Kolkata, June 9 (UNI): The Calcutta High Court on Monday reserved its judgment on a petition challenging the West Bengal government’s recently introduced scheme that offers monetary assistance to non-teaching staff dismissed following a Supreme Court verdict.



Justice Amrita Sinha reserved her decision on the petition, which opposes the state’s plan to pay ex-gratia amounts of Rs 25,000 to Group C and Rs 20,000 to Group D employees.



During the case hearing, Justice Singh questioned the state as to why the decision to grant the allowance was taken so hastily, without any discussion or scrutiny, following the Supreme Court's verdict.



Justice Sinha also raised questions about the allowance amount. Addressing the state, she asked, "Why were the amounts set at Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000? On what basis were these figures determined?"



The West Bengal government had launched the scheme to provide temporary financial relief and social security on humanitarian grounds to families affected by the dismissals.

The scheme applies to Group C and D non-teaching staff who were recruited through the 2016 selection process conducted by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) and have lost their jobs because of Supreme Court order.



Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, announcing the ex-gratia payments had said that the aid was a one-time measure aimed at supporting those left jobless after the Supreme Court’s decision earlier this month in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam.



The crisis began on April 3 when a Supreme Court bench led by then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar upheld a Calcutta High Court order dismissing 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff from state-run and aided schools. The apex court concluded that the entire 2016 recruitment process had been tainted by large-scale fraud and manipulation.



While the court later allowed secondary school teachers (Classes IX–XII) to return to classrooms temporarily, it made no such concession for Group C and D employees. It also ordered the state to complete a fresh recruitment process by December 31.



Meanwhile, the state has filed a review petition against the Supreme Court’s ruling.

“Since a review petition has been filed in the Supreme Court, how long will the allowance continue to be paid?,” Justice Sinha asked. She also asked the state whether Group C and Group D employees would keep receiving the allowance without doing any work. UNI XC SSP