Shillong: Months ahead of the crucial state assembly election, the Meghalaya High Court has quashed the government policy barring teachers of government-aided colleges from contesting elections and holding posts in political parties.
The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government led by Conrad K Sangma in 2018 had issued an order banning teachers from contesting elections citing that schools and colleges should be kept “free from politics”.
The Meghalaya High Court said teachers of government-aided colleges are not found to hold an office of profit and quashed the notification of the state government.
Justice HS Thangkhiew, in the order set aside and quashed the notification dated 23.03.2021, describing it as the product of a flawed decision-making process.
The state government had formulated the Meghalaya Education Policy, 2018 and an order was issued in March last year restricting teachers of government-aided colleges from taking part in political activities.
The high court judge termed it “misplaced arguments” as the government lawyers had clubbed college teachers under the purview of the Meghalaya School Education Act, 1981.
As the policy deals specifically with schools, so it has no bearing on government-aided private colleges, the high court observed.
