State employee participation in June 21 Yoga event not mandatory: West Bengal to Calcutta High Court

The West Bengal government on Friday told the Calcutta High Court that the participation of State employees in the International Yoga Day programme on June 21 in Kolkata is not mandatory.

The State Coordination Committee of the West Bengal Government Employees had moved the Court challenging the Chief Secretary's order asking all officers and employees of the State government to participate in the International Yoga Day Programme on June 21. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lead the national event in Kolkata.

Justice Amrita Sinha recorded a government statement that that Chief Secretary's order was in the nature of a general appeal to all public servants to participate in the official function on the occasion of International Day of Yoga.

"The above order is not mandatory in nature and no punitive or coercive action was either contemplated or incorporated in the order in case of failure to attend due to personal reasons," the Bench said, while reproducing the government submission in its order.

The petitioners had argued that compulsory participation in such programme is against the statutory service rules governing government employees and that the Chief Secretary had no authority to impose such obligation.

Additional Advocate General Billwadal Bhattacharya appeared for the State.

Senior Advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya represented the petitioners.