Suspension a punishment or reward? A curious paradox!

GUWAHATI, Oct 6: Is suspension of an employee of the Assam Government a punishment or a reward? A curious paradox!

In accordance with the standing rules, suspended officials can draw 75 per cent of their salaries without having to render any services to the government till their reinstatement or dismissal, as the case may be. As often as not, it is seen that many suspended officials draw 75 per cent of their salaries year in, year out without having to render any services to the Government. This is not all. When such officials are reinstated, they get the remaining 25 per cent of their salaries as arrears, besides increments. For whose fault suspended employees in the State are literally rewarded, instead of being punished?

A peep into the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964 helps straighten things to delve deep into the paradox. According to the Rules, when an employee is suspended the case has to be investigated within six months by drawing departmental proceedings (DP) against him/her. After preliminary investigation within two months, the suspended employee has to be asked for a clarification. If the clarification is satisfactory, the employee should be reinstated, and if not satisfactory, further investigation should be done and charges framed. If the employee is found guilty, he/she should be tried in the court in accordance with the law, and if found innocent, the employee should be reinstated. However, according to the time stipulation in the Rules, the entire process has to be completed within six months. But who cares the rulebook? An official of the Education Department in the State, who was suspended way back in 2009, is drawing 75 per cent of his salaries without having to render any services to the department. Opening an educational institution, he has been doing a roaring business. Even the Police Department has such officials who were suspended for five to six years.

How come such irregularities in drawing DPs against suspended officials are allowed to happen? What’s startling is that no responsibility is being fixed on those at the helm of affairs of drawing DPs if they fail to complete DPs within the stipulated six months. There are even instances of suspended officials, in cahoots departmental officials, hushing up DPs so as to delay the entire process. This is how a section of corrupt and suspended officials continue to bleed the State exchequer dry without having to render any services to the government. There are even instances of suspended employees not being reinstated till their retirement.

Will the State administration at all streamline departmental proceedings against suspended officials to stop the rot?