Cap raised, government assent must for IAS, IPS officers before accepting gifts over Rs 5,000

Amending the All India Service (Conduct) Rules, 1968, the Centre has raised the cap on the value of gifts which the All India Services could accept without having to take the government’s sanction.

Earlier, these officials were bound to take government sanction while accepting any gift worth more than Rs 1,000.

Also, while officials could accept gifts worth Rs 5,000 from relatives or friends till now without having to report to the government, they would now be able to accept gifts worth up to Rs 25,000 from relatives or friends without needing to inform the government.

As per the rules now, “a member of the service may accept gifts from his near relatives or from his personal friends having no official dealings with them, on occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, funerals and religious functions when the making of gifts is in conformity with the prevailing religious and social practice, but he shall make a report to the Government if the value of such gift exceeds Rs 25,000”.

While a “gift” has been defined to include “free transport, free boarding, free lodging or any other service or pecuniary advantage when provided by a person other than a near relative or personal friend having no official dealings with the member of the Service” the rules say that it does “not include a casual meal, casual lift or other social hospitality”.

Officers shall avoid accepting lavish hospitality or frequent hospitality from persons having official dealings with them or from commercial firms or other organisations, the rules say.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has notified the All-India Services (Conduct) Amendment Rules, 2015.

There are around 4,802 IAS, 3,798 IPS and 2,668 IFS officers serving in the country.