His resignation in 2019 still pending with govt, IAS officer Gopinathan joins Congress

His executive record sheet in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), accessed on Monday, still showed his status as “serving”. As per the record, which was last updated on November 21, 2023, he is “posted as Power Development Secretary in Dadra and Nagar Haveli”.

Spokespersons of DoPT and Ministry of Home Affairs, which is the cadre controlling authority for AGMUT-cadre officers, did not respond to a request for comment till the time of filing this report.

The rules, however, are clear — government servants cannot join a political party or contest elections. Rule 5 of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, says: “No Government servant shall be a member of, or be otherwise associated with, any political party or any organisation which takes part in politics nor shall he take part in, subscribe in aid of, or assist in any other manner, any political movement or activity.”

Gopinathan told The Indian Express: “I don’t have confirmation on the acceptance of my resignation. I don’t know what the government’s intention is, but the effect of keeping my resignation pending for six years has been to harass and to try to diminish my credibility. It has prevented me from formally moving on.” Asked if he was in violation of the rules, he said: “What is the disciplinary action they can take? I have already submitted my resignation.”

Gopinathan said his salary was stopped when he resigned.

Though he has joined Congress, till his resignation is accepted, he won’t be able to contest elections. According to officials, in case an officer in Gopinathan’s position files a nomination for an election, it would get rejected. Just last year, when wrestler Vinesh Phogat joined Congress ahead of Haryana elections, she resigned from the Railways. Her resignation in September 2024 was accepted and the three-month notice period waived off by Railway Ministry so she could contest the elections in October 2024.

Welcoming Gopinathan to the Congress, party general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal called him a “fearless voice for democracy”.

“Gopinathan has served as a principled administrator, an active citizen, and a committed democrat, and his joining will certainly give a boost to our movement that stands to protect the Constitution, freedom, and inclusive social fabric of India,” Venugopal said. On X, Gopinathan said: “Joining the IAS was a means for me to serve. Leaving it was a necessity to speak. Through the Indian National Congress, I find the space to do both, to serve the people and to raise my voice against injustice…”

Before Gopinathan, IAS officer Shah Faesal from J&K had resigned in 2019 in protest against “unabated killings” in Kashmir. He floated his own party and was one of the petitioners against the abrogation of Article 370. However, he later decided to withdraw his petition as well as his resignation, and was reinstated him in 2022.

In 2019, Karnataka IAS officer S Sasikanth Senthil resigned, saying it was “unethical” for him to “continue as a civil servant in the government when the fundamental building blocks of our diverse democracy are being compromised in an unprecedented manner”. He joined Congress in 2020. His resignation was accepted and he contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Tamil Nadu.