The West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) on Saturday night released the much-anticipated list of “tainted ineligible” candidates following a Supreme Court directive, sparking political tremors across the state. The list, containing the names of 1,806 ineligible jobholders, has prominently featured relatives and close associates of ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, triggering a fresh wave of embarrassment for the party ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.
One of the most notable inclusions is Shampa Ghosh, daughter-in-law of Panihati TMC MLA Nirmal Ghosh, who figures at number 1269 on the list. When asked about the development, the senior MLA responded cautiously.
“The trial is going on to decide who is tainted and who is not. I do not have any papers. If there is one, I will check it and tell what to say,” he said.
Shampa, who previously taught at a school in Naihati, North 24 Parganas, declined to comment.
The list also mentions about Roshnara Begum, daughter of TMC’s Chopra MLA Hamidul Rahman.
The SSC move came in compliance with a Supreme Court order in the 26,000 Job Cancel Case, which mandated that the names of ineligible candidates be made public within seven days. Initially, a list was uploaded but quickly withdrawn, creating dramatic confusion within the commission’s office. SSC Chairman Siddhartha Majumder later convened an emergency meeting with senior officials, following which the list was re-published and expanded from 1,804 to 1,806 names.
The commission has also cancelled the admit cards of those ineligible candidates who had applied for the upcoming recruitment exams scheduled on September 7 and 14. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Satish Chandra Sharma has barred the tainted candidates from participating.
Among the names, several ruling party leaders and their relatives stand out. Kuheli Ghosh, TMC councillor from Ward No. 18 of Rajpur-Sonarpur, also finds a place on the tainted list. Similarly, Sahina Sultana, a three-time Hooghly Zilla Parishad member and former education officer, has been named. Adding to the controversy, Sahina’s brother, powerful Khanakul leader Mainul Haque, and his wife Namita Adak also feature in the list.
The revelations have fuelled political tensions, with opposition parties seizing on the disclosures as evidence of entrenched corruption in recruitment. “This list makes it clear how deep the roots of the SSC scam have spread into the ruling party,” said Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sukanta Majumdar, vowing to raise the issue aggressively in the run-up to the polls.
With the publication of the tainted candidates’ list, the controversy surrounding the SSC recruitment scam has resurfaced at a politically sensitive moment. Observers believe that the disclosures could prove to be a significant flashpoint in Bengal’s high-stakes electoral battle next year.
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