Government Servant Cannot be Kept Under Suspension Indefinitely: Uttarakhand High Court

The Uttarakhand High Court quashed the suspension of a government servant who had remained under suspension for nearly five years during a disciplinary enquiry involving allegations of unauthorized absence and use of a forged Scheduled Tribe certificate.

Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari observed that a government servant cannot be kept under suspension for an indefinite period, especially when the enquiry is unlikely to conclude soon.

While setting aside the suspension order dated July 17, 2021, the Court permitted the disciplinary proceedings regarding the caste certificate allegations to continue and directed the competent authority to pass a fresh posting order for the petitioner.