The Tripura High Court has sought a detailed explanation from the state government regarding the appointment of over 10,000 teachers whose services were terminated following a 2014 court ruling that declared the 2003 Employment Policy “bad in law.”
The directive came in response to a fresh plea filed by a group of affected teachers, who argue that their termination was unjust and unconstitutional, claiming they were recruited in accordance with the rules in force at the time.
⚖️ Background: The 2014 Verdict and Its Fallout
In May 2014, the High Court struck down the state’s employment policy, leading to the dismissal of 10,323 teachers appointed between 2010 and 2014. The Supreme Court later upheld this decision in 2017, directing the state to frame a new policy and initiate fresh recruitment.
Despite this, the state continued to engage many of the terminated teachers on an ad-hoc basis until March 2020, citing staff shortages. Attempts to reappoint them under different designations were halted after the Supreme Court issued a contempt notice.
🧾 Current Legal Challenge
The petitioners now claim that the 2014 judgment was delivered without their knowledge, and that their appointments were made in strict adherence to recruitment norms. They also allege a financial scam, stating that their employment and salary codes remain active, allowing funds to be misappropriated by corrupt officials.
🏛️ What the Court Wants
The High Court has asked the state to clarify:
- Whether the appointments were made under the scrapped 2003 policy
- If due process was followed in the recruitment
- The current status of the terminated teachers’ employment and salary records
The case is being closely watched, as it could impact future employment policies and the fate of thousands of educators in the state.
Stay tuned for further developments from the Tripura High Court.
