Punjab and Haryana HC stays order regularising SSA teachers in UT

The ruling had directed the Union Territory administration and the Centre to regularise eligible members of the SSA cadre within six weeks.

Appearing for the administration on Thursday, senior counsel Amit Jhanji, assisted by advocate Abhishek K Premi, argued that Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan was a centrally sponsored scheme and that posts created under it were never merged with the regular teaching cadre of the Union Territory. In the absence of any policy decision or sanctioned posts, he contended, the writ petitioners could not claim a legal right to regularisation .

Senior panel counsel Himanshu Malik supported these submissions and sought a stay on the impugned judgment, submitting that its implementation would have far-reaching administrative and legal consequences.

Observing that the matter required consideration, the division bench issued notice of motion.

The bench ordered that the single judge judgment will remain stayed until the next hearing on March 25, keeping the directions on regularisation on hold.

Chandigarh had appointed over 1,300 teachers under the SSA between 2005 and 2014 after public advertisements, written tests and verification of qualifications. Although the appointments replicated the procedure for regular government teachers, the educators remained on annual contracts, with the administration citing a lack of sanctioned posts.