Kolkata, Feb 26 A Calcutta High Court judge on Wednesday recused himself from hearing two different cases on the same grounds, and in both, expressed ire over the role of the state government in the matters.
The judge concerned is Justice Biswajit Basu.
The first case that he recused from the hearing was the matter of irregularities in recruitment in schools run by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in the hills of Darjeeling, Kurseong, and Kalimpong, all in the Darjeeling district.
The second case was relating the closure of hotels and resorts at the core and buffer zones of the Buxa Tiger Reserve in the Alipurduar district.
In both matters, the state government counsel had argued that these two cases come under the Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench of the high court and the matters could not be heard at any bench of the court in Kolkata.
Questions are now being raised on why the state government had raised the objections relating to the jurisdiction of hearing the case of recruitment irregularities in GTA-run schools when the matter had already been heard at Justice Basu’s bench several times earlier.
The state government counsel too had not given any explanation on its part on this late objection.
While the judge recused from hearing the matter because of the objections raised by the state government counsel, he had raised some pertinent questions relating to the case of recruitment irregularities in GTA-run schools.
Justice Basu questioned the steps taken by the administrative authority concerned against the accused persons in the case. He also questioned why notices from the competent authorities are yet to be sent to the accused persons.
The Gorkha Unemployed Primary Teachers’ Welfare Association was the first body to raise the allegations of irregularities in teachers' recruitment in GTA-controlled schools. The association also approached the court demanding a thorough probe into the matter.
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