The Supreme Court has mandated the completion of pleadings in a batch of petitions challenging the Calcutta High Court's decision to annul 25,753 appointments in teaching and non-teaching positions at state-run schools by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016.
Presiding over the bench, Justice DY Chandrachud, alongside Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, granted "one last opportunity" for private respondents—those who initiated writ petitions—to submit their counter affidavits within two weeks.
To streamline proceedings, the Bench appointed four nodal counsels tasked with facilitating the compilation of a consolidated set of pleadings for the case.
Earlier, on May 7, the Supreme Court had stayed the Calcutta High Court's order, allowing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to proceed with its investigation into alleged irregularities without coercive action against candidates or officials.
The Calcutta High Court's April ruling invalidated appointments from expired panels, demanding affected candidates return salaries earned during their tenures plus 12% annualised interest within four weeks.
It also instructed WBSSC to initiate fresh recruitment processes while permitting the CBI to continue its probe.
The High Court also addressed the creation of super-numeric posts, alleged to facilitate illegal recruitment, stating the CBI could interrogate those responsible if deemed necessary.
The controversy surrounding these posts has persisted ince 2016, raising concerns over the appointment of ineligible candidates.
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