Indenpendence Day: Absenteeism by govt officials won’t be taken lightly, says PK Sinha

Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha in a letter asked all secretaries to caution the officers of their ministries and departments that their absence from the August 15 event will not be taken lightly.

Despite issuing a missive last year taking a serious note of absenteeism of invited government officers at Independence Day Flag hoisting ceremony, Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha has again written to all secretaries this year that low attendance of official invitees to the event has been observed. In his letter, Sinha told all secretaries to caution the officers of their ministries and departments that their absence from the August 15 event will not be taken lightly.

Notably, Sinha wrote a similar-worded letter last year to secretaries stating the problem of absenteeism by government officials from the event. “It has been observed that there is, at times, low attendance of the official invitees to the ceremony. This is inappropriate considering that the occasion is of great national importance. There is, clearly, a need to remind the officers that it is their duty to attend the Independence Day Ceremony,” Sinha noted.

Asserting that the Independence Day Flag hoisting ceremony at the Red Fort is an “important historic and national function” held every year on August 15, where the Prime Minister addresses the nation, Sinha wrote that it was expected that all the officers who are invited attended the ceremony.

Story continues below this ad

“You may suitably advise all officers of your ministry/department, who are invited to the Independence Day ceremony, to attend the function,” the Cabinet Secretary wrote. “You may also like to caution them that a serious view can be taken of their absence on this occasion,” he added.

Following the direction from the Cabinet Secretariat, various ministries and government departments have issued circulars asking their officials to comply and attend the Independence Day Flag hoisting ceremony.