Kolkata, Dec. 4 -- A two-judge bench of the Calcutta high court on Wednesday set aside a 2023 order by a single-judge bench scrapping the appointment of around 32,000 primary school teachers over allegations of corruption in the state's recruitment process, marking a significant decision on an emotive issue just months before crucial assembly polls. The bench, comprising justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Reetabrata Kumar Mitra, said it is not inclined to uphold the single bench order as irregularities were not proven in all the recruitments, and that termination of services cannot be based only on an ongoing criminal proceeding. "A court is not expected to indulge in roving inquiry, to rule out all explanations. There is a difference between a proven case of mass cheating and unproven charges of corruption. When services are terminated on grounds of aiding corruption, the court must satisfy itself of its stand," said the bench. "There is no allegation that students who paid money got more marks. A group of unsuccessful candidates should not be allowed to affect the entire system when it cannot be ruled out that untainted teachers may suffer great ignominy and stigma. Service cannot also be terminated on the basis of an ongoing criminal proceeding." This is one of at least 40 cases involving recruitment of state government teachers and non-teaching school staff in West Bengal embroiled in corruption. One of the major cases involves around 26,000 secondary and higher secondary teachers and non-teaching staff, whose appointments were cancelled by the Supreme Court in April. The second involves the primary school teachers, whose recruitment was cancelled in 2023 by then judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, now a Bharatiya Janata Party MP. Both cases are connected to the tainted 2016 recruitment panel, which is facing allegations of recruiting people who failed the tests but paid Rs.5-15 lakh bribe. These 32,000 appointees were among around one million candidates who appeared for the Teacher Eligibility Test in 2014....