Bilaspur: The Chhattisgarh High Court has delivered a significant verdict declaring the dismissal of an ‘Assistant Teacher Panchayat’ from Balod district illegal. The court quashed the termination order issued by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Janpad Panchayat Dondilohara. This judgment was pronounced on July 7, 2026, by a single-judge bench presided over by Justice Rakesh Mohan Pandey.
What is the case about?
Taslim Bano, a resident of Arjunda in Balod district, was appointed as an Assistant Teacher Panchayat at the Government Primary School, Shikaritola, in 2005. Her services were regularized in 2009. In 2015, she applied for unpaid leave due to family reasons. Later, on November 4, 2020, citing personal reasons, she submitted her resignation to the Block Education Officer, Dondilohara; however, the department did not accept the resignation. Subsequently, based on a departmental inquiry, the then CEO of Janpad Panchayat Dondilohara dismissed her from service on August 24, 2021.
Why did the High Court quash the order?
Taslim Bano filed a petition in the Chhattisgarh High Court challenging her dismissal. Senior Advocate Matin Siddiqui, representing the petitioner, argued that the teacher had been a regular employee since 2009. Therefore, any action against her should have been taken under Rule 7 of the Chhattisgarh Panchayat Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1999. The petition further stated that the department dismissed her directly after conducting departmental proceedings under the wrong rule (Rule 10) and without providing a proper opportunity to be heard, which was not in accordance with the law. Agreeing with these arguments, the High Court held that the department had adopted an incorrect procedure. On this basis, the court set aside the dismissal order dated August 24, 2021, and allowed the teacher’s petition.
Significance of the Court’s Decision
This judgment is considered significant in cases where prescribed service rules and procedures are not followed while initiating disciplinary action against regular employees. The court clarified that departmental proceedings must strictly adhere to the rules established by law.
