TN amends rules preventing govt servants to appear for inquiry without intimation

CHENNAI: The state government has amended the Tamil Nadu Government Servants' Conduct Rules preventing government servants from appearing for inquiry or producing official documents before such inquiry conducted by a person, committee or authority appointed by state or central governments.

According to a GO issued by Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena on November 8, the government has amended rule 13 of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants' Conduct Rules 1973 pertaining to evidence before any committee or any authority. According to the amended sub rules (3) of rule 13 of the 1973 Act, when evidence is given by a government servant at an inquiry conducted by any person, committee or authority appointed by the state or central government, he or she shall attend such inquiry only when a written notice or summon is served on him and after giving intimation thereof to the appropriate authority.

The government servant appearing for the inquiry could also produce or give any official documents to that person, committee or authority only after getting the prior permission of the appropriate authority. In simple terms, no government shall, except with the previous sanction of the government, give evidence in connection with any inquiry conducted by any person, committee or authority. Also, when any sanction has been accorded under sub rule (1), no government servant giving such evidence shall criticize the policy or any action of the central government or of a state government.

The amendment comes at a time when a controversy erupted over a highly ranked PWD officer appearing and deposing before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged sand smuggling scam.