Don't Deny Vigilance Clearance to suspected Officers due for Promotion - Suspend them
DOPT has issued instructions pertaining to vigilance clearance for promotion. Vigilance clearance for promotion may be denied only in the following three circumstances:-
(i) Government servants under suspension;
(ii) Government servants in respect of whom a charge sheet has been issued and the disciplinary proceedings are pending; and
(iii) Government servants in respect of whom prosecution for a criminal charge is pending.
DOPT reiterates that vigilance clearance cannot be denied on the grounds of pending disciplinary/criminal/court case against a Government servant, if the three conditions mentioned above are not satisfied. The legally tenable and objective procedure in such cases would be to strengthen the administrative vigilance in each Department and to provide for processing the disciplinary cases in a time bound manner. If the charges against a Government servant are grave enough and whom Government does not wish to promote, it is open to the Government to suspend such an officer and expedite the disciplinary proceedings.
DOPT F.No.22034/4/2012 -Estt. (D) Dated; November 02 2012