Various government departments in the state are increasing the salaries of employees arbitrarily. Not only this, in many cases, they do not hesitate to pressurize the Finance Department to revise the pay scale of employees by threatening contempt just before the hearing in the courts.
Finance Department expressed displeasure
The cases of pay scale of employees and creation of new posts are not being forwarded to the Finance Department on time, which is also causing embarrassment in the courts. The Finance Department, expressing displeasure over this, has reminded all the administrative secretaries, heads of departments, Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and SDMs of the rules and has directed them to appoint nodal officers with immediate effect, who take prompt action in court related cases.
As per the rules, prior approval of the Finance Department is mandatory for creation of new posts in any department, upgradation/revision of pay scale of any post or employee categories or other matters related to financial implications. Most of the departments are not following the rules.
Orders were issued in this regard last year
Detailed orders were issued in this regard on June 3 last year, but the result was the same. According to the reminder sent to all the departments, it has come to the notice of the Finance Department that in the cases pending in the courts, the prayers of the petitioners are not initially examined as per the prevailing rules.
The directions of the court are also not being followed within the stipulated time limit. It has also been observed that in a large number of cases, the administrative department remains inactive on the orders of the High Court.
When contempt petitions are filed and the court takes strict action against the concerned officials, the departmental officials are providing undue benefits to the employees at their own level without the prior approval of the Finance Department. The files are being submitted to the Finance Department just before the date of hearing, so that the Finance Department can be forced to give the expected benefits under the compulsion of contempt proceedings.
Wrong information is given in the courts
In some cases, the administrative departments are also giving affidavits in the courts that they are ready to give the expected benefits, but the file is pending in the Finance Department for approval. That too, when the concerned benefit / demand does not come under the existing rules.
To avoid this situation, the Finance Department has directed that immediate action should be taken when any new case goes to the court or the direction of the High Court is received. All cases related to financial implications will be examined in the light of the existing rules.
