Kerala suspends IAS officer B. Ashok for criticising govt ahead of May 4 results
The Kerala government on Wednesday, 29 April placed senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer B. Ashok under suspension, citing violations of civil service conduct rules for speaking to the media and publicly criticising government policies. The move has triggered sharp controversy, with critics pointing to its timing — just days before the declaration of Kerala Assembly election results on 4 May and during the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
Grounds for Suspension
B. Ashok, who was serving as Principal Secretary in the Sainik Welfare Department, was suspended on charges that his public remarks — including criticism of policy decisions and administrative functioning — amounted to a breach of conduct rules applicable to civil servants. The state government maintained that his interactions with the media crossed the permissible boundaries for serving officers under the relevant service regulations.
Ashok, however, was quick to push back. He stated that the suspension was effected
