J&K HC admits petition against rule prohibiting govt employees from engaging in electoral politics

New Delhi: A petition has been filed in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in Srinagar, challenging the rule that prohibits government servants in the Union Territory from engaging in electoral politics.
The petition, filed by Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, a senior lecturer in the School Education Department, challenges Rule 14 (1) of the J&K Government Employees (Conduct) Rules, 1971, which prohibits government servants from participating in electoral politics.
Bhat, who intends to contest the upcoming assembly elections in 2024 from two assembly constituencies, 30-Charar-i-Sharief and 22 Lal Chowk District Srinagar, has argued that the rule violates his democratic right to stand as a candidate in the elections without resigning from his post as a Senior Lecturer in Political Science.