Prime Minister Imran Khan approved the Civil Servants (E&D) Rules-2020, on Wednesday, under the government’s policy of institutional reforms to improve the performance of bureaucracy and state institutions.
According to a senior official of the Prime Minister Office (PMO), the aim of these rules is to ensure transparent and effective internal accountability of bureaucrats and bring efficiency and discipline in their service.
Under the new rules, inquiry against government officials will have to be decided within 90 days.
For the first time, plea bargain and voluntary return have been included in the definition of misconduct and the civil servants involved in them shall now be proceeded against.
One of the main features of the rules is that in case of inquiry, the case will be heard by the ‘authority’, ‘inquiry officer’ or a ‘committee’ instead of any ‘authorized officer’ who was assigned to decide the issue.
The authority will now have to decide the case in 30 days.
According to the new rules, in case of Pakistan Administration Service and Police Service of Pakistan officers posted in provinces, a 2-month timeline has been provided to the chief secretary to submit a fact-finding report, failing which the Establishment Division can proceed on its own.
