Himachal govt bans 'party wear' for officials; says no political, religious comments on social media

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government has introduced a strict dress code for its employees, banning jeans, T-shirts and party wear in both offices and courts, and has also restrained them from commenting on government policies through social media platforms.

According to the detailed guidelines issued by Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, all government employees are required to wear formal, clean, and modest clothing in sober colours. The guidelines explicitly forbid casual or party wear while in the office or appearing in court.

For male employees, the dress code mandates wearing shirts and pants or trousers, specifically collared shirts paired with trousers, and appropriate footwear such as shoes or sandals.

Female employees are required to wear sarees, formal suits, salwars, churidars, or kurtas with dupattas, as well as trouser pants and shirts paired with chappals, sandals, or shoes. Jeans and T-shirts are not permitted, officials said on Wednesday.

The government said it observed instances of employees wearing casual clothing and using their personal social media accounts to share government schemes or endorse products.

The guidelines reference a letter dated August 3, 2017, which advised that, "All government servants should be attired in appropriate, formal, clean, modest and decent clothes in sober colours. Casual and party attire should be strictly avoided during appearance in court and while attending office."

Despite previous instructions, many employees are still not complying with these guidelines. This enforcement of the dress code marks a second reiteration of the government’s stance, the government said.

"The dress code aims at maintaining modesty and decorum in the services, and dress in the office shall be formal. Officers should wear formal attire to 'make them look like they are officers/officials,' and employees should also pay due attention to grooming and personal hygiene," the guidelines emphasised.

Furthermore, the guidelines advise employees against expressing opinions on government policies or schemes through personal social media accounts, as well as making political or religious statements in any public forum, blog, or other social media platform.

No official information should be disseminated to the public through personal social media handles without prior authorisation, and employees must exercise discipline in their social media use.

Employees are expected to adhere to this advice and guidance in both letter and spirit. Any violation will be taken seriously and could lead to remedial or disciplinary action against the offending employees, the guidelines cautioned.