Karnataka Tribunal Stays Teacher’s Suspension Over RSS Event, Says No Rule Barred Participation

KALABURAGI: The Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal has stayed the suspension of a government school teacher who was placed under suspension for participating in an event organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), holding at the interim stage that his conduct did not breach the Karnataka State Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 2021, in the absence of any government order or notification barring officials from attending such events.

The bench of Judicial Member S.Y. Watawati and Administrative Member Dr. Amita Prasad was hearing an application filed by an Assistant Teacher posted at a Government Girls High School in Hunasagi, Surapur Taluk, Yadgiri district, challenging his suspension order dated August 20, 2026. The suspension was imposed by the Deputy Director, Department of School Education, Yadgiri, pending a departmental enquiry, on the ground that the applicant had participated in an RSS function held on October 12, 2025, a Sunday, allegedly in violation of Rules 3(1)(2)(3), 5(1) and 7 of the Conduct Rules.

The applicant did not dispute attending the event but contended that the Conduct Rules did not bar government servants from participating in a function organised by a non-political association. The tribunal noted that Rule 5(1) of the Conduct Rules restrains a government servant from being a member of, or otherwise associating with, any political party or organisation engaged in politics, or from taking part in or assisting any political movement or activity. It further observed that Rule 7, which the suspension order had also invoked, had in fact been omitted from the Conduct Rules with effect from April 25, 1968.

Examining the allegation, the tribunal held that since the applicant had participated in an event organised by an association rather than a political party, and since the State Government had issued no order or notification prohibiting officials from attending such events, the applicant's conduct "did not violate the conditions stipulated under Rule 5" of the Conduct Rules. The tribunal added that had any such specific government order existed, the position may have been different, and that any such consideration ought in any case to have followed the procedure under Rule 10(3) of the Karnataka Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1957 a requirement it found the respondent authorities had not prima facie complied with before passing the suspension order.

Holding that "the applicant has made out a prima facie case" to stay the operation of the impugned order, the tribunal stayed the suspension till the next date of hearing and directed the respondents to file their reply statement, listing the matter for October 9, 2026.

Case Title: Gururaj v. State of Karnataka, Application No. 20425 of 2026