Central rules notified, but UT sticks to Punjab Civil Services Rules for time being

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had in March this year announced that Central Civil Service Rules will be implemented for all employees under Chandigarh Administration.

This decision had invited sharp criticism from Punjab leaders who, cutting across party lines, termed it “an encroachment on Punjab’s rights”. The Central Service Rules were implemented with immediate effect from April 1, two days after Shah’s announcement.

The UT Administration, for now, however, has decided to stick to the Punjab Civil Services Rules as recruitment rules, and salary structure of thousands of employees were yet to be finalised under the Central rules.

Sources said, “The administration has failed to fix the pay structures of Chandigarh employees as per the Central Service Rules and salaries are being drawn on the pattern of Punjab Service Rule still, which were in the effect prior to April 1. The issue was brought to the notice of UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit during when the recruitment process for fresh employees was initiated. but Purohit decided that we should stick to the Punjab Civil
Services Rule for now till all the rules had been laid out.”

Sources said later orders were issued from the office of Special Secretary of Chandigarh, that stated,”The framing, finalising, and notification of fresh recruitment rules on central pattern is a lengthy process. It will take considerable amount of time as the Chandigarh Administration is in the process of finalising pay scales of various posts in terms of notification related to Central Service Rules dated March 29. It will not be fair to keep the matters like appointment (direct/promotion/deputation), probation, confirmation in limbo till the recruitment rules are finalized as per Central Rules.”

The order further states, “Keeping in view the above circumstances…the Chandigarh administration has decided to allow operation of Recruitment Rules (as applicable before April 1, 2022) for filling up the posts by way of direct recruitment/promotion/deputation till fresh recruitment rules are finalized as per the Central Rules.”