Rajasthan High Court Rules Govt Employee Quitting for Polls Denied Reinstatement

The Rajasthan High Court upheld a Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) ruling stating that a government employee who resigns from public service to contest political elections cannot subsequently demand reinstatement if defeated. The court stressed the imperative of non-partisan administrative machinery.

The judgment emphasized Civil Services Conduct Rules, which mandate strict political neutrality for government servants. Allowing employees to re-enter civil service after active political alignment compromises the objective function of public administration and erodes public trust in governance.

The ruling aligns with Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1964, specifically Rule 5, which prohibits government servants from taking part in political movements or contesting elections. The court emphasized that political participation is an irreversible decision regarding public employment status.

This legal precedent is crucial for UPSC Polity (GS Paper 2) and Ethics (GS Paper 4). It highlights key administrative principles including civil service neutrality, constitutional governance standards, and judicial limits on reinstatement requests by former public servants.