Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964

S.0. – In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to article 309 and clause (5) of article 148 of the Constitution and after consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General in relation to persons serving in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, the President hereby makes the following rules, namely:

THE CENTRAL CIVIL SERVICES (CONDUCT) RULES, 1964.

1. Short title, commencement and application: (1) These rules may be called the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964.

(2) They shall come into force at once.

(3) Save as otherwise provided in these rules and subject to the provisions of the Indian Foreign Service (Conduct and Discipline) Rules, 1961, these rules shall apply to every person appointed to a civil service or post (including a civilian in Defence Service) in connection with the affairs of the Union:

Provided that nothing in these rules shall apply to any Government servant who is –

(a) (i) a railway servant as defined in section 3 of the Indian Railways Act, 1890 (9 of 1890);

(ii) a person holding a post in the Railway Board and is subject to the Railway Services (Conduct) Rules;

(iii) holding any post under the administrative control of the Railway Board or of the Financial Commissioner of Railways;

(b) a member of an All India Service;

(c) a holder of any post in respect of which the President has, by a general or special order, directed that these rules shall not apply:

Provided further that rules 4, 6, 7, 12, 14 sub-rule (3) of rule 15, rule 16, sub-rule (1), (2) and (3) of rule 18, rules 19, 20 and 21 shall not apply to any Government servant who draws a pay which does not exceed 2,500 per mensum and holds a non-gazetted post in any of the following establishments and or managed by the Government, namely:

(i) ports, docks, wharves or jetties;

(ii) defence installations except training establishments;

(iii) public works establishments, in so far as they relate to work-charged staff;

(iv) irrigation and electric power establishments;

(v) mines as defined in clause (j) of section 2 of the Mines Act, 1952 (35 of 1952);

(vi) factories as defined in clause (m) of section 2 of the Factories Act, 1948 (63 of 1948); and

(vii) field units of the Central-Tractor Organisation employing workmen governed by labour laws.

Provided further that these rules shall apply to any person temporarily transferred to a service or post specified in clause (a) of the first proviso to whom but for such transfer these rules would have otherwise applied.EXPLANATION: For the purposes of the second proviso, the expression “establishment” shall not include any railway establishment or any office mainly concerned with administrative, managerial, supervisory, security or welfare functions.

1. Definitions: In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,—

(a) “the Government” means the Central Government;
(b) “Government servant” means any person appointed by Government to any civil service or post in connection with the affairs of the Union and includes a civilian in a Defence Service;

EXPLANATION: A Government servant whose services are placed at the disposal of a company, corporation, organization or a local authority by the Government shall, for the purpose of these rules, be deemed to be a Government servant serving under the Government notwithstanding that his salary is drawn from sources other than the Consolidated Fund of India;

(c) “members of family” in relation to a Government servant includes:—

(i) the wife or husband as the case may be, of the Government servant, whether residing with the Government servant or not but does not include a wife or husband, as the case may be, separated from the Government servant by a decree or order of a competent court;

(ii) son or daughter or step-son or step daughter of the Government servant and wholly dependent on him, but does not include a child or step-child who is no longer in any way dependent on the Government servant or of whose custody the Government servant has been deprived by or under any law;

(iii) any other person related, whether by blood or marriage, to the Government servant or to the Government servant’s wife or husband, and wholly dependent on the Government servant.

1. General:

(1) Every Government servant shall at all times—

(i) maintain absolute integrity,
(ii) maintain devotion to duty; and
(iii) do nothing which is unbecoming of a Government servant.

(2) (i) Every Government servant holding a supervisory post shall take all possible steps to ensure the integrity and devotion to duty of all Government servants for the time being under his control and authority;

(ii) No Government servant shall, in the performance of his official duties or in the exercise of powers conferred on him, act otherwise than in his best judgment except when he is acting under the direction of his official superior and shall, where he is acting under such direction, obtain the direction in writing, wherever practicable, and where it is not practicable to obtain the direction in writing, he shall obtain written confirmation of the direction as soon thereafter as possible.

EXPLANATION: Nothing in clause (ii) of sub-rule (2) shall be construed as empowering a Government servant to evade his responsibilities by seeking instructions from, or approval of, a superior officer or authority when such instructions are not necessary under the scheme of distribution of powers and responsibilities.4. Employment of near relatives of Government servants in private undertakings enjoying Government patronage:

(i) No Government servant shall use his position or influence directly or indirectly to secure employment for any member of his family in any private undertaking.

