New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday ruled out a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the West Bengal government’s decision to create supernumerary posts to accommodate over 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff whose appointments were annulled after the state’s School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment process was declared void.
A bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna overturned a Calcutta High Court order that had directed a CBI probe, stating that judicial scrutiny cannot extend to cabinet decisions. The apex court was hearing a plea filed by the Mamata Banerjee-led government challenging the High Court’s directive.
The bench emphasized, “The order of the High Court directing an investigation into a cabinet decision is incorrect. Courts are barred from investigating cabinet decisions.”
The ruling follows last week’s scathing Supreme Court verdict which declared the entire SSC recruitment process “vitiated by manipulation and fraud,” rendering it beyond redemption. The court found large-scale tampering and attempts at a cover-up, stating that such malpractices “dented the selection process beyond repair.”
Despite the Bengal government’s request to distinguish between ‘tainted’ and ‘untainted’ candidates, the court ruled that it was impractical given the deep-rooted manipulation at every level of the process.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, responding to the blow, asserted her government’s resolve to protect “deserving” teachers, while slamming the BJP and CPI(M) for allegedly conspiring to dismantle the state’s education system. She also cited irregularities in competitive exams in other states, particularly BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh’s Vyapam scam and the recent NEET paper leak scandal.
At the heart of the controversy lies the creation of over 25,000 supernumerary posts after the court struck down the 2016 SSC appointments. More than 23 lakh candidates had appeared for the exam for 24,640 posts, but 25,753 appointment letters were issued, triggering accusations of large-scale illegal recruitment. The fallout led to the arrest of several senior leaders, including former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee.
Reacting to the SC’s earlier ruling last week, BJP leader Amit Malviya described it as a “crushing defeat” for Mamata Banerjee, demanding her accountability for what he called “ruined careers of thousands of youths.”
However, Banerjee has reiterated her government’s commitment to re-evaluate and restart the selection process while urging all stakeholders to refrain from politicizing the issue.
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