Sujay Kumar Nayek and Ors. v. Suma Maity and Ors.
Case brief
What is this about?
Division Bench (Harish Tandon, J. and Prasenjit Biswas, J.) in MAT 1514 of 2024 (decided 20.12.2024) dismisses CAN 2 of 2024 filed by non-parties (Sujay Kumar Nayek and others) seeking leave to appeal against the Single Bench order dated 09.04.2024 in writ petitions arising from the 2009 recruitment process of the District Primary School Council, Howrah, where appointments were left undisturbed but benefits were restricted to petitioners approaching between 2012 and 31.03.2024. Key holdings: applicants not 'aggrieved persons'; court may lawfully fix a cut-off date to bring a quietus to litigation and protect its docket; fence-sitters/laches doctrine — latecomers and persons asleep for a decade cannot reopen settled issues or rip benefits. Keywords: aggrieved person; leave to appeal; cut-off date; fence-sitter; laches; quietus; recruitment irregularity; primary school; Howrah; interregnum petitioners; no order as to costs.