench. With his recent recusal, the case will now proceed under Justice Chakraborty's supervision.
In a related development, the Supreme Court last week upheld the Calcutta High Court's earlier directive cancelling 25,753 appointments made by the West Bengal School Service Commission. The Apex Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, agreed with the observation that the entire selection panel had to be scrapped due to the authorities’ failure to distinguish between meritorious candidates and those who allegedly benefitted through fraudulent means.
As the legal battle continues, all eyes are now on the new division bench, which will determine the fate of thousands of teaching careers and the integrity of recruitment practices in West Bengal's education system.