Gandhinagar, Dec 28 (IANS) The Gujarat government will review its rules which permit a maximum of 380 days for concluding a departmental inquiry against an employee, an official indicated here Tuesday.
The indication was based on an undertaking given by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Balwant Singh before the Gujarat High Court Monday.
Singh told the court that the government would review a resolution of 1993, which set the 380 day maximum limit for completing a departmental inquiry.
He said the government would consider the court’s suggestion to reduce the maximum limit of time allowed for concluding an inquiry.
The official’s assurance came after the court termed as ‘unacceptable’ the delay in a departmental inquiry against officers accused of siphoning off funds meant to be paid as compensation to the 2002 riot victims.
Singh appeared in court to clarify the delay in the departmental inquiry.
Earlier, a government circular allowing an upper limit of 380 days in departmental inquiry was produced before the court. But the court asked the top home department official to appear before it.
Chief Justice S.J. Mukhopadhya told Singh that the time permissible as per the circular was much more than needed to conclude a departmental inquiry.
The chief justice suggested that the government should reconsider the limit to conclude a departmental inquiry.
The court was hearing a case involving alleged siphoning off of funds meant for victims of the 2002 riots by eight officers of the Panchmahal district.
The government took action against them after a public interest litigation was filed in the court.
The next hearing is slated for Feb 15.
