The Centre has prescribed a provision in pay rules for three all India Services namely Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFS) to provide a time line in rules for filing current and pending Immovable Property Returns (IPR) in order to get empanelment or appointment to next level.
Serving and retired bureaucrats say that filing IPR is one of necessary conditions for empanelment, however, it was not in ‘formal rules’ creating lot of mis-communication and also litigations. Another official said that such a move will help Centre to rejig the bureaucracy, especially in poll bound States.
According to a notification by Department of Personnel and Training, a note has been added to Indian Administrative Service (Pay) Rules, 2016, Indian Police Service (Pay) Rules, 2016 and Indian Forest Service (Pay) Rules, 2016 and accordingly new rules have been notified. The new note says IAS. IPS or IFS will file IPR for the previous year within the time frame specified for the purpose, i.e., January 31, for being considered for appointment in the next level in the pay matrix.
Amendment in rule
Now, the second part is very important which prescribes a member of service, who has not filed the IPR for any of the year prior to coming into force of the amendment rule of 2021, “shall file the same within such period, as may be laid down by the Central Government in this behalf, for being considered for appointment in the next level of pay in the pay matrix.” These changes are going to be implemented from December 30.
A retired bureaucrat explained that an all-India service officer is required to file IPR in her/his cadre State if she or he is posted there. If she/he is on Central deputation, then filing to be done there. An officer is required to send a copy to Centre, in case of State filing and to the State, in case of Centre filing. However, the process will be completed only when State concerned send to Centre or vice versa.
“There have been cases where IPR has not been filed but without any intention. Also, there have been cases where process not completed because of one reason or other reason. Now, empanelment will be denied due to this,” retired official said while explaining that new amendment will facilitate filing of pending as well as current IPR.
“Some of key secretary level such as one in Department of Financial Services going vacant. Now, if Centre wants to bring one particular official from State for this, but her/his empanelment has not been there on account of non-filing or non-completion of IPR process, amendment will help in completing the process,” he said.