180. Knowledge Spectrum – Discipline – COMMON PROCEEDINGS 97

 180. Knowledge Spectrum – Discipline – COMMON PROCEEDINGS 97

300. What is "common proceedings'? 

Common proceedings is the process through which disciplinary action is conducted simultaneously against two or more Government servants in respect of the conduct committed by them in a single transaction. This is provided under Rule 18 of CCA Rules. 

For example, if there were a group of employees who were preferring bogus bills towards monthly conveyance allowances in respect of persons who were either not claiming it or were not entitled for it and the same was being passed with the connivance of the staff and officers of the Accounts branch, it would be desirable to initiate a common proceedings rather than initiating a number of proceedings. 

301.  What are the circumstances under which common proceedings are conducted? 

For conduct of common proceedings, all the employees concerned must be amenable to CCA Rules. The proceedings must be based on a single transaction in which all the delinquent employees must have contributed/participated. 

It would be advantageous if all the delinquent employees are under the disciplinary powers of the same authority. 

302. Who can conduct common proceedings? 

As per Rule 18. common proceedings may be initiated either by President or the authority that can impose the penalty of dismissal from service on all the delinquent employees. 

303. What can be done, if there is no authority that can impose dismissal on all the delinquent employees? 

Note under Rule 18(1) provides that "If the authorities competent to impose the penalty of dismissal on such Government servants are different, an order for taking disciplinary action in a common proceeding may be made by the highest of such authorities with the consent of the others."