HC Orders Release of Salaries for Shalarth Teachers, Pulls Up State The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Maharashtra government to release pending salaries of over 600 teachers and non-teaching staff linked to the Shalarth ID controversy. The court emphasized that wages cannot be withheld without due process or prior notice, while allowing the state to continue its inquiry into the validity of appointments. A division bench comprising Justices Mukulika Jawalkar and Nandesh Deshpande observed that the state may question the legality of appointments but cannot unilaterally stop salaries without following legal procedures. The court partially granted relief to the petitioners, ensuring immediate payment of salaries while permitting the government to verify documents and recruitment processes. The dispute originated in February 2025 when allegations of fraudulent Shalarth IDs surfaced, prompting the state to investigate appointments made during that period. As a result, salaries for the affected teachers were suspended from March 2025, leading to widespread litigation. In its affidavit, the state argued that several appointments were not made in accordance with statutory norms, rendering the Shalarth IDs invalid. It maintained that no right to government salary arises from illegal appointments and stressed its responsibility to protect public funds. However, the court highlighted procedural flaws in the government’s actions, noting that affected employees were not provided with notices or an opportunity to respond before their salaries were halted. The bench reiterated that administrative decisions must adhere to principles of natural justice.#maharashtra_government #bombay_high_court #nagpur_bench #shalarth_id_controversy #justices_mukulika_jawalkar_nandesh_deshpande
