In a significant legal win for the -led West Bengal government, the Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned the Calcutta High Court's directive ordering a CBI probe into the creation of thousands of supernumerary posts for school recruitment back in 2022.

The apex court, led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, ruled that judicial intervention was unwarranted in this matter. The bench noted that the Bengal education department had created the additional posts only after proper consultation and with the requisite approval from the Governor.

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This decision came as a major relief to the state government, which had faced sharp criticism after the High Court declared the post creation as “not legal” and directed the central agency to take members of the state cabinet into custody for questioning. That order had been put on hold by the Supreme Court earlier, and it has now been fully set aside.

The top court, however, was careful to limit the scope of its ruling. It clarified that its verdict only pertained to the creation of supernumerary posts and the High Court's directive for a CBI probe on that specific issue. It made clear that this judgment does not affect any other ongoing investigations or the chargesheets already filed by the CBI in the broader recruitment scam—cases which have already seen high-profile arrests, including that of former education minister and Trinamool heavyweight Partha Chatterjee.

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The order under question, issued by the state government on May 19, 2022, had sanctioned the creation of 6,861 supernumerary posts for assistant teachers—including physical education and work education teachers—as well as non-teaching staff in recognised aided and sponsored schools. The move was intended to accommodate waitlisted candidates who had not been appointed despite clearing the Staff Selection Commission’s recruitment process.

Just days before the Supreme Court’s verdict, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met a group of teachers who had been terminated following the SSC recruitment controversy. During the emotional meeting held in April, Mamata reassured the affected teachers that the state government would stand by them and work toward a solution.

“I know what you’re going through, and I feel your pain,” she reportedly told the group. Mamata stressed that while legal hurdles remained, the government was actively exploring ways to reinstate those unfairly impacted. She urged the sacked teachers to stay calm and trust the judicial process, asserting that justice would eventually prevail.

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