New Delhi/IBNS, April 3 -- In a blow to the Mamata Banerjee government, the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the Calcutta High Court order that had quashed the entire recruitment of nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching staff by the School Service Commission (SSC) in West Bengal.

A top court bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said the selection process was "vitiated and tainted by fraud".

The CJI said employees whose appointments have been cancelled need not have to return their salaries.

The court has directed the state government to order a fresh selection process which should be completed within three months.

The panel was constituted by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC)...