Under the amended conduct rules for government servants, the babus of Group A to D services in Bihar, as well as judicial officers, cannot consume liquor even outside the State. Earlier, the conduct rules required them not to drink liquor while on duty in public places all across the State. Now, the State Cabinet has amended the Bihar Government Services Conduct Rules, 1976, and approved the new Bihar Judicial Officers Conduct Rules, 2017. “Earlier, there was no rule for judicial officers under the new Bihar State Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016,” said the Principal State Cabinet Secretary Brajesh Mehrotra.
Last Monday, a citizen who was invited to the Chief Minister’s weekly Lok Samvad (public interaction) programme asked Nitish Kumar why no bureaucrats or high-ranking police officials had been caught under the new prohibition law even though many of them are known to be drinkers.
Sources at the programme told The Hindu that it was an embarrassing moment for top bureaucrats present there.
Stringent reach
“The amended rules may be its fallout,” a senior Indian Administrative Service officer told The Hindu . The amended service conduct rules are applicable even to officials on deputation to the Centre or other State, or even overseas. “Salary cuts, stopping increments, suspension or even dismissal from service will be taken on the basis of evidence,” said the officer. However, informed sources told The Hindu , “The violation of conduct rules is not a penal offence, but departmental proceedings and actions could be taken. Moreover, the amended rules can always be challenged in the courts.”
Over 26,000 people have been arrested after the new prohibition law, described by many as ‘stringent’ and ‘Talibani’, came into force from April 5, 2016.
Recently, the State government said it would construct jails and increase the capacity of prison facilities to accommodate those arrested under the new rules.
