CBDT Issues 'Broad' Guidelines for Media Interaction
GENERALLY, the two Revenue Boards, CBEC and CBDT are media shy. Their undesirable activities get undue coverage (without their help) and their good deeds rarely get any coverage. Many officers in the two departments do not consider even TIOL as media, with which information can be shared. One of the Boards used to send us all the notifications and circulars, but one day the Revenue Secretary asked them, "How is it that our notifications and circulars are published in TIOL much before we carry them in our website?" The solution they found was - they stopped sending us the notifications. I called up several officers and was told that the Revenue Secretary had banned supply of notifications to TIOL. I rang up the Revenue Secretary and asked him - WHY? He told me that all that he wanted was the notifications to be carried in the departmental website and because they could not do so, they stopped giving us those notifications.
Even now, the CBDT website does not carry the latest notifications and circulars which are available only on a private web site. Important communications are concealed in the web site http://irsofficersonline.gov.in/ which is a password protected site.
In these days of RTI and transparency, why should the Revenue Boards be shy of sharing information with the public? Are they afraid of criticism, which, after all, helps them in improving?
Now, the CBDT has released 'Broad' Guidelines for Media Interaction for the benefit of its officers.
Some of the important broad guidelines:
++ Telephonic or other informal communication with media must not be made, as the authenticity and accuracy of such interactions remains unverifiable.
++ All the press releases shall be issued by the Official Spokesperson and Media-Coordinator, CBDT with the approval of the Chairperson, CBDT.
++ The Chairperson and the Members of the Board may participate in the Panel Discussions/Talk Shows etc. on the Television and Radio Channels to present the views of the Government. They may also hold the Press Conferences/Press Briefings, whenever needed.
++ The Chairperson, CBDT shall be the Competent Authority to authorise an officer having the expertise and knowledge of the given subject to participate in the Panel Discussions/Talk Shows etc. on the Television and Radio channels and to present the views of the Government in such discussions.
++ The CIT (M&TP) shall go through the important newspapers every day and give a briefing to the Chairperson, CBDT on important issues. (Does the Board not believe in websites?)
++ The CIT (M&TP) shall issue the press releases with the approval of the Competent Authority.
CBDT should first of all try to make its notifications/circulars /instructions available to the public as soon as they are released.
Even this Circular dated 31st January 2014 is carried on the website http://irsofficersonline.gov.in/ on 5th February and is a closely guarded secret from the media.
Hopefully, these "broad " guidelines would be also be picked up by the sister Board CBEC and made narrower ! Or have they already issued one and kept it away from the prying eyes of the media?
Please see THE CO(WEB)
CBDT F. No. M&TP/CBDT/2013-14/55., Dated: January 31, 2014