Evidence before Committee or any other authority

10. Evidence before Committee or any other authority

(1) Save as provided in sub-rule (3), no Government servant shall, except with the previous sanction of the Government, give evidence in connection with any enquiry conducted by any person, committee or authority.

(2) Where any sanction has been accorded under sub-rule (1), no Government servant giving such evidence shall criticise the policy or any action of the Central Government or of a State Government.

(3) Nothing in this rule shall apply to-

(a) evidence given at an enquiry before an authority appointed by the Government, Parliament or a State Legislature; or

(b) evidence given in any judicial enquiry; or

(c) evidence given at any departmental enquiry ordered by authorities subordinate to the Government.

Government of India Instructions

(1) Tendering of evidence before the fourth Central Pay Commission

Among Secretariat officers of the Central Government, Secretaries may, if they so desire give their personal views in the light of their own knowledge and experience. Other Secretariat officers, i.e., Additional, Joint, Deputy or Under Secretaries as well as Heads of Departments may also be permitted by Government to give evidence orally or in writing to the Pay Commission on matters coming within their respective spheres of work. Such officers should, however, obtain the prior permission of Government before they appear before the Commission.

The above procedure will not apply to Government servants who appear before the Pay Commission on behalf of service associations. They may do so without the prior permission of Government, if so authorized by the Service Associations whom they represent.

There is no objection to individual Government servants submitting Memoranda etc. to the Pay Commission, in their individual capacity, provided that individual grievances will not be put to the Commission.

[D.P. & A.R. OM No. 11013/16/83-Estt. (A), dated 16.11.1983]