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Calcutta HC Saves 32,000 Teachers' Jobs Amid Political Battle Over 'Scam'

The Calcutta High Court has given a major relief to 32,000 primary teachers in West Bengal. A division bench set aside an earlier order by Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay that had cancelled their appointments. Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee welcomed the decision, stating that no corruption has been proven in the case. However, CPI(M) leader Bikash Bhattacharya criticized the ruling, arguing it could encourage corruption in the administration.

Key Points: Kalyan Banerjee Welcomes Calcutta HC Order on 32,000 Teachers

  • Calcutta High Court division bench overturns single judge's order to cancel 32,000 appointments
  • TMC MP alleges the original verdict was a political move by ex-judge, now BJP MP
  • CPI(M) leader criticizes the relief, arguing it encourages corrupt administration
  • West Bengal Primary Board President hails the verdict for establishing government transparency
3 min read

No corruption proven: Kalyan Banerjee welcomes Calcutta HC's order retaining 32,000 teachers' jobs

TMC's Kalyan Banerjee welcomes Calcutta HC order saving 32,000 teachers' jobs, says no corruption proven. BJP's Abhijit Gangopadhyay's verdict overturned.

"No corruption has been proven. Justice Gangopadhyay's order was inequitable. - Kalyan Banerjee, TMC MP"

New Delhi, December 4

Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee welcomed the Calcutta High Court's order setting aside Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay's single bench verdict on the cancellation of 32, 000 teachers' appointments in the West Bengal teachers' recruitment 'scam' case, giving relief to the teachers.

Addressing reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday, Banerjee claimed that no corruption has been proven in the High Court.

Kalyan Banerjee said, "The Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court has set aside the order of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who terminated the service of 32,000 primary teachers in West Bengal. The Division Bench said that Justice Gangopadhyay's order has no basis. No corruption has been proven. Justice Gangopadhyay's order was inequitable, the Calcutta High Court Division Bench has said so and saved 32,000 teachers' employment."

He hit out at Justice Gangopadhyay, now a BJP MP, calling his verdict a "political move."

"Justice Gangopadhyay delivered the judgment with a political motive. He got the BJP ticket because of the order to terminate 32,000 teachers. He did pure politics and has now become a BJP MP," the TMC MP said.

President of West Bengal Board of Primary Education, Goutam Paul, hailed the court order, congratulating the 32,000 teachers who received the relief.

Paul said, "The School Education Department of this government feels proud and happy. On behalf of the Board, we are conveying our gratitude to the division bench of the High Court. We also congratulate the 32,000 teachers. We also feel that the honesty and transparency of the Department have been established by this government."

Advocate & CPI (M) Leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya criticised the order, arguing that if the recruitment process was illegal, then the recruits should not be provided any relief. He also alleged that the Division Bench's verdict encourages corruption in administration.

The CPI(M) leader said, "If the court accepts that there has been a failure on the part of the recruiting authorities, then the beneficiaries cannot go above the recruiting authorities. If the recruitment process was illegal and initiated by malice and corruption, then there can be no question of sympathy in favour of the recruits. This judgment will ultimately encourage the corrupt administration."

"It will give much liberty to the corrupt administration to practice corruption and go ahead. I'm shocked to find that this judgment is not in tune with the constitutional morality of the Indian Constitution. Humanitarian grounds cannot go beyond the law. Then there will be no question of law," he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Calcutta High Court overturned Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay's single bench verdict on cancellation of 32,000 teachers' appointments in the West Bengal teachers' recruitment 'scam' case, giving relief to the teachers. The division bench ruled that teachers who are innocent and not involved in corruption should not suffer due to the actions of regulators and authorities.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
While I'm happy for the teachers, the CPI(M) leader has a point. If the process itself was corrupt, how can the appointments be valid? This sets a dangerous precedent. You can't use "humanitarian grounds" to whitewash a flawed system. The focus should be on fixing the recruitment process permanently.
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Aman W
The whole episode is so political. First a judge gives a harsh order, then joins the opposition party. Now the division bench overturns it. The real victims are the teachers caught in this political crossfire. Our institutions should be above party politics.
S
Sarah B
As someone who follows education policy, this is a complex case. The court's distinction between corrupt authorities and innocent appointees is crucial. You can't make 32,000 people pay for the sins of a few officials. Hope this leads to more transparent systems in the future.
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Karthik V
Finally some sense prevails! My cousin was one of these teachers. The stress on her family for the last two years was unbearable. They qualified fairly and worked hard. Justice Gangopadhyay's order felt like a personal vendetta. Good to see the higher bench applying reason.
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Michael C
The timing and the judge's subsequent political career do raise eyebrows. But the division bench's reasoning seems sound legally. The state must now ensure future recruitments are completely above board to restore public trust. This shouldn't be seen as a clean chit for the administration.

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