Supreme Court likely to hear review petition against SSC judgement on ‘May 8’

MP, 5 May 2025, Kolkata: The West Bengal government and the state’s School Service Commission (SSC) is learnt to have filed a review petition at the Supreme Court for reconsidering the judgement that had invalidated 25735 teaching and non-teaching jobs due to irregularities in the 2016 recruitment process. 

The review petition was reportedly filed on Saturday. The apex court bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar is likely to hear the matter on May 8, as learnt. Chief Justice Khanna is set to retire on May 13, adding urgency to the proceedings. 

The Supreme Court had nullified the entire 2016 recruitment panel, citing widespread corruption and the inability to distinguish between eligible and ineligible candidates. However, later on an appeal by the state, the court had allowed the identified “untainted” assistant teachers of Classes 9 to 12 to continue work provided the state completes the fresh recruitment process by December 31 this year. 

The court ordered the SSC to initiate a fresh recruitment process and mandated that ineligible candidates refund their salaries. The SSC had previously indicated it would seek to separate eligible candidates from those deemed unfit, a process reflected in the current petition. Lawyers representing the original petitioners believe the review is unlikely to succeed, arguing that the court’s initial decision was based on clear evidence of irregularities. 

They note that the absence of new evidence or errors in the original ruling reduces the chances of a reversal.