Item No.25 31.08.2026 Court. No. 9 (Saswata) CALCUTTA HIGH COURT IN THE CIRCUIT BENCH AT JALPAIGURI APPELLATE JURISDICTION WPA 1871 of 2026 Suparna Karmakar Vs. The State of West Bengal & Ors. Mr. Santanu Maji Mr. Jogesh Ch. Roy …for the Petitioner. Mr. Bikramaditya Ghosh …for the Board Mr. Subhankar Dutta Ms. Somdutta Patra …For the State Mr. Tara Prasad Halder Mr. Subhasish Misra …For the Siliguri Primary School Council . 1. Affidavit of service filed in Court today is retained with the record. 2. The petitioner has sought for a direction upon the respondents to transfer the petitioner from Manikjote Junior Basic School to any other school nearby to her residence. 3. The petitioner seeks for general transfer on special ground. 4. The petitioner was appointed as an Assistant Teacher in Manikjote Junior Basic School in the District of Darjeeling. She has joined the said school on 6th March 2024. According to the petitioner, she is suffering from several gynecological diseases and osteoarthritis. 2 5. The petitioner seeks for transfer as according to her the school where the petitioner is imparting education is about 509 kms. away from her residence. However, by reasons of her medical condition, the petitioner is suffering immensely. She also claims that she has a minor son and by reasons of the distance from school, she is unable to maintain the work life balance. 6. Having heard the learned advocates appearing for the respective parties and since at this stage it is submitted that the online Utsashree portal which had earlier remained suspended, has been made operational with effect from 1st July 2026, I am of the view that having regard to the facts of the case in the event, the petitioner applies for transfer through the aforesaid Utsashree portal, the authorities shall consider the petitioner’s application for transfer in terms of the West Bengal Primary Education (Transfer of Teachers including Head Teachers) Rules, 2002 (hereinafter referred to as the said Rules). 7. The authorities shall consider the petitioner’s case for transfer on medical ground in terms of the said rules and for the said purpose, shall seek for a report from the concerned Chief Medical Officer and shall take a decision thereon. 8. It is made clear that if the petitioner is found eligible, all consequential steps shall follow. 3 9. It is also made clear that if the portal does not support an application for transfer to be made on medical ground before the expiry of the period of five years of service, in such event the petitioner shall be eligible to apply in off line mode. However, the onus would remain on the petitioner to establish that the application for transfer on medical grounds before the expiry of five years is not being accepted in the portal. 10. With the above observation, the writ petition is disposed of. 11. There shall be no order as to costs. 12. The parties are to act on the basis of the server copy of this order. (RAJA BASU CHOWDHURY, J.)