Come to Office on Time and don't leave early; don't leave hqrs without permission - CBDT tells officers
SOME government officers are never late twice in the day in the office. If they come late to the office in the morning, they leave early in the evening! For some the five day week is effectively a four day week. Go to any office on a Friday evening; you will find more than half the office empty - babus have already gone for their weekend. Repeat your visit on Monday morning and you will find the same empty offices - babus are yet to reach after the weekend.
In our Revenue offices, they give personal hearing at 10 O' clock and till 11.30, nobody reaches offices. Counsel and assessees are condemned to wait in dingy verandas.
The CBDT came to know about this situation recently. The Board in a letter to the Principal Chief Commissioners and Principal DGs stated:
- It has been brought to the notice of the Board that some officers/staff of the income Tax Department are leaving their stations/headquarters early on Fridays, during weekend and holidays, and joining their duties late on next working day.
- It is further noticed that many a time no permission is being taken from the superior controlling authorities before leaving station/headquarters as required under the rules.
- Apart from disturbing decorum and office discipline, this practise of leaving stations/headquarters by the officers /staff without prior permission and not observing the office timings, is causing inconvenience to the taxpayers and members of public who visit income tax offices in connection with their tax matters either by prior appointment or otherwise.
- This has been viewed adversely by the Chairperson, CBDT.
- Failure to obtain permission of competent authority before leaving station/headquarters is to be viewed seriously and may entail disciplinary action.
- All cadre controlling Pr, Chief Commissioners of Income Tax /Pr. Directors general of Income Tax are requested to instruct all the officers and staff working in offices under their cadre control to refrain from leaving their station /headquarters without prior permission and to strictly observe the prescribed office timings.
- Necessary instructions may be issued to all field formations in this regard for strict compliance under intimation to the Board immediately.
For the field formations, receiving such instructions is not a new phenomenon. A similar one was issued last August also. See DDT 2422. But does anyone bother? And the height of compliance is sending a ‘Nil' report in the matter. After all, Instructions are meant to be issued for issuance sake - also see DDT 2533, 2625.