The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a batch of petitions filed by teachers and non-teaching employees of recognized Madrasas in West Bengal. The batch had challenged the denial of a regularized appointment and payment under the state government’s grant-in-aid scheme, the Bar and Bench reported.
A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and A.G. Masih, after a detailed examination of 13 representative cases out of over 350 petitioners, delivered the verdict. The court said that none of the 13 test cases examined by the court could make out grounds for relief by these teaching and non-teaching staff of recognized Madrasas in West Bengal.
“We proceeded on the basis that if any one of these 13 petitioners persuaded us to hold in his or her favor, we would examine the remaining cases as well. Unfortunately, none of the 13 petitioners could impress us,” the bench said and Bar and Bench reported.
The complaint has been filed by the affected employees who worked in various recognized madrasas. They have collectively filed around 48 petitions before the Supreme Court.
“Therefore, we have not only rejected the claims of all 13 petitioners whose cases were scrutinized, but have also rejected the claims of all the remaining petitioners. All the writ petitions are devoid of merit and are accordingly dismissed,” the Bench said.
The dispute arose from the West Bengal Madrasa Service Commission Act, 2008, which incorporated a statutory commission for the recommendation of appointing teachers in recognized madrasas.
Ahead of this, cases were filed in the Calcutta High Court, and in 2014 a single-judge bench struck down the act. However, this was upheld by a Division Bench in 2015. “All the writ petitions are devoid of merit and are accordingly dismissed,” the court observed.
