Legal Backing for April Salary to Bengal Teachers Despite Job Loss, Says Advocate Bhattacharyya

In a recent development, Senior Advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya addressed the controversy surrounding the West Bengal government's decision to disburse April salaries to 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff of state government-sponsored and aided schools. This move comes after their appointments were deemed invalid by the Calcutta High Court, which found issues with the selection process.

Bhattacharyya, a CPIM MP who represented several petitioners in the case, stated that while the payment of April salaries is permissible, any continuation of such payments pending a Supreme Court decision would be in direct contravention of the Calcutta High Court's order. "There is nothing wrong in paying the salaries to them for April. But in case the state government decides to continue paying salaries till there is a decision on the matter, it would be a defiance of the Calcutta High Court order," Bhattacharyya explained.

The controversy stems from the Calcutta High Court's ruling which invalidated the appointments of these staff members. They were hired through the State Level Selection Test (SLST) 2016 recruitment process in government-sponsored and aided schools. The court's decision was based on findings that appointments were made beyond officially available vacancies or after the recruitment deadline. Additionally, some individuals who submitted blank OMR sheets but still received appointments were also implicated.

Following this ruling, the court ordered those appointed under these circumstances to refund all remunerations and benefits received, along with 12 per cent interest within four weeks. In response to this directive, the state government has lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court against the high court's decision to nullify these appointments.

The state's contemplation to continue disbursing salaries until a definitive ruling is issued by the Supreme Court has sparked debate. This situation highlights the complexities involved in judicial decisions affecting employment and governance. As this legal battle unfolds, it will be crucial to monitor how these developments impact not only the individuals directly involved but also broader educational governance in West Bengal.