Era
Prime VIP
In a clear sign that it meant business, the Centre on Wednesday laid down the ground rules for identifying and sacking civil servants considered corrupt or ineffective.
Wednesday’s circular – the second this week on cleansing the civil services – made it clear that officials could be removed from service in public interest even if the evidence against them may not be sufficient to initiate disciplinary proceedings.
For instance, it cited the 1996 judgment by the Supreme Court in which it upheld removal of an employee on persistent reports that he had acquired large assets, was getting money from his subordinates and had indulged in property transactions that gave rise to suspicion about his bonafide.
In another judgment, it told departments, had upheld compulsory retirement on reports of conduct unbecoming of a government servant.
As first reported by HT, the department of personnel & training (DoPT) on Monday had instructed all departments to make sure they review the performance of every official when he, or she, reaches the 50-55 age bracket and complete 30 years in service.
If the official concerned is considered corrupt or ineffective, the departments are required to invoke Fundamental Rule 56 (J) that gives them powers to compulsorily retire employees suspected to be corrupt or ineffective.
The rule has been used to sack officials in the past too.
But this is the first time in decades that there appears to be a concerted effort to invoke the powers in a systematic manner.
That departments will have to report the action taken on these instructions to cabinet secretary PK Sinha on a monthly basis will ensure that they can’t taken lightly, a government official said.
Wednesday’s circular – the second this week on cleansing the civil services – made it clear that officials could be removed from service in public interest even if the evidence against them may not be sufficient to initiate disciplinary proceedings.
For instance, it cited the 1996 judgment by the Supreme Court in which it upheld removal of an employee on persistent reports that he had acquired large assets, was getting money from his subordinates and had indulged in property transactions that gave rise to suspicion about his bonafide.
In another judgment, it told departments, had upheld compulsory retirement on reports of conduct unbecoming of a government servant.
As first reported by HT, the department of personnel & training (DoPT) on Monday had instructed all departments to make sure they review the performance of every official when he, or she, reaches the 50-55 age bracket and complete 30 years in service.
If the official concerned is considered corrupt or ineffective, the departments are required to invoke Fundamental Rule 56 (J) that gives them powers to compulsorily retire employees suspected to be corrupt or ineffective.
The rule has been used to sack officials in the past too.
But this is the first time in decades that there appears to be a concerted effort to invoke the powers in a systematic manner.
That departments will have to report the action taken on these instructions to cabinet secretary PK Sinha on a monthly basis will ensure that they can’t taken lightly, a government official said.
