The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to look into the matter of a Kashmiri lecturer who was suspended from the Union Territory’s education department days after he argued in the Supreme Court against the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, reported PTI.
Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, a senior lecturer of political science, had appeared in the Supreme Court on Wednesday and represented himself in a batch of petitions against abolition of the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir. On Sunday, it was reported that Bhat had been suspended.
In the suspension order, School Education Department Principal Secretary Alok Kumar described Bhat as a “delinquent officer”. The order also claimed that Bhat had violated provisions of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Service Regulations, Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees Conduct Rules as well as Jammu and Kashmir Leave Rules.
On Monday, as the Supreme Court resumed its hearings on the pleas against abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal and Rajeev Dhavan raised the matter.
Sibal told the court that Bhat had taken a leave for two days to appear at the hearing and was suspended when he went back, Live Law reported.
Sibal also submitted that the suspension order issued on August 25 makes a reference to Bhat appearing before the Supreme Court. To this, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta replied: “There are other issues. He appears in various courts and there are other issues also. We can place it before court.”
Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asked Attorney General R Venkataramani and Mehta to look into the case.
“Talk to the lieutenant general and see what has happened,” the chief justice said. “If there is something apart from this, then it is different. But why this in close succession to him appearing in the matter?”
Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti said the suspension of Bhat was “just the tip of the iceberg”.
In a tweet, she wrote, “Since the illegal abrogation of Article 370, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have to choose. Either be mute spectators and watch their livelihood, jobs and land being snatched or face the music for raising their voice. It’s a Hobson’s choice laden with deadly consequences. Every Kashmiri can’t afford to knock on the doors of the SC.”
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