Allahabad High Court seeks explanation from UP official over 69,000 teachers' recruitment order

The Allahabad High Court has issued notice to Uttar Pradesh's Basic Siksha Parishad secretary on a contempt petition relating to recruitment of 69,000 basic teachers in the state. Justice Piyush Agrawal directed Surendra Tiwari to produce some favourable order or appear in person on December 1, the next date of hearing for initiation of contempt proceedings against him.

The court was hearing the contempt petition filed by a teachers' recruitment candidate - Arun Pratap Singh Parmar. Issuing the notice, Justice Agrawal said, "Be that as it may, the statement and the record, as mentioned, clearly indicate that the respondents have willfully disobeyed the order of this court".

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According to the petitioner, in the matter of recruitment of 69,000 teachers of basic schools in the state, a division bench of the Allahabad High Court, while considering one question on Saikshik Paribahasa (educational definition), had directed that one more mark be given to the affected candidates and declare the result accordingly. In the present contempt petition, the petitioner alleged that instead of considering the candidature of all other affected candidates, the respondent authorities selected only one candidate on May 7 on the basis of this order.

The counsel for the petitioner contended that the respondent education authorities are liable for contempt for willfully disobeying the order of this court. After hearing both sides, the court on November 6 passed the above order and fixed December 1 for the next hearing.