Jammu: General Administration Department (GAD) Tuesday ordered all the administrative departments to “upload the legacy data of all the Regular Departmental Action (RDA) cases” received from it (GAD) or the investigating agencies against public servants on its online portal within a month.
“Besides, fresh cases shall be uploaded by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the departments on the portal as the case may be,” it further directed.
GAD Commissioner Secretary Sanjeev Verma, through a circular, also directed the administrative departments to review the progress of pending RDA cases on regular intervals for swift disposal of the cases.
This portal, developed by GAD, was launched on August 26, 2023 by the Chief Secretary Dr Arun K Mehta with an objective to “streamline the procedure laid down for conducting departmental proceedings and to monitor progress for enforcing adherence to the prescribed timelines” vis-à-vis Regular Departmental Action cases initiated against public servants.
The portal contains electronic data related to RDA cases in digitized format with a unique ID which will be accessible to all the concerned departments or disciplinary authorities, with an overall real time monitoring of the cases by the General Administration Department. It can be accessed on https://rda.jk.gov.in.
“Detailed guidelines for institution of Regular Departmental Action and timelines for conducting the same have been issued from time to time, latest in this series issued vide Circular No 24-JK(GAD) of 2021 dated July 17, 2021. However, it has been noticed that the guidelines as well as the timelines are not being followed by departments, resulting into protracted delay in the conclusion of the cases. The delay in finalization of departmental proceedings leads to undue advantage or harassment to the charged official. Such delays on one hand help the guilty officials in evading penalty, while unwarranted delays prolong the agony of the officials, against whom proceedings may not sustain and are finally exonerated,” GAD Commissioner Secretary explained the rationale behind developing this portal and latest set of instructions issued for administrative departments.
Pursuant to verifications, joint surprise checks, FIRs, preliminary enquiries, etc. conducted by Investigating Agencies viz., Anti-Corruption Bureau, Crime Branch etc., the recommendations for institution of Regular Departmental Action against public servants are received in the General Administration Department.
After examination of such cases in the General Administration Department, the cases are referred to concerned departments for initiating Regular Departmental Action against public servants in terms of relevant provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956 and extant circular instructions. Apart from this, departments, on their own, also initiate RDAs against its employees, who are found to have violated service conduct rules.
“The portal provides a window for referral of cases from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to the General Administration Department and their further referral to the concerned departments. It also provides a window for uploading RDA cases initiated by the departments on their own. The portal shall work as a channel for communication with respect to RDA cases between the GAD and the departments, as also between GAD and ACB,” Verma stated.
According to him, the portal contains templates of draft charge-sheets; order for appointment of Inquiry Officer; relevant notices; circulars; guidelines etc. for aiding in conduct of the departmental proceedings. Consistent with the timelines prescribed for various stages of departmental proceedings till the conclusion of RDA cases, the portal has a unique feature to generate alerts, wherever any requisite stage of proceedings exceeds the prescribed timeline.
“This will be an aid in ensuring strict adherence of the prescribed timelines by the concerned authorities towards timely conclusion of the RDA cases. In case of deviation or delay at any stage of the proceedings, responsibilities shall be fixed upon the concerned, who shall be liable for action as warranted under rules,” Verma cautioned.
In this connection, he directed the administrative departments to nominate a Nodal Officer, not below the rank of Deputy Secretary, who would be responsible for uploading of cases and their progress at various stages of proceedings, regular monitoring of the cases, liaisoning with the General Administration Department, besides other issues relating to RDAs.
“Each department shall be provided with two login IDs; one for Nodal Officer and another for the Disciplinary Authority. The Disciplinary Authority in the Department shall have an access for monitoring of the cases on a real time basis,” the circular mentioned.
