A lecturer in Jammu and Kashmir was reinstated to his post who was removed days after he appeared in the Supreme Court as a party against the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution. The political science teacher at Government Higher Secondary School in Srinagar’s Jawahar Nagar, Zahoor Ahmed Bhat was suspended on August 25 and attached to the office of Director School Education in Jammu. Bhat was suspended for "for violation of provisions of J&K CSR, Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees (Conduct) Rules 1971, J&K Leave Rules", according to a PTI report.
The suspension order came a day after he appeared before the top court as petitioner in-person in a matter related to the abrogation of Article 370, which accorded a special status to Jammu and Kashmir and was revoked on August 5, 2019 by the Centre.
"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, as per the PTI report.
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Bhat was directed to report to his original place of posting in the order for further duties.
On August 28, the apex court had asked Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, to look into the matter of Bhat’s suspension.
A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud is hearing the matter of Article 370 and was told by senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Rajeev Dhavan about Bhat’s suspension 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.
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Ready For Polls In Jammu And Kashmir, Centre Told SC
On August 31, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it was ready to hold elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir anytime now, adding that the decision on the polls has to be taken by the Election Commission of India and the state poll panel.
"The Central government is ready to hold elections anytime from now. It is for the Election Commission of India and Election Commission of State to take the call on which election will take place first and how. The updating process of the voters' list is almost complete and will be completely over in a month," Mehta told the top court.
The Centre’s top lawyer told the bench that the polls would be held in Jammu and Kashmir in three stages — first there will be panchayat polls, second municipal polls and then legislative assembly polls.