- Vidya Kranthi

ORDER:

The Government desire to impress on all Government Servants that

Sub-rule (5) and (6) of Rule 19 of the Andhra Pradesh Civil

Services(Conduct) Rules, 1964, which are reproduced below, define the

position of Government Servants in relation to elections to the State and

Central Legislatures and Panchayat Raj bodies :

19(5) No Government employee shall canvass or otherwise interfere or use

his influence, in connection with, or take part in an election to parliament

or any House of a State Legislature or any local authority or body;

Provided that ...........

(i) A Government employee qualified to vote at such election may cast his

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 employee shall not be deemed to have contravened

the provisions of the Rule by reason only that he has assisted 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.

(iii) The display by a Government employee on his person, vehicle,

residence or any of his property, of any election symbol shall amount to

using his influence in connection with a election the meeting the

meaning of sub-rule(5)”.

2. It is the duty of the Government Servants to be scrupulously

impartial in the discharge of their duties in connection with elections.

Besides being strictly impartial, they should conduct themselves in

such a manner as to inspire confidence in the public in regard to their

impartiality and to give no room for suspicion on any account that they

are favouring any party or candidate. The Government servants should

not take part in any election campaign or in canvassing or attending

political meetings or rallies and they should take scrupulous care not

to lend their names, official position or authority to assist any group, party

or person, except exercising their right to vote in accordance with election

to the Panchayat Raj Institutions must be confined to the conscientious and

diligent discharge of any election duties which may be entrusted to them by

the competent authority.