(ii) No Class I Officer shall, except with the previous sanction of the Government, permit his son, daughter or other dependant to accept employment in any private undertaking with which he has official dealings or in any other undertaking having official dealings with the Government.

Provided that where the acceptance of the employment cannot await prior permission of the Government or is otherwise considered urgent, the matter shall be reported to the Government; and the employment may be accepted provisionally subject to the permission of the Government.

(iii) A Government servant shall, as soon as he becomes aware of the acceptance by a member of his family of an employment in any private undertaking, intimate such acceptance to the prescribed authority and shall also intimate whether he has or has had any official dealings with that undertaking.

Provided that no such intimation shall be necessary in the case of a Class I officer if he has already obtained the sanction of, or sent a report, to, the Government under clause (i).

(iv) No Government servant shall in the discharge of his official duties deal with any matter or give or sanction any contract to any undertaking or any other person if any member of his family is employed in that undertaking or under that person or if he

or any member of his family is interested in such matter or contract in any other manner and the Government servant shall refer every such matter or contract to his official superior and the matter or contract shall thereafter be disposed of according to the instructions of the authority to whom the reference is made.

1. Taking part in politics and elections:

(1) No Government servant shall be a member of, or be otherwise associated with, any political party or any organisation which takes part in politics in aid of, or assist in any other manner, any political movement or activity.

(2) It shall be the duty of every Government servant to endeavour to prevent any member of his family from taking part in, subscribing in aid of or assisting in any other manner any movement or activity which is, or tends directly or indirectly to be, subversive of the Government as by law established and where a Government servant is unable to prevent a member of his family from taking part in, or subscribing in aid of or assisting in any other manner, any such movement or activity, he shall make a report to that effect to the Government.

(3) If any question arises whether a party is a political party or whether any organisation takes part in politics or whether any movement or activity falls within the scope of subversion (2), the decision of the Government thereon shall be final.(4) No Government servant shall canvass or otherwise intérêt with, or use his influence in connection with or take part, an election to any legislature or local authority:

Provided that –

(i) a Government servant qualified to vote at such election may exercise his right to vote; but where he does so, he shall give no indication of the manner in which he proposes to vote or has voted;

(ii) a Government servant shall not be named to have contravaned the provisions of this sub-rule by reason only that he assists in the conduct of an election in the due performance of a duty imposed on him by or under any law for the time being in force.

EXPLANATION: The display by a Government servant on his person, vehicle or residence of any electoral symbol shall amount to using his influence in connection with an election within the meaning of this sub-rule.

1. Joining of Associations by Government servants.

No Government servant shall join, or continue to be a member of, an association the objects or activities of which are prejudicial to the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India or public order or morality.

1. Demonstrations and Strikes.

No Government servant shall –

(i) engage himself or participate in any demonstration which is prejudicial to the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or which involves contempts of court, defamation or incitement to an offence; or

(ii) resort to or in any way abet any form of strike in connection with any matter pertaining to his service or the service of any other Government servant.

1. Connection with Press or Radio:

(1) No Government servant shall, except with the previous sanction of the Government, own wholly or in part, or conduct or participate in the editing or management of, any newspaper or other periodical publication.

(2) No Government servant shall, except with the previous sanction of the Government or the prescribed authority, or in the bona fide discharge of his duties, participate in a radio broadcast or contribute any article or write any letter either in his own name or anonymously, pseudonymously or in the name of any other person to any newspaper or periodical:

Provided that no such sanction shall be required if such broadcast or such contribution is of a purely literary, artistic or scientific character.

1. Criticism of Government: No Government servant shall, in any radio broadcast or in any document published in his own name or anonymously, pseudonymously or in the name of any other person or in any communication to the press or in any public utterance, make any statement of fact or opinion –

P.T.O.(i) which has the effect of an adverse criticism of any current or recent policy or action of the Central Government or a State Government:

Provided that in the case of any Government servant included in any category of Government servants specified in the second proviso to subrule (2) of rule 1, nothing contained in this clause shall apply to bona fide expression of views by his as an office-bearer of a trade union of such Government servants for the purpose of safeguarding the conditions of service of such Government servants or for securing an improvement thereof; or

(ii) which is capable of embarrassing the relations between the Central Government and the Government of any State; or

(iii) which is capable of embarrassing the relations between the Central Government and the Government of any foreign State:

Provided that nothing in this rule shall apply to any statements made or views expressed by a Government servant in his official capacity or in the due performance of the duties assigned to him.

