Mum’s the word, govt warns top officials

In the official circular issued today — perhaps the first such written direction — Subramanian, has threatened to invoke the provisions of the Maharashtra Civil Service (Discipline) Rules and All India Civil Service (Discipline) Rules against its employees giving “unauthorised” information to press.

“There is absolutely no check on top officials. They release secret information to the media resulting in adverse publicity of the alliance government. Since there is a need to arrest such practices, it is essential to invoke the provisions of disciplinary rules,” a senior official told The Indian Express.The government’s action is believed to have been prompted by several `leaks’ in the recent past. The content of a letter written by the Chief Minister to his cabinet colleagues on the abysmal financial situation of the state, the subsequent directive of the finance department on readjustment of plan outlay (both reported by The Indian Express) and a cabinet note on the textile policy had made headlines in the newspapers to the consternation of the government.

“It has been observed that a section of the top officials release information to the media on major policy issues. On occasions, it has been found that their statements have put the government in a fix,” Subramanian says in the circular.

Reminding his colleagues that section 8 of the Maharashtra Civil Service (Discipline) Rules 1979 and section 9 of the All India Civil Service (Discipline) Rules 1968, restrain officials as well as employees from releasing unauthorised information to the media, Subramanian charts out a virtual code of conduct for bureaucrats:

* No government official should make an adverse statement on the policy of the state government or the government of India, or a statement that will strain the relations between the state government and the centre or the relations between India and any foreign country.

* Officials or employees should not use the media to redress their personal grievances. An official can make a statement only if he/she has been authorised to do so or it is part of their duty.

“All officials and employees are hereby directed to adhere to the discipline rules, failing which a serious cognisance will be taken by the government,” he warns.

In fact soon after he took over the charge of the Chief Secretary, Subramanian had expressed strong displeasure over the tendency of a section of the senior officials to approach the members of the fourth estate to redress their personal grievances. Then Subramanian had taken the view that in a democratic set up, addressing the media was the prerogative of a cabinet member and that bureaucrat should operate from behind the scene. “The bureaucrat should neither be seen nor heard,” Subramanian had remarked.

For the alliance government the fear of bureaucracy being loyal to the erstwhile Congress government has yet not faded out after two and a half years of Shivshahi. A BJP minister said: “The lapses during the erstwhile Congress governments were more serious, and yet the media is critical about our style of functioning,” hinting that the leaks were from those officials still loyal to the Congress.