Bhubaneswar, Nov. 27 -- The Orissa High Court on Thursday set aside a state government letter that authorised MLAs and MPs to recommend transfers of government school teachers, ruling that political intervention cannot determine administrative decisions in the education sector.

The direction delivers a setback to the state government circular, which had permitted elected representatives to influence transfers of 15 teachers and teaching staff.

According to reports, the state government instruction empowered legislators to recommend transfers of teachers under a special quota of 15 cases. This communication was challenged before the High Court earlier this year on the grounds that transfer decisions are part of administrative service rul...