Karnataka High Court: Government Employee Suspension Cannot Be Indefinite
The Karnataka High Court has delivered a significant judgment, ruling that a government employee's suspension order cannot be continued indefinitely. This important decision was pronounced by a single-judge bench comprising Justice M. Nagaprasanna.
The bench observed that if a suspension order is based solely on the pendency of a criminal case against the employee, and no departmental disciplinary action is initiated within a reasonable timeframe, then the continuation of such a suspension is not justifiable. To prevent unnecessary hardship, departmental disciplinary proceedings must commence within 90 days. The court stated that otherwise, the suspension itself would become a punishment rather than a process of inquiry.
Therefore, an order of suspension imposed against a government employee cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely. This ruling was made in the case of Kishore Kumar B.K. v. State of Karnataka (Petition No. 25080/2023, dated March 10, 2025).
Source: CourtBeat News (Kannada)
