Baishakhi Bhattacharyya (Chatterjee) & Ors. vs State of West Bengal & Ors.

Headnote AI-drafted · Editorially reviewed

These writ petitions were filed before the Calcutta High Court (Appellate Side) under its Constitutional Writ Jurisdiction by a large number of petitioners challenging actions or inactions of the State of West Bengal and the West Bengal Central School Service Commission in connection with recruitment and appointment to teaching posts under the Central School Service Commission. The matters were heard together as they raised common or cognate questions arising out of the same recruitment process.

The petitioners, spread across numerous writ petitions filed between 2016 and 2021, sought reliefs relating to their candidature, selection, merit list placement, and appointment as teachers under the West Bengal Central School Service Commission. The respondents included the State of West Bengal, the West Bengal Central School Service Commission, and other allied authorities involved in the school service recruitment process.

The Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising Hon'ble Justice Debangsu Basak and Hon'ble Justice Md. Shabbar Rashidi took up all the connected writ petitions together for adjudication, given the substantial overlap in facts, legal issues, and the parties involved. The judgment was authored by Hon'ble Justice Debangsu Basak.

Catchwords: West Bengal Central School Service Commission school teacher recruitment appointment merit list writ petition constitutional writ jurisdiction service matters selection process teaching posts