In a significant relief for the West Bengal government, the Supreme Court of India on Monday ruled out a CBI inquiry into the state’s creation of additional posts aimed at accommodating over 25,000 sacked teaching and non-teaching staff. These appointments were previously voided due to large-scale irregularities in the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment process.
Supreme Court Overrules Calcutta HC’s CBI Order
The decision, delivered by a bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, overturned the Calcutta High Court’s earlier directive that ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the creation of these posts. The Supreme Court clarified that courts are not authorised to investigate decisions taken by a state cabinet, making the High Court’s order legally untenable.
“Courts have been barred from investigating cabinet decisions. It was incorrect for the High Court to direct such an inquiry,” the bench stated.
The ruling marks a turning point in the high-profile WBSSC case, as it halts the CBI’s involvement in probing the state’s administrative workaround intended to salvage the careers of thousands of educators.
Mamata Banerjee Hits Back at SC Verdict on WBSSC Scam
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a scathing attack on the Supreme Court’s initial order cancelling the teacher appointments, calling it a targeted dismantling of Bengal’s education system.
Addressing a massive crowd of affected teachers at Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Stadium, Banerjee reiterated her stand to protect “deserving” educators and challenged the judiciary’s consistency in handling recruitment scams across states.
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“The Supreme Court must clarify who is deserving and who is not. Give us the list. No one has the right to break the education system,” said Mamata Banerjee.
“In NEET, many allegations surfaced. The Supreme Court did not cancel the examination. Why is Bengal being targeted? We want to know. You are scared of Bengal’s talent,” she added.
Her comments have gone viral on social media, reigniting debates over state autonomy vs central judicial oversight in politically sensitive cases.
Supreme Court Calls WBSSC Recruitment ‘Tainted Beyond Repair’
The core of the controversy stems from the Supreme Court’s damning assessment of the 2016 WBSSC recruitment process. The apex court said the process was riddled with rank manipulation, out-of-panel appointments, destruction of OMR sheets, and other procedural violations.
“Manipulations and frauds on a large scale, coupled with the attempted cover-up, have dented the selection process beyond repair,” the court observed.
The bench noted that the School Service Commission (WBSSC) had admitted to gross irregularities, including appointing candidates not on the official panel and manipulating scores, which led to the cancellation of all 25,000+ appointments.
What’s Next for Bengal’s Sacked Teachers?
Despite the cancellation, the Supreme Court stated that non-tainted candidates will not be asked to return salaries, but their services will still be terminated. The state government has been asked to restart the recruitment process within three months, prompting Mamata Banerjee’s administration to explore legal and political alternatives to support affected staff.
The latest Supreme Court ruling that bars a CBI probe is seen as a partial victory for the Mamata Banerjee government, offering a breather as it navigates the fallout from one of the state’s largest public sector controversies in years.
