Jammu Tawi, March 24:
Jammu Kashmir Administration today reminded its employees and officials to keep their minds and mouths shut on social media or in public. Government employees have been warned to refrain from any utterance, writing or otherwise discussing or criticising in public or in any meeting of association or body any policy pursued or action taken by the Government nor shall he in any manner participate in any such discussion or criticism.
An official circular 09-JK(GAD) dated 24.03.2023, reiterating the detailed guidelines, the employees are cautioned that they have been straight-jacketed with Sub-rule (3) of Rule 13 and Rule 18 of Jammu and Kashmir Employees Conduct Rules, 1971 and they are barred to utter anything that can embarrass the government.
The official communication has said that while using different social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. or Instant Messaging applications like WhatsApp, Telegram etc., employees have been seen to air disparaging views on subjects that they are expressly barred under rules to comment upon. Employees have been seen to comment or act or behave in a manner that does not conform to the acceptable standards of official conduct, as envisaged in the aforementioned guidelines and the rules.
The action may have disheartened the employees, the public reaction, however, is otherwise welcoming. In a first-hand welcoming reaction, Navdeep Seth a resident of Sainik Colony said, “Many of this privileged lot that has been bestowed by ample bounties from the public exchequer, without any accountability to people, still indulge into many anti-government, anti-social and even anti-national activities within the realm of social media and in their routine interactions. Now at least, such a section of employees have to part with their personal freedom of being social on social media and their field activities”.
Sarwar Hussain, a resident of Bhatindi went a step ahead by saying, “Far better, it would have if the government tamed the privileged lot for their insensitivity towards the public service, who otherwise seems to care less for the public work and prefer instead to be led by their noses. Surely, much of the blame for the turmoil the distraught commoner is being put through can be placed at the doorstep of this pampered lot. When the huge population of the country find their survival at stake, they still enjoy what could be deemed the best deal: Job security.
Employees are reminded of various penalties to be imposed on them in case of any such violation of the guidelines that included (i) Censure; (ii) fine not exceeding one month's pay; (iii) Withholding of increments and/or promotion; (iv) reduction to a lower post and/or a lower time-scale and/or to a lower stage in time-scale; (v) recovery from the pay of the whole or part of any pecuniary loss caused to Government by negligence or breach of orders; (vi) Premature retirement on proportionate pension other than that specified in rule 226 (2) of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Service Regulations. (vii) Removal from the service of the State which does not disqualify from future employment; (viii) dismissal from the service of the State which ordinarily disqualifies from future employment.
