Calcutta High Court Judge Steps Back from Two Cases Over Similar Grounds
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Synopsis
A Calcutta High Court judge, Justice Biswajit Basu, recused himself from two cases due to similar objections from the state government. He expressed concerns over the state's involvement in the matters related to recruitment irregularities in GTA schools and the closure of hotels in Buxa Tiger Reserve.
Key Takeaways
- Justice Biswajit Basu recused himself from two cases.
- Concerns were raised regarding the state government's role.
- One case involved recruitment issues in GTA schools.
- The other case related to Buxa Tiger Reserve hotel closures.
- Objections about case jurisdiction were questioned.
Kolkata, Feb 26 (NationPress) A judge from the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday stepped back from presiding over two separate cases due to similar concerns, expressing frustration with the state government's role in these issues.
The judge in question is Justice Biswajit Basu.
The initial case he withdrew from involved allegations of irregularities in recruitment for schools managed by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in the regions of Darjeeling, Kurseong, and Kalimpong, all located within the Darjeeling district.
The second case pertained to the shutdown of hotels and resorts situated in the core and buffer zones of the Buxa Tiger Reserve in Alipurduar district.
In both instances, the state government's counsel contended that these cases fell under the jurisdiction of the Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench of the high court, asserting that they should not be addressed by any bench in Kolkata.
This has sparked inquiries regarding the rationale behind the state government's objections to the jurisdiction in the recruitment irregularities case when it had previously been reviewed multiple times by Justice Basu.
The state government’s counsel failed to provide any clarification regarding this late objection.
Despite the judge’s recusal due to the state counsel's objections, he raised significant questions concerning the recruitment irregularities in GTA-managed schools.
Justice Basu questioned the actions taken by the relevant administrative authority against the accused individuals in the case and highlighted the absence of notices from the competent authorities to those accused.
The Gorkha Unemployed Primary Teachers’ Welfare Association was the first organization to bring forth allegations regarding irregularities in teacher recruitment within GTA-run schools and subsequently approached the court for a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
