CHAPTER-I: THE SECRETARIAT ORGANISATION

1. The Andhra Pradesh Government: -

The executive power of the State is vested in the Governor and is exercised by him either directly or through Officers subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution of India. There is a Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor in the exercise of his functions, except in so far as he is by or under the Constitution required to exercise his functions or any of them in his discretion.

2. The Ministers: -

The allocation of the business of the Government among Ministers is made by the Governor on the advise of the Chief Minister. In urgent cases the allotment may be made by the Chief Minister and the cases circulated to the Governor after issue of orders. The transaction of business is governed by the Rules made by the Governor under Article-166 of the Constitution and the instructions issued there under. These rules and instructions are known as ‘The Andhra Pradesh Government Business Rules’ (here-in-after referred to as the Business Rules) and ‘The Andhra Pradesh Government Secretariat Instructions’ (here-in-after referred to as the Secretariat Instructions) respectively. Each Minister disposes of business in the subjects in his charge according to those rules and instructions.

3. The Secretariat: -

The business of the Government is transacted in the following Secretariat Departments: -

1. Agriculture & Co-operation Department

2. Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development & Fisheries Department

3. Backward Classes Welfare Department

4. Consumer Affairs, Food & Civil Supplies Department

5. Education Department

a) Higher Education

b) School Education

6. Energy Department

7. Environment, Forest, Science & Technology Department

8. Finance Department

9. Finance (Works & Projects) Department

10. General Administration Department

11. Health, Medical & Family Welfare Department

12. Home Department

13. Housing Department

14. Industries & Commerce Department

15. Information Technology & Communications Department

16. Infrastructure and Investment Department

17. Irrigation & Command Area Development (Irrigation Wing) Department

18. Irrigation & Command Area Development (Projects Wing) Department

19. Labour, Employment, Training & Factories Department

20. Law Department

21. Minorities Welfare Department

22. Municipal Administration& Urban Development Department

23. Panchayati Raj & Rural Development Department

24. Planning Department

25. Public Enterprises Department

26. Rain Shadow Areas Development, Department

27. Revenue Department

28. Social Welfare Department

29. Transport, Roads & Buildings Department

30. Women Development, Child Welfare & Disabled Welfare Department

31. Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture Department

The business is classified and distributed among the departments of the Secretariat in the manner specified in the Business Rules.

4. Secretary to Government: -

Each department of the Secretariat consists of a Secretary to Government, who is the official head of that department. He is a Secretary to the Government and not to the Minister in-charge of the department. He is responsible for the careful observation of the Business Rules and Secretariat Instructions in the transaction of business in his department. He exercises supervision and control over the officers and staff under him and is responsible for Seeing that they do the work allotted to them efficiently and expeditiously. It is his duty to take efficient steps for the prompt dispatch of business in his department.

Where there is a Special Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary and the other Secretaries in a department the senior most among them shall be the official Head of the Department and they shall deal with such subjects as are allotted and, assigned to them by the Chief Secretary, as he may deem fit, in the interests of the administration.

The Special Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary/ Secretary is usually assisted by one or more Additional, Joint, Deputy, Under or Assistant Secretaries and such other officers subordinate to him as the Government may determine.

5. The Chief Secretary-Special powers and responsibilities: -

Besides the duty of seeing to the proper transaction of the regular Secretariat business allotted to him, the Chief Secretary has the following special functions: -

(a) A superintending control over the whole Secretariat;

(b) Administrative control over, including allocation of rooms in the Secretariat building;

(d) Control over the staff attached to the Ministers;

(e) Arranging for and attending meetings of the Council of Ministers; and also meetings of Secretaries to Government;

(f) Responsibility for all other matters not falling within the Categories of subjects assigned to other Secretaries.

6. Ex-Officio Principal Secretary/Secretary to Government: -

This is a System where a Head of the Department is assigned Ex-officio status in the Secretariat as an "Ex-officio Secretary to Government" to strengthen the Head of the Department and to ensure that he takes a decision at the Government level with minimum time lag, at the same time without diluting his primary activity as a field functionary.

He may be designated as Ex-officio Principal Secretary/ Secretary/ Additional Secretary etc. according to his level of seniority.

In this system, it is essential to adopt the "Single file" procedure.

The Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary/Deputy Secretary:-

The Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary/Deputy Secretary occupies a position almost identical to that of Secretary in regard to subjects allocated to him and he can circulate file to the Chief Secretary, Minister in- charge or other Ministers or Chief Minister or Governor like as per Secretariat Instruction 8(e) i.e. in all cases where a file is sent by a Deputy Secretary, Draftsman, Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary, Officer on Special Duty to Minister without submitting it to the Secretary, the file will have to pass through the Secretary on its return from the Minister. He exercises also the functions of an Assistant Secretary as described in the next paragraph.

The Special Chief Secretary/Principsal Secretary/Secretary of the department remains responsible for the subjects allotted to the Additional/Joint/Deputy Secretary. The latter consults the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary on cases dealing with important questions of principle or any other cases, which he considers to be of special importance.

8. Under Secretary/ Assistant Secretary:-

Under Secretary/Assistant Secretary exercises control over the sections placed in his charge both in regard to despatch of business and discipline.

