New Delhi: The Supreme Court has ruled that suppression of information relating to a person's criminal background in the job application could be a ground for his dismissal from service.

Upholding the dismissal of a physical education teacher (PET) for not giving information about a pending case at the time of making the application, a Bench comprising justice Shivaraj V Patil and justice Arijit Pasayat said the character, conduct and antecedents of a teacher would have some impact on the minds of the students.

"A candidate having suppressed material information and/or giving false information cannot claim right to continue in service," justice Patil, writing the judgement for the Bench, said.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court had reversed the Central Administrative Tribunal order justifying the dismissal and had directed reinstatement of the teacher, saying the case against him was not serious in nature and had later been withdrawn.

However, the apex court said the High Court committed an error as the case was pending when the application for the job was made and by mentioning that there was no case pending against him, the applicant had not only suppressed material information but also given a false statement.

"The applicant was to serve as PET in the Kendriya Vidyalaya. The character, conduct and antecedent of a teacher will have some impact on the minds of the students of impressionable age," justice Patil said upholding the dismissal order.

PTI