Govt cautions officers, clerks airing their grievances directly to PM, ministers

IN THIS age of protests, emboldened government employees have begun to junk prescribed norms and write directly to ministers and even the Prime Minister if they are unhappy with their promotions and other service matters. Finding this trend highly awkward and unacceptable, the DoPT has dug out a…
circular dated April 30, 1952 to sensitive officers and clerks about the procedure of how to air their grievances. An office memorandum (OM) issued last week also warned that “appropriate disciplinary action may be taken against those who violate these instructions”.
“Of late, it is observed that there is an increasing tendency on the part of officers at different levels to by-pass the prescribed channels of representation and write directly to the high functionaries totally ignoring the prescribed channels. The problem is more acute in large departments where often very junior employees at clerical level address multiple representations to the Minster, Prime Minister and other functionaries,” the OM dated June 6, 2013 said.
The prescribed government rules are taking a further hit as service unions too now write directly to ministers and Prime Minister on individual grievances. “Some of these representations are often forwarded through Members of Parliament, in violation of Rule 20 of the CCS (Conduct) Rule, 1964,” the OM cautioned.
The OM further elaborated how the aggrieved officials should express their grievances. “It has been envisaged in these instructions that whenever, in any matter connected with his service rights or conditions, a Government servant wishes to press a claim or to seek redress of a grievance, the proper course for him is to address his immediate official superior, or the Head of his office, or such other authority at the lowest level as is competent to deal with the matter.”
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Office Memorandum, June 6, 2013