Disciplinary action if transfer requests are recommended by ministers or MPs

The government has warned of disciplinary action against assistant section officers in the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) cadre if transfer requests are forwarded by ministers and Members of Parliament. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) stated in an order that it has received numerous inter-cadre transfer requests for attached or outstation officers of various ministries in the grade of Assistant Section Officer (ASO) in the CSS cadre on personal/medical grounds.

The CSS was created primarily to manage middle-level positions in the Central Secretariat, which serves as the Union government's headquarters, housing the offices of the central ministries/departments, which are mostly located in New Delhi.

"Many times, these ASO requests are forwarded from honorable ministers/Members of Parliament (Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha)/other designated authority for their favourable consideration," it stated. ASOs are non-gazetted officers in Group B.

According to the order, the competent authority has taken a serious look into the matter. "It is informed that all such acts will result in appropriate action, including disciplinary action, in all such cases," the DoPT stated. In its order, it cited a relevant provision of the employee conduct rules, which states that "no government servant shall bring or attempt to bring any political or other outside influence to bear upon any superior authority to further his interests in matters pertaining to his service under the government."

The order says that such requests for transfers are a clear violation of Rule 20 of CCS (Conduct Rules), 1964. The rule states that “No Government servant shall bring or attempt to bring any political or other outside influence to bear upon any superior authority to further his interests in respect of matters pertaining to his service under the Government.”

View the order at https://documents.doptcirculars.nic.in/D2/D02csd/CCS%20conductRgkuD.pdf