Haryana amends rule to confirm with RTI Act

Chandigarh, Nov 21 (UNI) Haryana Government has made an amendment in The Government Employees (Conduct) Rules, 1966 regarding communication of official information by the government employee to bring it in conformity with the requirements of the Right to Information Act, 2005.

The amendment was approved in the meeting of State Cabinet which met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Now, with this amendment in rule 11 of ''The Government Employees (Conduct) Rules, 1966'' every government servant would in performance of his duties in good faith, communicate to a member of public or any organisation full and accurate information, which can be disclosed under the Right to Information Act, 2005.

However, nothing in this rule would be construed as permitting information in an unauthorised manner or for improper gains to a government servant or others.

Earlier under the rule, no Government employee except in accordance with any general or special order of the Government or in the performance in good faith of the duties assigned to him would communicate, directly or indirectly, any official document or any part thereof, or information to any government employee or any other person to whom he is not authorised to communicate such document or information.

The amendment has been made on the recommendation of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission, Government of India.

The Commission in its first report has recommended to all the state governments to amend their Civil Services (Conduct) Rules regarding communication of official information so as to bring it in conformity with the requirements of the Right to Information Act, 2005.

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