West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court's order extending the services of untainted teachers whose appointments were earlier terminated, stating that there was now a "sense of relief".

In a major relief to West Bengal, the apex court extended the services of terminated school teachers who were found to be untainted in the recruitment process probed by the CBI.

She urged the educators not to worry, assuring them that the issue would be resolved.

"We are happy with the SC order... there is a sense of relief with the court order," Banerjee told reporters.

"I would request the teachers not to worry, the issue will be resolved," she added.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar took note of the state government's submission that academic functioning in several schools had been severely affected and that new recruitment would take time.

However, the top court clarified that its relief did not extend to Group 'C' and Group 'D' employees appointed in state-run and aided schools.

It directed the state government to start the recruitment process on or before May 31 and conclude it by December 31 this year.

The court asked the state government and its WBSSC (West Bengal School Service Commission) to file a compliance affidavit intimating it about the initiation of the recruitment process on or before May 31.

On April 3, the top court invalidated the appointment of 25,753 teachers and staffers in the state-run and aided schools, calling the entire selection process "vitiated and tainted".

It upheld a Calcutta High Court verdict of April 22, 2024, annulling the appointments and said the tainted candidates should refund their "salaries/payments received".

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.