1. Evidence before committee or any other authority

(1) Save as provided in sub-rule (3), no Government servant shall, except with the previous sanction of the Government, give evidence in connection with any enquiry conducted by any person, committee or authority.

(2) Where any sanction has been accorded under sub-rule (1), no Government servant giving such evidence shall criticise the policy of any action of the Central Government or of a State Government.

(3) Nothing in this rule shall apply to—

(a) evidence given at an enquiry before an authority appointed by the Government, Parliament or a State Legislature; or

(b) evidence given in any judicial enquiry; or

(c) evidence given at any departmental enquiry ordered by authorities subordinate to the Government.

1. Unauthorised communication of information: No Government servant shall, 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, communicate, directly or indirectly, any official document or any part thereof or information to any Government servant or any other person to whom he is not authorised to communicate such document or information.

2. Subscriptions: No Government servant shall, except with the previous sanction of the Government or of the prescribed authority, ask for or accept contributions to, or otherwise associate himself with the raising of, any funds or other collections in cash or in kind in pursuance of any object whatsoever.

3. Gifts.

(1) Save as otherwise provided in these rules, no Government servant shall accept, or permit any member of his family or any person acting on his behalf to accept, any gift.

EXPLANATION: The expression “gift” shall include free transport, boarding, lodging or other service or any other pecuniary advantage when provided by any person other than a near relative or personal friend having no official dealings with the Government servant.NOTT (I): A casual meal, lift or other social hospitality shall not be a gift.

NOTT (II): A Government servant shall avoid accepting lavish hospitality or frequent hospitality from any individual having official dealings with him or from industrial or commercial firms, organisations, etc.

(2) On occasions, such as weddings, anniversaries, funerals or religious functions, when the making of a gift is in conformity with the prevailing religious or social practice, a Government servant may accept gifts from his near relatives but he shall make a report to the Government if the value of any such gift exceeds —

(i) Rs. 500.00, in the case of a Government servant holding any Class I or Class II post;

(ii) Rs. 250.00, in the case of a Government servant holding any Class III post; and

(iii) Rs. 100.00, in the case of a Government servant holding any Class IV post.

(3) On such occasions as are specified in sub-rules (2), a Government servant may accept gifts from his personal friends having no official dealing with him, but he shall make a report to the Government if the value of any such gift exceeds —

(i) Rs. 200.00, in case of a Government servant holding any Class I or Class II posts;

(ii) Rs. 100.00, in the case of a Government servant holding any Class III post; and

(iii) Rs. 50.00, in the case of a Government servant holding any Class IV post.

(4) In any other case, a Government servant shall not accept any gift without the sanction of the Government if the value thereof exceeds —

(i) Rs. 75.00, in the case of a Government servant holding any Class I or Class II post; and

(ii) Rs. 25.00, in the case of a Government servant holding any Class III or Class IV post.

1. Public demonstrations in honour of Government servants: No Government servant shall, except with the previous sanction of the Government, receive any complimentary or valedictory address or accept any testimonial or attend any meeting or entertainment held in his honour, or in the honour of any other Government servant.

Provided that nothing in this rule shall apply to —

(i) a far-waff entertainment of a substantially private and informal character held in honour of a Government servant or any other Government servant on the occasion of his retirement or transfer or any person who has recently quit the service of any Government; or

(ii) the acceptance of simple and inexpensive entertainments arranged by public bodies or institutions.15. Private Trade or employment:

(i) No Government servant shall, except with the previous sanction of the Government, engage directly or indirectly in any trade or business or undertake any other employment;

Provided that a Government servant may, without such sanction, undertake honorary work of social or charitable nature or occasional work of a literary, artistic or scientific character, subject to the condition that his official duties do not thereby suffer; but he shall not undertake, or shall discontinue, such work if so directed by the Government.

EXPLANATION: Canyassing by a Govt. servant in support of the business of insurance agency, commission agency, etc., owned or managed by his wife or any other member of his family shall be deemed to be a breach of this sub-rule.

(2) Every Government servant shall report to the Government if any member of his family is engaged in a trade or business or owns or manages an insurance agency or commission agency.

