Why Did Calcutta HC Reject the Petition of 'Tainted and Ineligible' SSC Candidates?
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Synopsis
In a recent ruling, the Calcutta High Court dismissed a petition by 'tainted and ineligible' SSC candidates who sought to participate in a fresh recruitment process. The court questioned their motives and the validity of their claims, ultimately upholding the list of ineligible candidates published by the West Bengal School Service Commission.
Key Takeaways
- The Calcutta High Court dismissed the petition of 'tainted and ineligible' SSC candidates.
- The court questioned the motives and timing of the candidates' actions.
- The Supreme Court's order barred these candidates from upcoming examinations.
- WBSSC's list of ineligible candidates was upheld by the court.
- Public trust in the recruitment process is crucial for the integrity of education.
Kolkata, Sep 2 (NationPress) The Calcutta High Court has, on Tuesday, rejected the petition put forth by 'tainted and ineligible' candidates of the School Service Commission (SSC). These candidates had approached the court just a day prior, seeking permission to engage in the new recruitment process for school teachers in West Bengal.
The High Court criticized the candidates for filing the petition and expressed doubts regarding their motives.
Furthermore, the court chose not to intervene in the list of 'tainted and ineligible' candidates released by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) on Saturday evening.
The court noted that it was inappropriate to interfere with the WBSSC's published list.
During the proceedings, the court questioned the whereabouts of the 'tainted and ineligible' candidates who filed the petition.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya remarked, 'Where were they (the tainted candidates) for so long? They only approached the court after the list was published. Enough is enough! How can they claim they are not ineligible after the list was made public in accordance with the Supreme Court's directive?'
In compliance with the Supreme Court's ruling, the WBSSC released the list of 'tainted and ineligible' candidates, comprising 1,806 names along with their roll numbers.
According to the Supreme Court's order, these candidates are barred from participating in the SSC recruitment examination scheduled for September 7 and 14.
Following the publication of the list, over 350 'tainted and ineligible' candidates approached the Calcutta High Court on Monday, questioning the legitimacy of their status.
The petitioners argued about the criteria used to label them as 'tainted'.
During the hearing on Tuesday, the judge admonished the petitioners, inquiring whether they had attended school by December 31 as per the Supreme Court's order.
The judge further questioned why they had not approached the court sooner if they had not gone to school.
Justice Bhattacharyya stated, 'You were unable to attend school after the Supreme Court's order on April 17. Why are you coming forward now?'
Advocates Anindya Lahiri and Shakya Sen represented the 'tainted and ineligible' candidates in court.
They asserted that the conditions set by the High Court's division bench should not apply to their clients.
In contrast, advocate Kalyan Banerjee, representing the WBSSC, contended that all petitioners are indeed 'tainted and ineligible'.
'There is no merit in disputing this. There are allegations of OMR sheet manipulation against these candidates. The SSC has matched the list retrieved by the CBI with theirs. They gained employment through rigged OMR sheets and rank manipulation.'
Justice Bhattacharyya once again asked the plaintiffs what they had been doing all this time and why they had not informed the WBSSC that they were not ineligible candidates.
After receiving unsatisfactory responses from the petitioners, the High Court dismissed their petition.
Consequently, the 'tainted' candidates will be unable to sit for the examination scheduled on September 7 and 14.
The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, had mandated that 'tainted and ineligible' candidates would be barred from taking the exam.
In line with the Supreme Court's directive, the WBSSC has made public the names of these 'tainted and ineligible' job applicants.
Point of View
It is essential to uphold accountability in recruitment processes. The Calcutta High Court's refusal to entertain petitions from 'tainted and ineligible' candidates underscores the importance of maintaining integrity within educational recruitment. It is crucial to ensure that only eligible candidates are allowed to participate, thereby restoring public trust in the system.
NationPress
02/09/2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the court's decision regarding the SSC candidates?
The Calcutta High Court dismissed the petition from 'tainted and ineligible' SSC candidates seeking to participate in a fresh recruitment process.
Why were the candidates labeled as 'tainted and ineligible'?
The candidates were labeled 'tainted and ineligible' due to allegations of OMR sheet tampering and other irregularities associated with their previous recruitment.
What does the Supreme Court's order specify?
The Supreme Court ordered that 'tainted and ineligible' candidates cannot appear for the SSC recruitment examination scheduled for September 7 and 14.
How many candidates were listed as 'tainted and ineligible'?
The WBSSC published a list containing 1,806 names of candidates deemed 'tainted and ineligible.'
What are the implications of the court's ruling?
The court's ruling ensures that only eligible candidates can participate in the recruitment process, thereby safeguarding the integrity of the educational system in West Bengal.
