The Delhi government has warned senior officers against proceeding on leave without prior permission, directing them to inform the Chief Minister and the ministers concerned before taking any leave, including casual leave.
An order issued by Services Secretary Nandini Paliwal on Wednesday said earlier instructions on leave were not being followed and that the matter had been viewed seriously by the Chief Minister. The Services Department has now reiterated the directions for additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and heads of departments.
Under the reiterated instructions, officers at the rank of head of department and above must send copies of their leave applications to the Secretary to the Chief Minister. The department has warned that failure to comply will be viewed adversely and could invite action.
The directive places the leave process for senior officials within a broader chain of administrative communication involving the Chief Minister’s Office, ministers and departmental heads. These officers oversee government departments and are responsible for implementing decisions, responding to public issues and coordinating day-to-day administration.
Officials cited in the report described unauthorised leave by senior officers as a “chronic” issue despite repeated directions. The latest order does not introduce a new category of leave, but restates the requirement that senior officers obtain approval and communicate their leave plans before being absent from duty.
Earlier directions had required additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and heads of departments to inform the Chief Minister and ministers concerned before proceeding on leave. The latest instruction also extends the reporting requirement in operational terms by requiring copies of leave applications from officers of the rank of head of department and above to be sent to the Secretary to the Chief Minister.
The department’s warning makes non-compliance subject to possible action, although the order as reported does not specify the nature of the action or lay out a revised disciplinary procedure. It also does not state how many officers or departments have been affected by unauthorised leave.
Last year, some departments were instructed to seek leave through WhatsApp, indicating that the administration had previously attempted to formalise and speed up communication around leave applications. The latest reiteration keeps the focus on prior permission and notification to the top political and administrative offices.
The order leaves the immediate implementation of the directions with the Services Department and the concerned departments. Senior officers will be required to follow the stated approval and reporting process before proceeding on any leave.
