The special leave petition challenges the April 22 order passed by a high court division bench of Justices Debangsu Basak and Shabbar Rashidi nullifying the appointment of all the 25,753 persons empanelled in 2016 for various categories of jobs at secondary and higher secondary schools in the state.

The bench also ordered that the candidates selected from the expired panels will have to return the entire salary drawn by them, along with an annualised interest of 12 per cent, within the next four weeks.

Besides directing the WBSSC to start the recruitment process afresh, it also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to carry on with its investigation into the matter.

Taking cognisance of the state cabinet’s decision for the creation of super-numeric posts, the high court said that the CBI, if necessary, can question the masterminds behind the creation of the seats in excess of the vacant posts. These super-numeric posts, which have remained under the cloud since the beginning, are perceived to provide room for ineligible candidates recruited illegally.

The Calcutta High Court made only an exception in the case of one candidate named Soma Das on humanitarian grounds. Her recruitment will not be cancelled as she is a cancer patient.