J-K lecturer, suspended for appearing in SC in Article 370 case, reinstated

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday revoked the suspension of a lecturer who was removed from his post days after he appeared in the Supreme Court as a party against the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.

A political science teacher at Government Higher Secondary School, Jawahar Nagar in Srinagar, Zahoor Ahmed Bhat was suspended on August 25 and attached to the office of Director School Education here "for violation of provisions of J&K CSR, Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees (Conduct) Rules 1971, J&K Leave Rules".

This came a day after he argued before the top court as petitioner in-person in a matter related to the abrogation of Article 370, which accorded a special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and was revoked by the Centre on August 5, 2019.

"Consequent on withdrawal of order number 251-JK (Edu) of August 25 (Order of suspension and subsequent attachment to Jammu), Zahoor Ahmed Bhat, senior lecturer, political science, is hereby relieved from the office today," said Vikas Dhar Bhagati, Personnel Officer, Directorate of School Education, Jammu in an official order.

The order directed Bhat to report to his original place of posting for further duties.

On August 28, the Supreme Court had asked Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to look into the issue of Bhat's suspension.

As soon as the court resumed its hearing, senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Rajeev Dhavan told the five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud that Bhat was suspended from his job by the Jammu and Kashmir administration after having argued before the top court.

"This should not happen. Someone arguing before this court gets suspended...," the bench had said.