The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench on Friday suspended the new policy introduced by the Punjab government, under which the schoolteachers of Rawalpindi district had to seek approval of the district coordination officer (DCO) for availing leave, instead of getting sanctioned by the headmaster or principal of the institution concerned.
Justice Sagheer Ahmed Qadri was hearing the case in which the petitioner through his counsel, Raja Saim-ul-Haq Satti Advocate, contended that the provincial government on December 17 introduced an unjustified policy regarding the casual leave for teachers serving in Rawalpindi.
He said the unlawful and discriminatory notification had created confusion and unrest among more than 13,000 teachers, adding that the decision had recently been enforced by the Punjab government in all educational institutions related to approval of leaves.
The petitioner, Ausaf Ahmed Satti, president of Punjab Elementary Teachers Association (ETA), cited the DCO, executive district officer (EDO) Education and others as respondents.
“If teachers fell ill, how they can approach the DCO at the time to avail leave when they have to visit the doctor for treatment. As such, the Punjab government on December 17, 2011 has imposed new rules and regulations, authorising the DCO for sanctioning all kinds of leaves of teachers even in emergencies,” he stated, adding that it had also barred the principals and headmasters concerned from taking such decision, which had no legal bases at all.
He argued that the said decision was unjust and unfair, which was creating hardships for and anxiety among the teachers.
“Teachers of District Rawalpindi, serving in the far-flung schools for the last so many years, are also unable to comply the same decision as it is based on malafide intentions. More interestingly, the decision was only enforced on teachers of Rawalpindi district, while other districts of Punjab do not fall under it, which shows that DCO has unlawfully used his powers and proceedings should be carried out against him,” he said.
He prayed the court to accept his petition and a direction may be issued to the respondents to withdraw and reverse the so called policy and notification. Upon which, the court suspended the notification and directed the respondents to submit their reply on January 19.