- By Nidhi Giri
- Thu, 03 Apr 2025 04:33 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday expressed her disaffection with the Supreme Court’s recent verdict and said she cannot accept the ruling invalidating the appointment of 25,753 teachers and other staff in state-run and state-aided schools in West Bengal. The Chief Minister further accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to undermine the state's education system, claiming that both the BJP and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) were behind these efforts. Soon after the SC ruling, the BJP demanded Banerjee’s resignation, saying that she should take full responsibility for the alleged scam case.
“We are studying the verdict. We have the highest regard for the judiciary, but, as a citizen of the country, I have every right to say that I cannot accept this judgment," CM Mamata Banerjee said.
“Our lawyers will review this matter. I know candidates are depressed. I will meet them on April 7 at Netaji Indoor Stadium. I’m with candidates on humanitarian grounds. For this step, if the BJP wants to send me to jail, they can. Catch me if you are ready for that," the Chief Minister said.
“The BJP wants to target the education system of West Bengal. This all has been done by the BJP and the CPM," Banerjee alleged.
“SSC is an autonomous body. We, as a government, will not interfere with their work. If the court mentioned three months (for a fresh selection process), we are with candidates on humanitarian grounds," the Chief Minister said.
“If 25,000 teachers do not go to school, will it not be a problem for the education system? Is this a plan? Do you want to collapse the education system," she asked.
She also said candidates who are already employed do not have to pay the money back.
“I know teachers are depressed today, those whose jobs are cancelled, we are with them. Our lawyers will do a review on this. Candidates who are already employed don’t have to pay back the money," CM Mamata said.
Supreme Court Ruling
Upholding the Calcutta High Court verdict, the Supreme Court has cancelled the appointment of 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff under the Bengal School Service Commission. The apex court said that the entire selection process was "vitiated by manipulation and fraud" and its credibility and legitimacy "denuded", resulting in a huge blow to the Mamata Banerjee government.
The court bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar said that they saw no reason to interfere with the High Court order. The court observed that cheating had led to the selections and are a result of fraud.
In the significant ruling, the court has directed the state government to complete the fresh appointments of teachers within a period of three months. The court said that those already on duty, who will be able to clear the examination, will not have to return the salaries they have drawn since their appointment in 2016. However, those who fail to clear the examination will be required to return the salaries they have drawn. The apex court has provided a big relief to persons with disabilities as they will not have to appear in the fresh examinations, and they can continue their present posting.
CM Mamata Banerjee, had moved to the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court verdict and had demanded the segregation of tainted and untainted candidates. The alleged fake vacancies created by the state government remained at the centre of the row. More than 23 lakh candidates had appeared for the state-level selection test in 2016. The number of vacant posts was 24,640, but 25,753 appointment letters were issued. It is alleged that these supernumerary posts provided room for illegal recruitment.
Several of its top leaders, including a former education minister and a trusted lieutenant of Mamata Banerjee, are in jail in connection with the case.
