Kolkata: Calcutta High Court, on Wednesday, dismissed the second panel of the West Bengal Police (WBP) Constable recruitment process published on February 24, 2022, and ordered that the first panel published on March 26, 2021, be considered valid.
In 2019, the WBP recruitment board published a notification to fill up 8,419 posts of constables. The final written test — after the physical measurement and efficiency tests were conducted — was held on February 16, 2020.
After the interview process, a panel was published on March 26, 2021, where the candidates of reserved categories obtaining marks more than the general category candidates were treated as general candidates as per the norms.
Challenging the panel, some candidates moved the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) claiming that they were deprived as the reserved category candidates were filling up the general candidates’ vacancies.
Dismissing the panel published in 2021, SAT ordered the recruitment board to publish a fresh panel with separate lists for general and reserved categories. On February 24, 2022, a fresh panel was published.
Challenging the panel published as per the SAT order, a group of candidates moved the High Court. On Wednesday, after the final hearing, the Division Bench of Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya set aside the SAT order and dismissed the second panel.
Due to the order, 137 persons may lose their jobs. However, the Division Bench has directed the recruitment board to consider such candidates for absorption or regularisation against vacancies,
if available.