In a major setback to the Congress government, the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (KSAT) has stayed the suspension order of Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) Praveen Kumar, who was suspended earlier this month for participating in an RSS path sanchalan in Lingasugur, Raichur district.
The development comes after BJP MP Tejasvi Surya extended legal and political support to the suspended officer, calling the state government’s order “unilateral and politically motivated.” Sharing the news on his X account, Tejasvi Surya said, “We had questioned the illegal suspension of PDO Praveen Kumar. The KSAT has now stayed it. No kind of threat can stop the RSS’s ideals of nation-building. This order has deeply embarrassed the Siddaramaiah government.”
My law office had challenged the arbitrary suspension of PDO Praveen Kumar for participating in the RSS Pathasanchalana in Lingasugur, Raichur, before the Hon'ble Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal.
KSAT has today stayed the suspension order which was mechanically passed… https://t.co/uCaXnbTwlQ
— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) October 30, 2025
On October 12, Praveen Kumar, the PDO of Rodalbanda Gram Panchayat in Lingasugur taluk, participated in an RSS centenary path sanchalan held in Lingasugur town. He was seen wearing the traditional RSS uniform and holding a stick as he marched in the path sanchalan. Following this, the state government accused him of violating Rule 3 of the Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 2021, which mandates that a government servant must remain loyal to duty and refrain from any act unbecoming of public service.
Subsequently, Dr Arundhati Chandrashekhar, Commissioner of the Panchayat Raj Department, issued an order suspending Praveen Kumar pending an inquiry. The suspension had sparked outrage among government employees and BJP leaders alike, who accused the Congress government of targeting individuals for their ideological leanings.
Soon after the suspension, Tejasvi Surya publicly condemned the move, alleging that the Siddaramaiah government was engaged in “political vendetta” against employees sympathetic to nationalist organisations. He met Praveen Kumar personally and promised full legal assistance, stating that “many High Courts have upheld the right of government servants to participate in RSS programs as they are cultural, not political.”
The MP had further said that the action against Praveen was “a deliberate attempt to intimidate employees who believe in the Sangh’s philosophy.” He assured that he would appear before the tribunal if required and expressed confidence that justice would prevail.
