Ankur Bhattacharjee & Ors. vs Tripura State Co-Operative Bank Limited (A Scheduled Bank) & Ors.

Arindam Lodh, J

Heard Mr. S. Lodh, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners. Also heard Mr. Tapas Kumar Deb and Mr. Debabrata Dey, learned counsel appearing for respondents no.1 and 2 as well as Mr. A. De, learned counsel appearing for respondent no.9.

I have also interacted with Mr. Bhajan Chandra Roy, Managing Director, Tripura State Co-operative Bank Limited(for short, TSCBL), Agartala and Mr. Somnath Dey, Manager, TSCBL, Agartala who are present before this Court today.

Mr. Roy, the Managing Director has fairly submitted that the TSCBL will comply the conditionalities mentioned in Clause (iii) of notification dated 28.06.2022 issued by the General Administration (Personnel & Training) Department, Government of Tripura(Annexure-7 to the writ petition).

Clause (iii) is reproduced hereunder, in extenso:

“(iii) From the list of candidates provisionally shortlisted for selection against the unreserved vacancies, if it is found that the number of women candidates is equal to or more than 33%, the benefit of reservation provided by this Notification shall not be applied.

If however, the number of women candidates in the said list is less than 33%, the shortfall shall be fulfilled by including the required number of women candidates from the combined merit list including all categories of UR, ST & SC.”

Mr. Roy, the Managing Director has further submitted that he has taken up the matter with Institute of Banking Personnel Selection(for short, IBPS), the respondent no.3 to rectify the mistakes they have committed in properly interpreting the conditionalities mentioned in Clause (iii) of the notification dated 28.06.2022. It is further submitted that the respondent-TSCBL will strictly follow the conditionalities mentioned in the afore-quoted Clause (iii) and there shall not be women candidates beyond 33% which will include all categories of UR, ST and SC.

Learned counsel appearing for the petitioners has submitted that if Clause (iii) is followed, they have no objection.

In the light of the above submission of the Managing Director, TSCBL, the instant writ petition stands disposed. In the meantime, the respondents-TSCBL shall take necessary steps to rectify the mistakes they have committed.