(3) No Government servant shall, without the previous sanction of the Government, except in the discharge of his official duties, take part in the registration, promotion or management of any bank or other company which is required to be registered under the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) or any other law for the time being in force or any co-operative society for commercial purposes;

Provided that a Government servant may take part in the registration, promotion or management of a co-operative society substantially for the benefit of Government servants, registered under the Co-operative Societies Act, 1912 (2 of 1912) or any other law for the time being in force, or of a literary, scientific or charitable society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860), or any corresponding law in force.

(4) No Government servant may accept any fee for any work done by him for any public body or any private person without the sanction of the prescribed authority.

1. Investment, lending and borrowing:

(1) No Government servant shall speculate in any stock, share or other investment.

EXPLANATION: Frequent purchase or sale of both of shares, securities or other investments shall be deemed to be speculation within the meaning of this sub-rule.

(2) No Government servant shall make, or permit any member of his family or any person acting on his behalf to make, any investment which is likely to embarrass or influence him in the discharge of his official duties.

(3) If any question arises whether any transaction isof the nature referred to in sub-rule (1) or sub-rule (2), the decision of the Government thereon shall be final.

4) (i) No Government servant shall, save in the ordinary course of business with a bank or a firm of standing duly authorised to conduct banking business, either himself or through any member of his family or any other person acting on his behalf,

(a) lend or borrow money, as principal or agent, to or from any person within the local limits of his authority or with whom he is likely to have official dealings, or otherwise place himself under any pecuniary obligation to such person, or

(b) lend money to any person at interest or in a manner whereby return in money or in kind is charged or paid;

Provided that a Government servant may, give to, or accept from, a relative or a personal friend, a purely temporary loan of a small amount free of interest, or operate a credit account with a bona fide tradesman or make an advance of pay to the private employee.

(ii) When a Government servant is appointed or transferred to a post of such nature as would involve him in the breach of any of the provisions of sub-rule (2) or sub-rule (4), he shall forthwith report the circumstances to the prescribed authority and shall thereafter act in accordance with such order as may be made by such authority.

1. Insolvency and habitual indebtedness: A Government servant shall so manage his private affairs as to avoid habitual indebtedness or insolvency. A Government servant against whom any legal proceeding is instituted for the recovery of any debt due from him or for adjudging him as an insolvent shall forthwith report the full facts of the legal proceeding to the Government.

NOTE: The burden of proving that the insolvency or indebtedness was the result of circumstances which, with the exercise of ordinary diligence, the Government servant could not have foreseen, or over which he had no control, and had not proceeded from extravagant or dissipated habits, shall be upon the Government servant.

1. Movable, immovable and valuable property:

(1) Every Government servant shall on his first appointment to any service or post and thereafter at such intervals as may be specified by the Government, submit a return of his assets and liabilities, in such form as may be prescribed by the Government, giving the full particulars regarding:

(a) the immovable property inherited by him, or owned or acquired by him or held by him on lease or mortgage, either in his own name or in the same name of any member of his family or in the name of any other person;

(b) shares, debentures and cash including bank deposits inherited by him or similarly owned, acquired, or held by him;

(c) other movable property inherited by him or similarly owned, acquired or held by him;

(d) debts and other liabilities incurred by him directly or indirectly.

NOTE: 1: Sub-rule (1) shall not ordinarily apply to Class IV servants but the Government may direct that it shall apply to any such Government servant or class of such Government servants.NOT. II: In all returns, the values of items of movable property worth less than $1,000.00 may be added and shown as a lump sum. The value of articles of daily use such as clothes, utensils, crockery, books etc., need not be included in such return.

NOT. III: Every Government servant who is in service on the date of the commencement of these rules shall submit a return under this sub-rule, and, or before such date as may be specified by the Government after such commencement.

(2) No Government servant shall, except with the previous knowledge of the prescribed authority, acquire or dispose of any immovable property by lease, mortgage, purchase, sale, gift or otherwise either in his own name or in the name of any member of his family:

Provided that the previous sanction of the prescribed authority shall be obtained by the Government servant if any such transaction is:

(i) with a person having official dealings with the Government servant; or

(ii) otherwise than through a regular or reputed dealer.

(3) Every Government servant shall report to the prescribed authority every transaction concerning movable property owned or held by him either in his own name or in the name of a member of his family, if the value of such property exceeds $1,000.00 in the case of a Government servant holding any Class I or Class II post or $5,000.00 in the case of a Government servant holding any Class III or Class IV post.

