Supreme Court Overturns Bombay High Court's Interim Order on Teacher Salaries
The Supreme Court of India has set aside an interim order issued by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court that had directed the Maharashtra government to release salaries to teachers whose appointments are currently under scrutiny in the alleged Shalarth ID irregularities case. This significant legal development occurred on Friday, with the apex court ruling that the High Court granted a form of relief that was effectively final in nature while the petitions were still pending adjudication.
Bench Allows Maharashtra Government's Special Leave Petitions
A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Vipul Pancholi allowed special leave petitions filed by the Maharashtra government. These petitions challenged the interim direction issued by the High Court in a batch of writ petitions filed by teachers. The teachers had approached the court after receiving show-cause notices from the education department regarding verification of their appointment records.
Appearing for the state, senior counsel and government pleader Deven Chauhan argued that the interim direction had serious financial implications and affected a large number of teachers whose appointments were under verification. The Supreme Court observed that the High Court "ought not to have granted the ad interim relief as the same is in the nature of a final relief seeking which the writ petitions are pending." Consequently, the bench set aside the interim order directing the state to release salaries during the pendency of the petitions.
Background of the Shalarth ID Dispute
The dispute stems from a group of about 86 writ petitions filed before the Nagpur bench challenging a departmental note dated May 3, 2025, and a joint communication issued on April 29, 2025, by education authorities. These communications sought verification of appointment records of teachers whose details were linked to the Shalarth ID system used for processing salary payments in government-aided schools across Maharashtra.
While issuing notice on the petitions, the High Court earlier granted interim relief directing the state government to continue payment of salaries to the petitioners. The state government submitted that the education department initiated an inquiry into alleged irregularities linked to the Shalarth ID system and that payment of salaries before completion of the verification process would undermine the inquiry and impose huge financial liability on the government.
Supreme Court's Rationale and Further Directions
Accepting these submissions in part, the Supreme Court allowed the appeals and set aside the High Court's order "only to the extent of the ad interim relief granted." The apex court also disposed of contempt petitions filed against government officials for alleged non-compliance with the High Court's interim order.
However, noting that pleadings in the petitions were already completed, the top court directed the Nagpur bench to decide the matter expeditiously within four weeks. This directive ensures that the underlying issues regarding teacher appointments and the Shalarth ID system will be resolved promptly, balancing the need for thorough verification with timely judicial resolution.
The Supreme Court's decision highlights the importance of procedural correctness in interim relief, particularly in cases involving significant financial and administrative implications for state governments. The ruling underscores that courts must avoid granting relief that effectively decides the main issue before full adjudication, especially when such actions could prejudice ongoing inquiries or impose substantial burdens on public resources.
