Notice to Haryana on JBT teachers’ plea

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 22

Just about a year after the Punjab and Haryana High Court showed 2,800 JBT teachers the door, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice of motion to Haryana. The teachers were appointed by the Om Parkash Chautala-led Haryana Government.

Their removal orders have already been stayed by a Division Bench during the hearing of an appeal filed by the removed JBT teachers. Issuing notice to the state, the Bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Shiavax Jal Vazifdar also ordered that the stay on the removal of these teachers would continue.

Counsel for the state earlier informed the Bench that it had sought legal opinion from the Advocate-General’s office regarding the continuation of the teachers’ services. The final decision in the matter would be taken by the state government after getting the legal opinion.

Justice K. Kannan had earlier asserted that the selection was vitiated “though not fully”; and also rejected the argument that the selection of candidates after 13 years could not be interfered with.

Justice Kannan had also directed the government to prepare a single merit list; and made it clear that the state was not required to issue “show cause notices for removal” as the selected candidates were party to the writ petitions and the High Court order was rendered after hearing their submissions.

Justice Kannan had ruled that that candidates who deserved to be selected and had a right to continue in office were the ones figuring in two lists — the published list and the one filed by accused IAS officer Sanjiv Kumar before the Supreme Court.