Gifts

(1) Save as provided in these rules, no Government servant shall accept, or permit any member of his family or any other person acting on his behalf to accept, any gift.

EXPLANATION :- The expression "gift" shall include free transport, boarding, lodging or other service or any other pecuniary advantage when provided by any person other than a near relative or personal friend having no official dealings with the Government servant.

NOTE (1) - A casual meal, lift or other social hospitality shall not be deemed to be a gift -

NOTE (2) - A Government servant shall avoid accepting lavish hospitality or frequent hospitality from any individual, industrial or commercial firms, organisations, etc., having official dealings with him.

(2) On occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, funerals or religious functions, when the making of gift is in conformity with the prevailing religious and social practice, a Government servant may accept gifts from his near relatives or from his personal friends having no official dealings with him, but shall make a report to the Government, if the value of such gift exceeds -

(i) rupees seven thousand in the case of a Government servant holding any Group 'A' post;

(ii) rupees four thousand in the case of a Government servant holding any Group 'B' post;

(iii) rupees two thousand in the case of a Government servant holding any Group 'C' post; and

(iv) rupees one thousand in the case of a Government servant holding any Group 'D' post.

(3) In any other case, a Government servant shall not accept any gift without the sanction of the Government if the value thereof exceeds-

(i) rupees one thousand five hundred in the case of Government servants holding any Group "A" or Group "B" post; and

(ii) rupees five hundred in the case of Government servants holding any Group "C" or Group "D" post.

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rules (2) and (3), a Government servant, being a member of the Indian delegation or otherwise, may receive and retain gifts from foreign dignitaries if the market value of gifts received on one occasion does not exceed rupees one thousand. In all other cases, the acceptance and retention of such gifts shall be regulated by the instructions issued by the Government in this regard from time to time.

(5) A Government servant shall not accept any gifts from any foreign firm which is either contracting with the Government of India or is one with which the Government servant had, has or is likely to have official dealings. Acceptance of gifts by a Government servant from any other firm shall be subject to the provisions of sub-rule (3).