Maharashtra officials should ‘stand and greet MP or MLA’, use polite language: Govt

When Members of the Legislature/Parliament arrive at the office and when they leave after the meeting, the officers shall stand and greet them.

The government has warned that any delay, negligence or failure to follow the new protocol, will invite action under the Maharashtra Civil Services Rules and the 2005 law meant to prevent delays in government work.

The government has also reminded officials to maintain polite language during phone calls and avoid “discourteous or disrespectful” conduct.

The circular has instructed a strict timeline for replying to correspondence of public representatives within a set time and every office must maintain a physical or digital register to record letters received from MPs and MLAs.

“Officials must send a final reply within two months, except in cases relating to transfers or promotions. If a reply cannot be issued within this period, the officer must inform the department head and the concerned MP or MLA in writing, explaining the delay. Department heads have been asked to review the status of pending letters once every three months,” it stated.

All public representatives, including Union and state ministers, guardian ministers, MPs, MLAs, mayors, Zilla Parishad chairpersons, municipal council heads and sarpanches, must be invited to government foundation-stone events and inaugurations, the GR states adding that “their names must be printed correctly in the programme material, and seating arrangements should follow official protocol. The resident deputy collector has been given the responsibility of ensuring that these rules are followed”.

The GR further states that to improve access, the government has set aside fixed meeting hours and regional and district heads must keep two hours on the first and third Thursday of every month exclusively for meetings with MPs and MLAs.

“This schedule must be published in advance and communicated to all elected representatives. The circular adds that urgent matters raised by MPs or MLAs can be taken up at any time during office hours,” the GR said further said, directing district administrations to not hold major government programmes when the legislature or Parliament is in session. If a programme is unavoidable, it must be scheduled on a day when the House is not sitting.

Departments have been told to strictly follow directions issued by the legislature’s privileges committee. They must act promptly on notices received from the Legislature Secretariat and keep the committee informed. Any breach of privilege must be reported immediately, and disciplinary action should be initiated against the officer concerned, it stated.

The GR stated that information sought by MPs and MLAs for their parliamentary or public work should be provided free of cost, except where disclosure is barred under the RTI Act. It also reminds departments to keep all mandatory disclosures updated on their websites as required under the Act.

“Training institutes under various departments must include modules on protocol and courteous conduct towards public representatives, both at the induction level and during in-service training,”the GR underlined.