The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday took up petitions and appeals in connection with alleged illegal appointments by the West Bengal School Service Commission, and said the matters will be heard on January 9 next year.
Taking up 50 matters relating to selection of employees by the commission in the categories of teachers of Class IX-XII and Group-C and Group-D staff for the year 2016, a division bench formed by the Chief Justice on a direction of the Supreme Court, permitted addition of other pending petitions, which did not appear in this list for hearing.
The petitioners have claimed that the selection process was vitiated, and appointments were made in these categories through inappropriate means.
The division bench, presided by Justice Debangsu Basak, directed that affidavit in opposition to the petitions be filed by December 18, and reply to that, if any be filed by January 3, 2024.
It said that all these matters will be taken up for hearing on January 9.
The court said that in view of the claim of the writ petitioners, it would be appropriate that the persons who received employment through the selection process for those four categories for 2016 should be given notice of pendency of these proceedings.
The court directed the state to issue such notice to the persons concerned before disbursement of the salary for the month of December, 2023.
The bench, also comprising Justice Md Shabbar Rashidi, also directed the state to appoint a nodal officer for this purpose, who will affirm an affidavit reporting compliance with this order.
