SC upheld quashing of nearly 25,000 staff appointments by West Bengal School Selection Commission (SSC) in 2016, while laying down 4 key principles for courts to consider in government employment appointment challenges.

Four Key Principles laid down in State of West Bengal vs. Baishakhi Bhattacharyya (Chatterjee)

• Entire exam result be cancelled if in-depth inquiry signals fraud in process: This principle is based on Sachin Kumar and Others v. Delhi Subordinate Service Selection Board (DSSSB) judgment of SC.
  • Exception:  However, if possible, segregation of tainted & untainted candidates should be carried out in alignment with equity (Under Article 16(1) and 14).
• Decision to cancel selection en masse must be based on satisfaction derived from sufficient material collected through fair and thorough investigation.
  • Material doesn't need to prove malpractice beyond doubt, but should show reasonable certainty of systemic issues, using a probability test.
• If deep manipulation in the process is proven, the purity of the process must take precedence over any inconvenience caused to untainted candidates.
• Individual notice and hearing may not be required when facts prove that the entire selection process is tainted with large-scale illegalities, for practical reasons.
  • For the last three principles the court placed reliance on the decision of the State of Tamil Nadu and Another v. A. Kalaimani (2021).