Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, had on 25 March, passed an order directing one SP Sinha to file an affidavit detailing the assets in a plea relating to appointment of teachers to state-run schools.
Sinha was a long-time advisor of the School Service Commission and convenor of the five-member committee constituted by the Education Department.
It was the single-judge’s observation in the March 25 order that there were serious illegalities in giving recommendations to ineligible candidates
“Tip of the corruption-iceberg in issuing illegal recommendations which is getting gradually bigger,” the order had said.
Sinha appealed against the same and a Division Bench comprising Justices Harish Tandon and Rabindranath Samanta held that the affidavit shall remain in a sealed cover and shall not be divulged or circulated to the litigating parties or their counsel.
The Division Bench also said that the same shall be appropriately dealt with at the time of final decision.
When the matter was heard by single-judge on Wednesday, the Division Bench’s order was pointed out.
Justice Gangopadhyay then took exception to that order.
“I do not know what this court will do with a sealed cover in this proceeding when the hand of this appeal court has been tied by the above observation,” the single-judge said in the order passed on Wednesday.
The judge termed the order “a highest degree of double standard”.
Source: Barandbench
