The High Court has stayed the results of government primary school teacher recruitment tests in four districts -- Natore, Faridpur, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari -- for six months on charge of violations of relevant rules.

The court also issued separate rules asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain in four weeks why the results of the tests should not be declared illegal.

The HC bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Md Mahmud Hasan Talukder came up with the orders and rules in last two days following four separate writ petitions, filed by several candidates who could not qualify in the viva voce.

The bench had earlier stayed the results in more than 20 districts on similar grounds, Deputy Attorney General Bipul Bagmar told The Daily Star.

Advocate Niaz Muhammad Mahboob, a lawyer for the petitioners from Natore, told The Daily Star that as per section 7 of the primary teacher recruitment rules 2013, 60 percent of such teachers will be appointed from female candidates, 20 percent from “posshya” (dependent) quota and 20 percent from male candidates. But the conditions were not followed, the lawyer said.

Following another writ petition, the HC on January 19 stayed the results of such recruitment tests in 14 districts for six months.

The 14 districts are: Patuakhali, Madaripur, Sirajganj, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, Habiganj, Mymensingh, Netrakona, Noakhali, Jashore, Satkhira, Tangail, Barguna and Thakurgaon.