In a major setback to the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into irregularities in the selection of 68,500 assistant teachers in 2018 for government-run primary schools across the state.
In another decision, the High Court set aside the recruitment of 12,460 assistant teachers made by the previous Samajwadi Party government in December 2016.
Both verdicts were given by a single-judge bench of Justice Irshad Ali in Lucknow on Thursday.
“Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) shall make investigation in regard to the entire process of selection initiated for recruitment of assistant teachers in primary schools against 68,500 posts, which is known as assistant teacher recruitment examination, 2018’ initiated in pursuance to an advertisement dated 23.1.2018, taking into consideration the observation made in the order and the material taken notice by this court and submit a report of the progress of the investigation in the matter to this court on the date fixed,” the judge said in his written order.
The court directed the officers who were part of the selection process to co-operate in investigation and place necessary documents required by the CBI.
The court will hear the case again on November 26 next.
It directed the CBI to complete the probe expeditiously, within a period of six months from the date of pronouncement of the order.
The court said that a query was made to the Advocate General of UP, whether the state government was ready to investigate the prima facie corruption found on examination of records by the CBI or not but after grant of time to him to seek instruction in the matter, he replied to the court that the state government was not ready to hand over investigation of the assistant teachers recruitment examination, 2018 to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
“Therefore, the court, under compelling circumstances, has ordered a CBI probe,” the order said.
The court reserved its judgement on a bunch of petitions filed by on October 8 last, alleging that the answer sheets of several candidates were changed after the examination.
In another judgement by the same court, the appointment of 12,460 assistant teachers in December, 2016 was set aside due to irregularities.