Supreme Court Questions J&K Administration Over Suspension of Lecturer Post Article 370 Case Appearance
The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, has raised concerns over the suspension of Dr. Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, a lecturer who recently argued against the abrogation of Article 370 before the apex court. The issue was brought to the Court’s attention by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal during the hearing of the Article 370 case.
Sibal highlighted the concerning sequence of events, stating that Dr. Bhat was suspended soon after he presented his arguments in the Supreme Court. He remarked,
“This is unfair, I am sure the AG will look at it.”
Sibal further questioned the timing of the suspension, asserting,
“Then he should have been suspended earlier.. why now? This is not fair.”
Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta responded by noting that he became aware of the suspension through newspapers. He also mentioned that Dr. Bhat has made appearances in other courts, hinting at other potential reasons for the suspension. However, Sibal was quick to point out that the suspension order, dated August 25, explicitly references Dr. Bhat’s appearance in the Article 370 case.
CJI Chandrachud expressed his concerns, stating,
“Somebody who has appeared before this court is suspended”
He further urged SG Mehta to communicate with the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir to determine the exact reasons behind the suspension.
“Talk to the Lieutenant Governor and find out what can be done. If there is something else then it is (fine). But if due to appearance in this court then please look into it,”
the CJI remarked.
Justice Gavai also weighed in on the matter, pointing out the close proximity between Dr. Bhat’s court appearance and the suspension order. He commented,
“The timing is not proper. I agree.”
Justice Kaul added that if the suspension letter indeed references Dr. Bhat’s court appearance,
“there is a problem.”
Dr. Zahoor Ahmad Bhat had appeared as a party-in-person on August 24, expressing his concerns about the manner in which Article 370 was abrogated. He shared the challenges he faces as an educator, stating,
“It is a challenging situation for educators like me when we teach the principles of this beautiful constitution and the ideals of democracy to our students in Jammu and Kashmir. Students often pose a difficult question – are we still a democracy after the events of August 2019? Answering this question becomes extremely complex and challenging for me.”
