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The Rajasthan High Court has ruled that a suspension order and charge sheet issued on a public holiday are still valid and legal. The court clarified that just because these documents were issued on a holiday does not mean they are automatically invalid or illegal.
Background of the Case
The case involved a Pradhan (elected head) of a Panchayati Samiti who was suspended and given a charge sheet on October 12, 2024, which happened to be a holiday. The petitioner challenged this action in court, arguing that government offices were closed on that day, so the suspension should not be valid.
She also claimed that the suspension was unfair because she had not done anything wrong or behaved in a way that deserved such strict action. She stated that a preliminary enquiry had taken place on August 5, 2024, and instead of doing a full enquiry, the government directly suspended her and gave her a charge sheet.
What the Court Said
Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand of the Rajasthan High Court said that there is no law stopping government officials from working on holidays. He explained that sometimes, due to heavy workload, government staff may need to work even on holidays to complete important tasks.
“Government departments operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Just because a suspension order or charge sheet is issued on a holiday doesn’t make it invalid.”
The judge made it clear that issuing such orders on a holiday is not illegal. He said it is completely legal for government officials to work on holidays if needed. The aim of working on holidays is often to reduce the pressure of pending work. So, any official work or order done on a holiday still holds full legal value.
What Was the Allegation?
The government had received complaints against the Pradhan regarding corruption and misuse of public funds. A preliminary enquiry found that she was involved in overpayments amounting to lakhs of rupees. Based on this, the authorities decided to frame charges and serve her with a charge sheet.
Court’s Final Decision
After considering all the arguments, the High Court said that it would not interfere in the matter. It noted that although courts usually do not interfere lightly in suspension cases, this one involved an elected representative, not a regular government employee.
Still, the Court found no strong reason to cancel the suspension or the charge sheet.
“This Court finds no merit and substance in this writ petition and the same is liable to be and is hereby rejected,” the order concluded.