Provided that the previous sanction of the prescribed authority shall be obtained if any such transaction is:

(i) with a person having official dealings with the Government servant; or

(ii) otherwise than through a regular or reputed dealer.

(4) The Government or the prescribed authority may, at any time, by general or special order, require a Government servant to furnish, within a period specified in the order, a full and complete statement of such movable or immovable property held or acquired by him or on his behalf or by any member of his family as may be specified in the order. Such statement shall, if so required by the Government or by the prescribed authority, include the details of the means by which, of the source from which, such property was acquired.

(5) The Government may exempt any category of Government servants belonging to Class III or Class IV from any of the provisions of this rule except sub-rule (4). No such exemption shall, however, be made without the concurrence of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

EXPLANATION 1) For the purpose of this rule the expression “movable property” includes:a) jewellery, insurance policies the annual premiums of which exceeds $1,000.00 or one-sixth of the total annual amounts received from Government, whichever is less, shares, securities, and debentures.

b) loans advanced by such Government servants whether secured or not.

c) motor cars, motor cycles, horses, or any other means of conveyance.

d) refrigerators, radios, and radiograms.

(2) “Prescribed authority” means:

a) i) the Government, in the case of a Government servant holding any Class I post, except where any lower authority is specifically specified by the Government for any purpose;

ii) Head of Department, in the case of a Government servant holding any Class II post;

iii) Head of office, in the case of a Government servant holding any Class III or Class IV post;

b) in respect of a Government servant on foreign service or on deputation to any other Ministry or any other Government, the parent department on the cadre of which such Government servant is born; or the Ministry to which he is administratively subordinate as member of that cadre.

1. (1) Vindication of acts and character of Government servants

No Government servant shall, except with the previous sanction of the Government, have recourse to any court or to the press for the vindication of any official act which has been the subject matter of adverse criticism or an attack of a defamatory character.

(2) Nothing in this rule shall be deemed to prohibit a Government servant from vindicating his private character or any act done by him in his private capacity and where any action for vindicating his private character or any act done by him in private capacity is taken, the Government servant shall not submit a report to the prescribed authority regarding such action.

1. Canvassing of non-official or other influence: No Government servant shall bring or attempt to bring any political or other influence to bear upon any superior authority to further his interests in respect of matters pertaining to his service under the Government.

2. Rigorous marriages:

1) No Government servant who has a wife living shall contract another marriage without first obtaining the permission of the Government, notwithstanding that such subsequent marriage is permissible under the personal law for the time being applicable to him.

2) No female Government servant shall marry any person who has a wife living without first obtaining the permission of the Government.

1. Consumption of Intoxicating Drinks and Drugs:

A Government servant shall -a) strictly abide by any law relating to intoxicating drinks or drugs in force in any area in which he may happen to be for the time being;

b) take due care that the performance of his duties is not affected in any way by the influence of any intoxicating drinks or drug;

c) not appear in a public place in a state of intoxication;

d) not habitually use any intoxicating drink or drug to excess.

1. Interpretation: If any question arises relating to the interpretation of these rules, it shall be referred to the Government whose decision thereon shall be final.

2. Delegation of Powers: The Government may, by general or special order, direct that any power exercisable by it or any head of department under these rules (except the powers under rule 23 and this rule) shall, subject to such conditions, if any, as may be specified in the order, be exercisable also by such officer or authority as may be specified in the order.

3. Repeal and Saving: Any rules corresponding to these rules in force immediately before the commencement of these rules and applicable to the Government servants to whom these rules apply are hereby repealed:

Provided that any order made or action taken under the rules so repealed shall be deemed to have been made or taken under the corresponding provisions of these rules.

Sd/ Mrs. R.M. Shroff
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India

No. 25/4/63—Stats(A) — Dated the 30th November, 1964 — 9 Kartika, 1886.

Copy forwarded for information to:

1. All Ministries/Departments of the Govt. of India etc. etc. (with usual number of spare copies) will follow.
2. All Union Territories.
3. All Zonal Councils.
4. Union Public Service Commission, New Delhi.
5. Comptroller & Auditor General of India, New Delhi.
6. Central Vigilance Commission, New Delhi.
7. Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities, Allahabad; and
8. All Attached and Subordinate Cvr Offices of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Sd/ Mrs. R.M. Shroff
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India

Copy to all officers and Sections.