Stop Sifarish Culture: Govt Issues Memorandum To Officials Seeking Political Help For Inter-Cadre Transfers

The central government has taken a serious view of its officials taking political help while seeking inter-cadre transfers. It has issued a memorandum underlining that such acts violate the existing rules and can invite strict action.

In an office memorandum issued on December 3, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) stated that government officials have been putting in numerous inter-cadre transfer requests to attached or outstation offices of various ministries and departments on personal or medical grounds, News18 reported.

It said the requests are being received from government officials in the grade of Assistant Section Officers (ASOs) in the Central Secretariat Service (CSS), one of the central civil services.

It further said the requests of ASOs were being forwarded on several occasions by ministers, Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha MPs, or other designated authorities for their "favourable consideration".

The memorandum also stated such conduct is a violation of Rule 20 of CCS (Conduct Rules), 1964, which states that no government employee shall bring or attempt to bring any political or other outside influence to bear upon any superior authority to further his interests in respect of matters of his service under the government.

"The competent authority has taken a serious view in the matter. It is informed that all such acts will invite disciplinary action as per extant rules, in all cases," the memorandum stated.

'Sifarish Culture' Rampant In All Governments

According to senior bureaucrats, seeking political intervention for transfers and postings is rampant in all governments, from junior to senior civil servants, even as the rules explicitly say otherwise.

They said that many of these requests from political figures come verbally and are not necessarily put on paper.

KBS Sidhu, a Punjab-cadre IAS officer of the 1984 batch, who recently retired as Punjab special chief secretary, said that a similar rule in the All India Services Rules has existed since inception.

"However, it is honoured more in the breach than in the observance," he told News18.

Sidhu explained that the objective of this provision is to ensure that a civil servant does not compromise his neutrality and objectivity by getting to canvass the support of elected representatives or other political personalities.

"While MPs/MLAs may sometimes give their written recommendations, but the telephonic "sifarish" culture is the most common. Also, those rare but important cases where they seek a personal conference with the decision-making authority to put forth their "personal" recommendation," he said.

He further said the latest DoPT circular may deter meek ones but may not end a widespread practice.

Also Read: Delhi HC's Justice Pratibha Singh Makes It To Top 50 Most Influential People Judges List