In its suspension order on August 20, the Department of School Education said Gururaj Joshi's conduct was 'dereliction of duty' and warranted disciplinary action. (Image generated using AI)
The Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal on Wednesday stayed the suspension order issued against an assistant school teacher for participating in a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) rally, observing that it is not a political party and that his act did not violate rules.
Gururaj Joshi, an assistant teacher at the Government Girls’ High School in Hunasagi, had participated in RSS Path Sanchalan events held in Hunasagi in Yadgir district and Talikote in the neighbouring Vijayapura district on October 12, 2025, a Sunday.
“The alleged act of the applicant was that he has participated in the event organised by an association. When he participated in the event organised by a non-political party, the act of the applicant did not violate the conditions stipulated under Rule 5 of the Karnataka State Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 2021,” the tribunal bench headed by Judicial Member S Y Watawati said in its order.
It further noted there was no government order or notification prohibiting government officials from participating in RSS events. “If there had been any specific order issued by the government barring the government servant from participating in an event organised by such an association, then only it would have amounted to a violation of the rules,” the order added.
‘Dereliction of duty’
In its suspension order issued on August 20, the Department of School Education had stated that Joshi’s participation in the rally violated rules. The order cited the teacher’s conduct as “dereliction of duty” that warranted disciplinary action.
Joshi challenged the order before the tribunal and sought an interim order of stay. The counsel for the petitioner admitted that Joshi had participated in the RSS event but said that there is no bar to participating in the said programme organised by a non-political party.
The tribunal in its order said, “At this stage, the applicant has made out a prima facie case to stay the operation of the impugned order. The impugned order in so far as suspension of the applicant is concerned is hereby stayed, till the next date of hearing.”
Another suspension set aside
On July 31, the same tribunal bench had set aside the suspension order of a panchayat development officer (PDO) who allegedly participated in an RSS rally last year.
Praveen Kumar KP, a PDO in the Sirwar taluk of Raichur district, was suspended by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department on October 17, 2025, for attending an RSS rally in Lingasugur on October 12.
In this case too, the department had initiated an inquiry and suspended him for violating Rule 3 of the Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 2021, which mandates political neutrality and discipline among government officials.
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