1. Why SC is concerned about J&K lecturer’s suspension

| Aug 28, 2023, 23:33 IST

‘Worrisome’

The Supreme Court on Monday termed as “worrisome” the suspension of a lecturer of political science in Jammu and Kashmir, who appeared in person in the apex court to challenge the abrogation of Article 370.

A govt teacher

Hailing from central Kashmir's Budgam district, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat is a senior lecturer of political science posted at the Government Higher Secondary School in Srinagar’s Jawahar Nagar. He also holds a law degree.

Court appearance

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned Bhat’s suspension on August 25, two days after he argued in person in the SC against the August 5, 2019 decision of scrapping J&K’s special status and its division into two UTs and requested a bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud to tell Attorney General R Venkataramani to secure remedial action from the J&K administration.

Charges

Bhat was suspended pending inquiry for alleged violation of provisions of J&K Civil Service Regulations, J&K Government Employees (conduct) Rules,1971 and J&K Leave Rules.

Arguments

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta maintained that Bhat, despite being a government employee, has been regularly challenging the government's decisions in different courts.
Sibal said, “Then he should have been suspended earlier, why after arguing in the SC. He gave written submission in SC much before the day he argued personally before the court.”

An SC poser

The court on Monday told Venkataramani and Mehta that matters could turn problematic for the UT authorities if the action against the teacher was proven to be linked to his petition to the top court.
The CJI told the AG to speak with the J&K Lieutenant Governor on this issue and sort it out. “If there is something apart from this [his appearance in court], then it is different. But why is the suspension in such close proximity to his appearance before the SC? Can someone be suspended just because he appears against the government in the SC?”

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