E-Paper
Government staff’s presence in political rally is not political activity, says Tripura High Court
The High Court’s order came in response to a petition filed by Lipika Paul, a government employee, who was suspended for taking part in a rally organised by the Left Front on December 31 in 2017.
In a far reaching judgement, the Tripura High Court on Thursday said a government employees’ presence in a political rally could not be considered a political activity in violation of service conduct rules.
The High Court’s order came in response to a petition filed by Lipika Paul, a government employee, who was suspended for taking part in a rally organised by the Left Front on December 31 in 2017.
Paul, an upper division clerk at Fisheries Department was also put under departmental inquiry under Section 5 of Tripura Service Conduct Rules, just four days before her retirement.
“The High Court in its order, said the presence of government employee (at a political rally) can’t be considered as political activity. The court also said the common people or any government employee has the right to express their opinions. We welcome the decision of the court,” Purushottam Roy Barman, counsel of Lipika Paul, told the media after the order came out.
The court also asked the state government to drop departmental inquiry against Paul and pay her all dues and benefits within the next two months.
The order distinguishes between expression of political opinion and indulgence in political activity and is likely to impact how similar expressions by government employees are viewed by administrations.
An assistant professor of Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC), Dr. Kaushik Chakraborty, was suspended and put under a departmental inquiry ordered last October for expressing his views on Citizenship Amendment Bill on social media.
