ACB clearance mandatory for J&K employees seeking passports

ACB clearance mandatory for J&K employees seeking passports

SRINAGAR, SEP 16 (PTK): The Jammu and Kashmir government issued orders on Thursday making clearance certificate from anti-corruption bureau (ACB) mandatory for government employees who apply for obtaining a passport.

In detailed instructions to administrative departments/heads of departments, UT’s commissioner/Secretary General administration department, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi said, “ACB J&K has brought into the notice of the government that the present mechanism for issuance of passports to government employees without obtaining requisite vigilance clearance results in issuance of passports to those employees against whom vigilance cases are pending”.

The current system does not contain any mechanism as would help denying the passport to such employees who are either under suspension or facing departmental inquiry or prosecution on account of serious charges. Currently, a Government employee is only required to inform his employer for applying for passport on Annexure-H,” read the order issued by the General Administration Department.

The guidelines for obtaining passport have been reviewed by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Personnel & Training, Go1 in consultation with the Central Vigilance Commission and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and vide Office Memorandum No. F. No. 11012/7/2017- Estt.A-111 dated February, 2020. As per the order, elaborate instructions have been issued for obtaining fresh vigilance clearance while considering grant of passport to Government employees.

“Anti Corruption Bureau, J&K has also brought into the notice of the Government that the present mechanism for issuance of passport to Government employees without obtaining requisite vigilance clearance results in the issuance of passport to those employees against whom vigilance cases are pending. Thus, there is an urgent necessity to instruct all the departments to issue the NOC for issuance of passport on the basis of vigilance clearance only.”

“Accordingly, it is impressed upon all the Administrative Departments/Heads of Departments to mandatorily obtain the latest vigilance clearance in respect of an employee applying for obtaining passport in terms of Office Memorandum dated February, 2020 issued by DoPT, GOI, strictly.” (PTK)