The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has come up with a clarification on the implementation of the second penalty (or multiple penalties) on serving charged officers during the currency of the first penalty.
In an Office Memorandum (O.M.) dated 28 October 2022, the DoPT said that the Disciplinary Authorities should clearly indicate in the punishment order whether the two penalties (or multiple penalties) would run concurrently or consecutively while awarding second or subsequent penalties during the currency of earlier penalty/penalties.
“It is, however, clarified that where such a specific mention has not been made, the two/all penalties should run concurrently and the higher penalty, even though ordered later, should be implemented immediately and after the expiry of its period, if the currency of the period of earlier punishment still continues, the same may be implemented for the balance period,” it added.
Through different illustrations, the DoPT has explained the rules for the imposition of multiple penalties on serving charged Central Government Employees who receive their salaries as per the 7th pay Commission Pay Matrix. (Illustrations are available on the official website of DoPT).
CCS (Pension) Rule Change
Recently, the Government notified an amendment to Rule 8 of the CCS (Pension) Rules 2021. As per the new rule, the pension and gratuity of a retired Central Government employee can be stopped if found guilty of grave misconduct or negligence during service. The amendment provided details of the authorities who can take the decision to withhold the pension or gratuity, or both, of a retired employee.
Read More: NPS Subscribers Can Now Invest Up To 75% In Equity — Here’s What It Means
LTC Rule Change
Early this month, the DoPT extended the relaxation to travel by air to visit North East Region, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Andaman & Nicobar under CCS (Leave Travel Concession) rules 1988. The benefit has been extended till 25th September 2024.
The LTC benefit will now also be available to fresh recruits, who can convert one of the three Home Town LTCs in a block of four years, applicable to them to visit NER/A&N/ J&K/Ladakh. Additionally, they can also avail of an extra conversion of Home Town LTC to visit UT of J&K/ UT of Ladakh in a block of four years.
