The Supreme Court stays disciplinary proceedings against Kerala IAS officer Dr B Ashok. The 1988 cadre IAS officer who had praised PM Narendra Modi while writing an article in a newspaper in 2013. The Congress-led UDF govt in Kerala had then initiated disciplinary proceedings against Ashok.

The article titled, 'What If Modi Visits Sivagiri' in a newspaper on his April 24, 2013 visit on to the Sivagiri Mutt at Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram district to inaugurate a spiritual-cultural conclave.

Ashok, in his article, had said that while it is true that the Gujarat Government may not have been effective in preventing the killings in 2002, such genocidal riots had followed the assassination of Indira Gandhi as well.

He had also criticised Rahul Gandhi for not accepting the invitation to speak at the function at the Mutt.

The Supreme Court has issued a notice seeking the Kerala government's response on the IAS officer's petition challenging the Kerala government's action against him.

The UDF Govt initiated disciplinary proceedings against Dr Ashok who was Vice Chancellor of Kerala Veterinary University and the government had in 2011 decided to sack Ashok as vice-chancellor for alleged violation of service rules. But the Kerala High Court had through an order reinstated him.

However the court declined to stay the disciplinary proceedings against him. Dr Ashok therefore appealed to the top court saying as VC he didn't violate any service rules. Today the SC has stayed the proceedings against him.