Bengal Jobs Case: Chief Justice Terms Recruitment Process a ‘Planned Fraud’

New Delhi: A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud posed probing questions to the West Bengal government today during a hearing on its appeal against a Calcutta High Court order to nullify approximately 25,000 appointments made by the state school service commission. At the outset of the hearing, Chief Justice Chandrachud raised concerns regarding the creation of supernumerary posts and the hiring of waitlisted candidates by the Bengal government. He questioned the rationale behind these actions, particularly when the selection process itself was under legal scrutiny. 

“Why did the West Bengal government created supernumerary posts and hired waitlisted candidates when the selection process itself had been challenged in court,” the bench questioned. 

The Chief Justice, expressing concern, highlighted the breach of security protocols and the failure to maintain crucial data related to the appointments.

Senior Advocates Jaideep Gupta and Sanjay Hegde, representing the school service commission, faced similar scrutiny from the bench, with the Chief Justice raising doubts about the fairness of the commission's actions and the validity of the appointments. The bench expressed apprehension about the impact of the cancellations on individuals who were not involved in any irregularities.

As the hearing progressed, Senior Advocate Madhavi Divan, representing the Centre, emphasized the need for a segregation between tainted and untainted candidates to salvage the reputation of the commission. However, concerns were raised about the basis for such segregation and the overall integrity of the appointment process.

In response to various arguments and representations, the Chief Justice emphasized the gravity of the situation, stressing that public faith in the appointment system was at stake. The bench reiterated the need for a thorough examination of the matter and announced plans to issue notices for further hearings in July.

The Supreme Court's stern stance comes in the wake of the Calcutta High Court's order to cancel the appointments, citing violations of constitutional principles.