GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU

Personnel and Administrative Reforms (A) Department,
Secretariat,
Chennai-600 009.

Letter No.53140/A/2003-1  dated  2.12.2003

From

Tmt. Lakshmi Pranesh, I.A.S.,
Chief Secretary to Government

To

All Secretaries to Government, Chennai-9

All Departments of Secretariat, Chennai-9

All Heads of Departments

All District Collectors, District Judges and District Judicial Magistrates

The Registrar, High Court, Chennai-104.

The Registrar, Tamil Nadu Administrative Tribunal, Chennai-104.

The Secretary, Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission, Chennai-2.

Sir,

Sub:  Tamil Nadu Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1973 - Prohibition of Government Servants  from convening and participating in "Katta Panchayats" - Instructions Issued.

........

Rule 20(1) of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants  Conduct Rules lays down that "every member of the service shall at all times maintain absolute integrity and devotion to duty and shall do nothing which is unbecoming of a member of service". 

2.  The "katta panchayat"   has no legal sanctity and the punishments imposed by it are not enforceable under Law.  It is really a challenge to the legally established courts.  Conducting of katta panchayats may sometimes result in violation  of human rights which may result in ill-treatment of people particularly in the lower strata of society.  The involvement of  Government   servants in such katta panchayats may embolden  the katta panchayats in imposing severe and corporal punishments on the victims.    In these circumstances, the involvement of Government servants in  "katta panchayats has to be considered a violation of the above said rule 20 of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants Conduct Rules.

3. The Government have, therefore, decided that the Government servants should neither participate nor heed to the decision of the "katta panchayats" and that suitable instructions  be issued in this regard. 

4. Accordingly, the Government direct  that  the Government servants should not involve themselves in organising / convening / taking part in the "katta panchayats".  Any violation of this instruction should be viewed seriously  and necessary disciplinary action taken against the persons concerned  for such violation.  The Government also direct that these instructions should be brought to the notice of all the subordinate offices functioning under the control of the Heads of Department and District Collectors.

5.  All the Departments of Secretariat are requested to issue similar   instructions  to   the  Public  Sector   Undertakings  / Boards / Corporations and all other aided institutions under their administrative control for its strict adherence.

Yours faithfully,

for  Chief Secretary to Government

Copy to

The Secretaries to Hon'ble Chief Minister, Chennai-9

The Private Secretary to Chief Secretary, Chennai-9.

The Private Secretary to Secretary to Government,

Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, Chennai-9

The Private Secretary to Secretary to Government,

Personnel and Administrative Reforms (Training) Department, Chennai-9

The Public (Law and Order ) Department, Chennai-9.

The Finance (BPE) Department, Chennai-9.

All the Officers in Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, Chennai-9

All the Sections in Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, Chennai-9