Kolkata, 14 April (H.S.): A meeting of about five hundred headmasters and headmistresses from various districts of West Bengal was organized at Sujata Sadan in Hazra, Kolkata, to discuss the Supreme Court’s decision and various complex legal considerations and processes related to it, as well as the situation arising due to political pressure and its far-reaching consequences, and to adopt a principle on the uncertainty regarding the salary of dismissed teachers. In this meeting, the principle was unanimously adopted that they will enter the salary of the teachers dismissed by the court’s decision on the IOSMS portal as per the rules because they have not received any order from the School Education Department, Board or Vidyalaya Pardarshak regarding whose salary is to be stopped. Also, it is not under their control to remove or add names from the portal. In this situation, if the salary of these teachers is not registered, then the salary of any teacher of the school will not be finalized and it cannot be sent to the DDO, this situation will put the working teachers in inconvenience. Notably, the salary has to be disbursed by the DDO who is the DI, so the final decision on who to pay the salary will be of the DDO or the employer. In this context, the school supervisor will be asked to give a clear instruction. A copy of this letter will also be sent to the Commissioner and Board of the School Education Department through e-mail.
On Monday, a headmaster said that this decision has been taken in view of various types of threats given by the ruling party and opposition parties. While the MLAs and MPs of the ruling party are threatening to face consequences if the salary is stopped, on the other hand the opposition party is threatening legal action, Right to Information and contempt of court. In these circumstances, the matter to be considered is whether the headmaster should allow the dismissed teachers to work and take salary against the decision of the Supreme Court. In this entire matter, despite written applications to the School Education Department, Board, local education offices, no reply was given in any manner.
Moreover, the lawyers associated with this case have warned the headmasters that if they register the attendance of these dismissed teachers or send their salaries, they too may be charged with contempt of court.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey
