The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Central government to investigate the grounds for the suspension of Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, a senior lecturer within the School Education Department. Bhat had argued before the highest court in a case pertaining to the revocation of Article 370.
Upon the convening of the five-judge Constitutional bench for the case on Monday, Senior advocate Kapil Sibal raised the issue of Bhat's situation and remarked, "Soon after he appeared before this court, he was suspended. That is not fair. This is not how our democracy should function."
Bhat's suspension by the Jammu and Kashmir administration took place on August 25th.
Bhat acted as a petitioner representing himself in the case concerning Article 370 and presented arguments before the Constitutional Bench on August 23rd.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, reacting to the development, said he personally came across the news about it in newspapers and provided reassurances that appropriate measures would be undertaken.
Following this, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud urged Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to communicate with the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir in order to ascertain the precise rationale behind the professor's suspension.
"Talk to the Lieutenant Governor and find out what can be done. If there is something else, then it is a different issue. But such close and quick succession to him appearing and then getting suspended," CJI Chandrachud said.
Everyone has a right to appear in court and the professor could not be suspended as retribution, SG Mehta emphasised in response.
"There could be some other issues than appearing here in this matter," SG Mehta said.
"Examine it. Such close proximity between appearing here and suspension. If in the letter there is a reference to a case hearing, then there is a problem," Justice SK Kaul told the Solicitor General.
