BS Yediyurappa govt proposes new rules to penalise erring staff

A government employee found guilty of sexual harassment will face “reduction to a lower post” as penalty, whereas someone misappropriating public money will compulsorily retire. Indulging in dowry practice will lead to removal from service.

These and more are the penalties erring employees will face as Karnataka has proposed a new way to deal with misconduct and misbehaviour.

The Karnataka Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) (Amendment) Rules, 2020, is out for scrutiny and the government has invited objections from the public.

The proposed rules seek to classify penalties as ‘minor’ and ‘major’ for 24 types of offences an employee may commit in service.

Minor penalties are: fine (for Group-D employees), censure, withholding promotion, recovering loss created due to negligence or breach of orders and reduction in the basic pay (only for a specified period). The major penalties are reduction in the basic pay with cumulative effect, withholding annual increments with cumulative effect, demotion, compulsory retirement, removal and dismissal from service.

“This is the first time penalties have been put in the rules,” a senior official from the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms (DPAR) said. “Right now, deciding the nature of the penalty is left to the officers concerned.”

But the penalties are laced with many conditions. Take sexual harassment for instance. The penalty indicated is “reduction to a lower post”, or a demotion. The employee's pay scale will be fixed to the post he is lowered to, but the person’s seniority will remain the same. After the penalty period expires, the employee will be entitled for “automatic restoration to the original post from which he was reduced by protecting his seniority as if the penalty was not imposed.”

Similarly, an employee removed from service will not be disqualified for appointment to the civil services in the future. Only dismissal from service will disqualify the person from becoming a civil servant.