The Delhi government has tightened leave rules for senior officials, requiring additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and department heads to inform the Chief Minister and the ministers in charge before taking any leave, including casual leave. Non-compliance could invite strict action.
The directive was issued by Service Secretary Nandini Paliwal on Wednesday after the government observed that existing instructions on leave were not being followed. The matter was taken seriously by the Chief Minister, according to the order reported by Jagran – New Delhi.
Under earlier instructions issued by the government, the competent authority, identified in the report as the Lieutenant Governor, had directed all additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and heads of departments to provide prior information to the Chief Minister and the ministers responsible for their departments before proceeding on leave.
The Service Department has now told senior officials to follow the instructions strictly. A copy of every leave application submitted by a department head or an officer of a higher rank will also be sent to the Chief Minister’s Secretary, the report said.
The order covers every type of leave, including casual leave. Officials must therefore complete the prescribed process before being absent from duty rather than informing the government only after leave has begun. The government has warned that failure to follow the direction will lead to strict action.
The issue concerns the functioning of departments that handle major public services and administrative responsibilities. The report quoted officials as saying that senior officers going on leave without prior information had become a serious concern and that regular instructions had been issued on the matter.
The latest direction follows an earlier episode involving departments under the Delhi government. Last year, the office of Cabinet Minister Ashish Sood instructed officials in the Home, Education, Higher Education, Urban Development and Power departments to seek leave through WhatsApp. That instruction followed instances in which officials were found to be taking leave without prior notice or without informing the government through WhatsApp on the day of their absence.
The new process places the Chief Minister’s office and the relevant ministerial offices within the information chain for leave applications by the most senior departmental officials. The government’s next step, as specified in the directive, is to enforce prior notice, circulate copies of applications to the Chief Minister’s Secretary and take action in cases of non-compliance.
