West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been issued a contempt notice over her public remarks against the recent Supreme Court judgment in the SSC recruitment scam case. The notice has been issued by advocate Siddharth Dutta on behalf of NGO Aatmdeep.
The legal notice, dated April 10, 2025, comes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s April 3 judgment that upheld the Calcutta High Court’s decision to cancel approximately 26,000 illegal appointments in the state’s teaching and non-teaching staff recruitment — known as the “SSC Job Scam.”
According to the notice, Banerjee’s statements made during a public address on April 8 directly defied the Supreme Court’s ruling. In her speech, Banerjee questioned the authority behind terminating jobs and said that she has multiple contingency plans ready to reinstate the affected people and had asked them to continue in their terminated jobs.
She had said, “Who has the right to take anyone’s job? No one. Our Plan A is ready, B is ready, C is ready, D is ready, and E is ready. You can put me in jail for saying this. But I don’t care. Don’t you know? You, please do your own work. Who has stopped you from doing your work? Supreme Court. Then remember, whatever is alternative, we will do.”
The Bengal Chief Minister had also alleged that the cancellation of illegal appointments was part of a conspiracy to destroy the education system. She said in her speech, “To destroy the education system, and to tear it doubt, there is a conspiracy going on. Planning is going on. Teachers of 9th, loth, 11th and 12th are gateways to higher education. They prepare, many of them are examining papers. Some of them are gold medalist. They have achieved good results in their life. you are calling all of them thief. You are calling all of them ineligible. Who has given you right to say so? am openly challenging.”
The notice accuses Banerjee of undermining the authority of the apex court, stating that her comments constitute “a willful, designed and well thought off attack, affront, on the judgement of the Hon’ble Supreme court of India.”
In the legal notice, advocate Dutta demands on behalf of Aatmdeep that Mamata Banerjee:
- Instruct state authorities to fully comply with the April 3 judgment.
- Refrain from making public statements suggesting non-compliance.
- Issue an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court.
The notice states that failure to comply with these demands may lead to legal action and contempt proceedings under Article 129 of the Constitution and the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
