Vigilance- Frequently Asked Questions

1.What is Vigilance?

Ans-Keeping a watch to maintain the integrity of employees in an organization.

2. What are Vigilance  Activities?
Ans.- Preventive, Examination  of procedures to  remove loop holes, Regular and surprise   inspections,      Monitoring the activities of the  employees through returns, Detective, Investigation  of complaints or any  other  information regarding Irregularities, Punitive and Punishment  to the guilty.

3.- What are the articles  of the Constitution  of India which concerns  a government servants? 

Ans.-   Article  309 - Recruitment and conditions of service of persons serving the Union or State                           
   Article 310- Tenure of office of persons serving the Union or a State          
   Article 311 -  Dismissal, removal or reduction in rank of persons employed in civil capacities     
   under the Union or a state 

   Article 320 - Functions of Public Service Commission.

4.-Who  is authorized to frame  rules to regulate the  recruitment and conditions  of service of Central  Government Employees?

Ans.- The  President

5.- Name  the two essential features  of the inquiry provided  in Article 311. 

Ans.- The  Government servant has to be informed  of charges and  given reasonable opportunity to defend himself.

6.- What  is the full form  of CCS (CCA) Rules?
Ans:- Central  Civil Services (Classification, Control and  Appeal) Rules.

7:- In  which year the CCS  (CCA) Rules were framed? 
Ans-:-1965

8.What  is suspension ?
Ans:- The act of  officially removing some body from their job  for a period of time.

9:- Is  suspension a punishment? 
Ans:- No.  The purpose is to facilitate proper inquiry.

10:- Can  advance for procurement  of a conveyance be  given to a Govt  servant under suspension? 
Ans:-No.

11:-  Who is the authority  can  impose a penalty on  a Govt. Servant?
Ans:- The  Disciplinary Authority.

12:- Name the authority who can impose any penalty on  any govt servant?
Ans:- The  President

13:- When is Central Vigilance Commission to be consulted

Ans:- When  Group A  gazetted  officer is involved and there  is a vigilance angle

(i)  corruption,  cheating,   bribery,  misappropriation,   fraud and lack  of integrity; 
           (ii)  Abuse of official power/authority for self gain or for anyone else; 
           (iii) Substantial loss to government as a result of grave/ deliberate negligence or indulgence in nepotism;
           (iv)  Possession of disproportionate assets.
           (v)   Flagrant violation of  rules/ regulations/ procedures

14:- What  are the two stages  at which CVC is  consulted? 
Ans:- (i) The first stage advice – Commission indicates the action to be taken against the Government servant, whose conduct has been investigated.  
(ii)  The second stage advice – Commission considers the report of the Inquiry officer and advises the disciplinary authority about the penalty to be imposed.

15:- Can   an enquiry be conducted in respect of retired Govt. servant for an act done  by him during any  period of his service?

Ans:-  Proceedings  can be initiated after retirement

         Only with the sanction of the President

         Only in respect of any event which took place within four years of such institution

16:- Which  minor penalty cannot  be imposed unless oral  inquiry has been conducted? 
Ans:-Withholding of increments for more than three years or with cumulative effect or effecting pension.

17:- Which  penalty results in the  forfeiture of the past  service? 

Ans:- Removal  or Dismissal

18:- What  is the name of  the allowance given  to a Govt servant  under suspension. Which  Fundamental Right guarantees  that? 

Ans:- Subsistence  Allowance, Article 21 (Part III of the Constitution)

19:- Which  deductions are not permitted  from the subsistence  allowance? 
Ans:- Income  tax, House Rent, Electricity  & water charges,  installments of repayment  of loans and advances,  if necessary at revised  rates, CGHS contribution and contributions towards  CGE Group Insurance  Scheme shall be deducted  from the subsistence  allowance.   Premium  due to PLI, amount  due to cooperative societies  and refund of GPF  advance can be deducted  with the CONSENT of  the Govt. servant. Subscriptions  to GPF, amount due  on court attachments  and recovery of loss  caused to the Govt  cannot be deducted from  the subsistence allowance.

20:- Which are the cases, where  no appeal is permissible ?

