The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Sunday revoked the suspension of senior lecturer of political science Zahoor Ahmad Bhat against whom action was taken after he appeared in the Supreme Court to argue against the abrogation of Article 370.
Bhat, a senior lecturer in the government higher secondary school at Jawahar Nagar in Srinagar, was termed as a “delinquent officer” and suspended on 25 August by Principal Secretary, School Education, Alok Kumar for the violation of provisions of J&K CSR, Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees (conduct) Rules,1971.
A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud had assembled to hear the petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 when Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal raised the issue. Sibal told the bench that Bhat had been suspended a day after he appeared before the top court.
The Chief Justice of India told Attorney General (AG) R Venkataramani: “Just see what has happened. Somebody who appears in this court is suspended. Have a look into it. Just talk to the Lieutenant Governor.”
The Chief Justice added that “if there is something apart from this, that’s different” and wondered, “but why in such close succession to appearance before us!” Mehta, however, said that such actions cannot be by way of retribution.