Himachal issues restraining order to stop employees from protesting
Faced by employees’ protests for past many days, the Himachal Pradesh government on Friday issued a “controversial “restraining order warning government servants of tough action if they take part in protests
Faced by employees’ protests for the past many days, the Himachal Pradesh government on Friday issued a “controversial “restraining order warning government servants of tough action if they take part in such demonstrations.
The order was issued by chief secretary Ram Subhag Singh to all department heads and deputy commissioners of the district for strict compliance.
“Instances have come to the notice of the government whereby various categories of the employees/ workers functioning under the state government have been indulging in strikes, demonstrations and protests without agitating their grievances in appropriate fora, states the ordered.
It is observed that often there is forcible confinement of public servants as demonstrations/ meetings are being held both within the office premises during office hours and also outside the office premises beyond office hours and measures like pen-down strikes, mass casual leave were being adopted.
“Such acts are prejudicial to the public order and also involve criminal offences like wrongful restraint, wrongful confinement, criminal trespass or abetment/ incitement to commit offences, states the order.
They are also subversive of discipline, harmful to the public interest and cause inconvenience to the general public and sometimes damage to the public property, it added.
It states that such activities amount to misconduct is unbecoming of a government servant, and would constitute good and sufficient reason to proceed against under the Rule-11 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965.
Moreover, during the period when the assembly session is in progress and there is a general ban on leave and government servants are required to assist in the transaction of legislative business, such instances are not short of gross indiscipline, insubordination and dereliction of official duties, it added.
Accordingly, if any employee or group/ association of employees indulge in any form of strike/ demonstration/boycott of work intend to so, the same be viewed seriously and stringent disciplinary action initiated forthwith for contravention of Rule 3 and 7 of CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 and the salary/ wages/ emoluments of such employees for the day/ days in question should also not be released.