'Cannot accept...': Mamata after SC cancels jobs of 25,000 teachers
What's the story
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed her disapproval with the Supreme Court's latest decision to uphold an order by the Calcutta High Court.
The SC's ruling had quashed the appointment of over 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016.
Refusing to interfere in the high court's decision to quash the appointments, the apex court declared, "The entire selection process is vitiated by manipulation...fraud, and credibility and legitimacy are denuded."
Discontent expressed
Banerjee expresses disagreement with Supreme Court's ruling
Speaking to reporters after the verdict, she said that while she recognizes the judiciary's right to give such a verdict, she personally cannot accept it.
But she assured her government will honor the order.
"As a citizen of this country, I have every right...to express my opinion from a humanitarian perspective," she said during a media interaction.
The CM also asked if the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to see Bengal's education system collapse in such cases.
Comparisons made
Banerjee draws parallels with other judicial cases
Banerjee also compared the case to that of a Delhi HC judge, Yashwant Varma, who was transferred after massive cash was found at his residence.
"If you recover money from a sitting judge's home, he is only transferred. Then why were these candidates not transferred?" she asked.
"The first judge to give this order is now a BJP MP. BJP and CPM have conspired to lead to this verdict," she said.
Court's stance
Supreme Court's ruling: Fraudulent appointments and need for fresh recruitment
The Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, has directed that a fresh selection process be conducted within three months.
However, it clarified that those already appointed can't be asked to return their salaries.
"The fresh selection process can also have relaxations for untainted candidates," it said while upholding the HC order.