Shillong, Dec 14: The Meghalaya High Court has directed the Meghalaya government not to disturb the appointment of 50 untainted candidates.

This order was passed after disposing of a review petition filed All Meghalaya Primary School Teachers Association.

The division bench which comprised of Chief Justice, Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice SR Sen directed the respondents (authorities) that the selection/appointment of 50 untainted candidates named and referred to in para 18 hereinabove shall not be disturbed and shall be allowed to continue and absorbed as per the terms and conditions of their selection and consequent appointment orders.

Out of 101 earlier found untainted candidates, only fifty candidates on conclusion of the investigation by CBI (into the infamous 2009 education job scam) have been found untainted.

The bench also recalled the direction of the judgment dated 02.11.2017 to the extent “as stop-gap arrangement until fresh selection takes place”.

It states – “How could such candidates be directed to continue as stop-gap arrangement. Such untainted/unblemished candidates cannot be denied their right to continue as per their valid selection and orders of appointment.”

The bench said applying the law as has been laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, fifty candidates out of the review petitioners who are finally found to be untainted and having been segregated from the tainted cannot be denied the vested right of reaping the fruits of their toil.

“By now they having been in service for a long period, some may have crossed the age bar, some may have married life, why should they be exposed to unfortunate situation for no fault of theirs,” it said adding “After having competed, properly selected, appointed and found untainted, to deny them right to continue would offend Article 14 of the Constitution.”