Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020: PM directs FBR to comply with instructions

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to strictly comply with the instructions of Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020 for taking disciplinary proceedings and inquiries against corrupt tax officials.

The FBR has issued instructions to all field formations here on Wednesday for strict compliance.

The FBR’s instructions issued revealed, that the secretary Revenue Division/chairman FBR has desired that as per the directions of the prime minister, the Revenue Division/ FBR shall strictly comply with the following instructions in all disciplinary proceedings and inquiries initiated against the officer(s)/official(s): The appointed inquiry officer shall conduct the inquiry proceedings in accordance with the provisions contained in Rule 10 read with Rule 12 of the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020. The same shall be completed within 60 days from the date of issuance of the inquiry order or within such extended period which the authority may allow.

For ensuring safe custody of record in an inquiry, all Heads of field offices (Directors General/Chief Commissioners/Chief Collectors/Commissioners/Collectors, etc) of the FBR shall retain the relevant case record in safe custody while forwarding the recommendation to initiate disciplinary proceedings against any officer(s)/official(s).

All Heads of field offices will also ensure that the relevant record of the case and other related documents are timely provided to the inquiry officer or the Inquiry Committee, as the case may be, through the designated Departmental Representative (DR) within seven days from the date of inquiry order or within such an extended period which Authority may allow in accordance with the provisions contained in Rule 8 of the Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020.

Any officer of IRS or PCS (as the case may be) who is given record of the case under intimation to the Board shall be designated as Departmental Representative (DR) who shall perform functions mentioned in Rule 15 of the Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020.

After receipt of reply to the Show Cause Notice from the accused or in case where no reply is received and affording an opportunity of personal hearing to the accused, the designated Authority notified vide Board's Notification No 2788-1R-II/2020 dated 05.01.2021 shall decide the case within a period of thirty days as per Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020.

The directions contained in board's circular, "Incentive and Punitive Regime for the Inquiry Officers/Authorized Officers/Authority" may be complied with in letter and spirit further directing to state that the acknowledgement and implementation status regarding the instructions may be communicated to the Board for record, the FBR added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022