Ans:- Any  order made by the  President.

      Any order of interlocutory nature or in the nature of step-in-aid of the final disposal of a disciplinary proceeding other than an order of suspension.

    Any order passed by an Inquiry Officer during the course of inquiry. (However, an appeal can be submitted against an order of IO rejecting request for engagement of a Defence Assistant from some outstation.)

21:- What  is the period of  limitation for filing  an appeal against an  order of penalty? 
Ans:- 45  days

22:- Is the disciplinary  framework of government  lays down control only  on employees? 
Ans:- No.  Employees do enjoy certain protection. Enough care  is taken to see that undue hardship  is not caused to the employee  and his  / her family members.

23:- What  are some of the  positive elements Employee  comes across in the  various provisions governing  the service conditions?

Ans:- Application  of Principles of Natural Justice, Protection under Article 311, Grant of Subsistence Allowance and

Entitlement after death etc.

24:-What are Minor penalties?

 Ans:- Censure, Withholding of Promotion, Recovery from Pay of whole or part of any pecuniary loss caused by him to the Government by negligence or breach of orders etc, Reduction to lower stage in the time-scale of pay for a period not exceeding three years, without cumulative effect and not affecting his pension Withholding of  increments

25:-What are Major penalties?

Ans:-Cases  which call for major  penalty i.e Reduction to a lower stage in the time scale of pay, Reduction to a lower time-scale of grade, post or service, Compulsory Retirement, Removal from service and Dismissal from service.

25:- What  is suspension in the eye of Administration? 

Ans:- An administrative action for debarring a Govt  servant from his powers and duties. Temporary deprivation of office pending regular disciplinary proceedings. Relationship of servant and master does not end. All conditions of service continue to apply. No reduction in rank. Lien also retained. It is not treated a penalty and appeal can be preferred.

26:- When  can a Govt servant  be suspended?  
Ans:-  When  a disciplinary proceeding  is contemplated or pending  against him

• When in the opinion of the competent authority, he has engaged himself in activities prejudicial to the interest of the security of the state
• When a case against him in respect of any criminal offence is under investigation, inquiry or trial

When he is involved in dowry death and case is registered under section 304(B) of IPC he shall be suspended as soon as he is arrested, irrespective of the period of detention, or as soon as the charge sheet is filed against him,whichever is earlier.

27:- Circumstances  which justify suspension .

Ans:-When  the Govt servant is  likely to hamper the  proceedings e.g. tempering  with the evidence

·         When his continuation in office is likely to affect office discipline

·         When he is involved in a scandal and it is necessary to demonstrate Govt’s intention to deal firmly with the situation

·         When his continuation in office is against public interest

28:-What is  Administrative  effects during suspension .

Ans:- Govt  servant is not supposed  to attend office or  mark attendance. Entry  card is withdrawn.

• Scooter or car advance cannot be granted.
• HBA can be granted.
• Govt servant can function as Defence Assistant
• Leave cannot be granted.
• LTC can be granted only to the family members.
• Govt servant retains lien on his post.

           Govt servant cannot be sent on training, deputation etc

• Permission  for Voluntary retirement  during suspension can  be denied by the  competent authority.
• On attaining the age of superannuation the suspended Govt servant will be retired. Subsistence allowance shall stop. He will be paid only provisional pension.
• Leave encashment can be withheld if there is possibility of some money becoming recoverable as a result of the proceedings.
• Permission can be given to appear in Departmental Examination, but promotion will be considered only after finalisaiton of the proceedings.

29:-What is Revocation  of suspension ?

Ans:-Suspension  remains in force till  it is revoked. Order can be revoked at any time by the competent authority.

Suspension automatically comes to an end if penalty of dismissal, removal or compulsory retirement from service is imposed.

In case of death during suspension, it is presumed that there was no suspension at all and full pay and allowances are to be paid.

30:- What Action is done after reinstatement?
Ans:-An  order for regularisation of period of  suspension has to be issued. The period has to be treated as duty if the suspension was wholly unjustified.

• An order regarding pay and allowances payable for the period of suspension has also to be issued. Full pay and allowances may be given if the suspension was wholly unjustified.