Under fire from the opposition for issuing guidelines to bureaucrats regarding dealing with the elected representatives, Haryana Government on Monday clarified that the guidelines are four decades old and repeated from time to time.
Rajiv Jain, media adviser to Chief Minister Manohar lal on Monday said that unnecessary political colour is being given to the simple old protocol instructions and guidelines which date back to four decades and reiterated from time to time.
While reacting to the issue of guidelines issued by the Haryana Government for Administration while dealing with the elected representatives, Jain said that the political parties have left with no issues and it is rather unfortunate that they have raked the old guidelines to make a public issue.
The Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions keep issuing guidelines from time to time on official dealings between the administration and MPs and MlAs. And certain well-recognized principles and conventions governing the relations between MPs and MlAs and government servants, have already been established, he said.
Jain said, MPs and MlAs, as accredited representatives of the people, occupy a very important place in our democratic set-up. In connection with their duties, they often find it necessary to seek information from ministries or departments, of the Government of India or the state government- or make suggestions for their consideration or ask for interviews with officers, he added.
Under the guidelines issued, an officer should be meticulously correct and courteous and rise to receive and see an MP/ MlA visiting them. MPs of the area should invariably be invited to public functions organized by a government office.
The officers should not ignore telephonic messages left for them by an MP/ MlA in their absence, and should try to contact at the earliest. These instructions also include SMS and emails received on official mobile phones which also should be replied to promptly, and on priority.
Jain said the Central Secretariat Manual Office Procedure provided certain instructions for prompt disposal of letters from MPs. Any communication received from an MP should be attended to promptly.
The government servants should show courtesy and consideration to MPs/ MlAs. While government servants should consider carefully or listen patiently to what MPs and MlAs may have to say, the government servant should always act according to his own judgment, and as per the rules, Jain added.