9. Control of Office matters:-

Subject to the orders of the Secretary, the Under Secretary or the Assistant Secretary (or one of the Assistant Secretaries designated- by the Secretary for the purpose if there are more than one such officer in a Secretariat department) is in general charge of office matters as a whole.

10. Section Officer and Desk Officer:-

(a) Section Officer:-

The Section Officer is in-charge of a section in a Secretariat department. He is assisted by a certain number of Assistant Section Officers, one Assistant, and/or one Typist-cum-Assistant. He is responsible for all files relating to the subjects allotted to the Assistant Section Officers under him. He is directly responsible to the officers under whom he works for the efficient and expeditious despatch of business in all stages in his section. The training of Assistant Section Officers under him is one of his principal functions. He must see that his Assistant Section Officers exercise proper selection in their work (i.e., they do not waste time and paper on needless noting or correspondence) and that really emergent matters are given immediate attention. He will not be merely a Section Officer but will himself undertake to deal with the more difficult or important papers, taking such assistance from Assistant Section Officers as he may find necessary. He is responsible for the accuracy of the notes and drafts proceeding from his section. He cannot throw that responsibility on his Assistant Section Officers. He is not expected to express views or to suggest what orders should be passed on a case except when there is clear precedent or the case is of a routine nature or the orders necessarily follow from some provision of law or rule. He should check the correctness of facts stated in any note or draft, which may have been added to the file after it was submitted for orders, as soon as it returns to the Section and before the draft is issued or the case is passed on to another department, He is required to be well versed, with the computer operations and processing under SMART Gov. He maintains discipline in his section and sees to it that his orders or instructions are not disputed or disregarded by his Assistant Section Officers, Assistant and Typist-cum-Assistant.

(b) Desk Officer: -

The Desk Officer system is a system designed to eliminate some of the major shortcomings in the existing system of working like unnecessary and repetitive noting, too many levels between the noting hand and the point of decision, inadequate attention to varying degree of importance or urgency of different cases etc., and diffusion of responsibility for delays. The Desk Officer can be nominated at the level of Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Assistant/Under Secretary or Section Officer.

The following procedure is prescribed to the Desk Officer System:

a) Each department shall carefully analyze the work in the department and categorize the same into A, B and C categories with the approval of the Minister concerned and obtain the confirmation of the Chief Minister.

b) The categorization of work as A, B and C is not to be done with reference to age of a file. It is also not to be done with reference to the subject of a file except to the extent provided for in para 87(v)(5). The categorization is to be done with reference to the stage of processing of a file. For example, preparation of a circulation note or preparation of a Cabinet Memorandum, drafting of Government Orders with reference to orders in circulation or Cabinet Resolution etc., replies to LAQs (except unstarred), drafting of explanatory notes on Comptroller and Auditor-General's Reports, drafting of State Government views on House Committee Reports could be categorized as 'A' category. Replies to unstarred Assembly Questions, submission of para-wise remarks on affidavits in Court Cases etc., could be categorized as ‘B’ category. The balance will be 'C’ category. The examples given are illustrative. Since this is a new beginning, the categorization requires constant review at weekly or fortnightly intervals so that necessary adjustments could be made.

The only exception to the categorization of work with reference to the stage of processing of a file are the cases referred to in-Secretariat Office Manual, para 87(v)(5) according to which all files relating to sensitive decisions of confidential nature, policy making, amendments to Acts and Rules, issues involving substantial financial implications, important court cases which are likely to affect vitally the interest of the Government, etc., must be in the personal custody of Additional Secretary/ Joint Secretary/Deputy Secretary to Government and under no circumstances such files should be found in the custody of officers below the rank of Deputy Secretaries to Government who may open separate registers for such files with the help of the personal staff attached to them.

C) Desk Officer system shall be introduced in each department. Deputy Secretary or Joint Secretary or Additional Secretary shall function as Desk Officer in respect of work categorized as "A". For category "B", an Assistant Secretary shall be the Desk Officer. For the work categorized as "C". Section Officer shall be the Desk Officer. To avoid submission of files twice or more, it is advisable to encourage putting up draft orders along with initial note.

d) The Duties of the Assistant Section Officer shall be in conformity with paras 10-11 of the Secretariat Office Manual. He shall submit a file direct to the Desk Officer concerned as per the categorization. The Desk Officer shall decide the priority for submission of files so that expectations of Government are fulfilled.

e) Where policy is laid and no deviation is involved from the policy or where no relaxation of policy or guideline is sought, the disposal shall be done by a Desk Officer in the rank of a Deputy Secretary/Joint Secretary / Additional Secretary or by the Secretary of the Department in the rank of a Secretary/Prl. Secretary/Spl. Chief Secretary. What type of files will be disposed of by a Desk Officer of the rank of Dy. Secretary/Joint Secretary/ Additional Secretary or by the Secretary of the Department should be decided separately for each department. With reference to such delegation, the Desk Officers will regulate the submission of files for decision ensuring that not more than two levels see a file before decision is taken or a file is circulated to Chief Secretary or a Minister should be seen by the Secretary. The following scenarios are possible.

i. The Desk Officer in the rank of Section Officer or Assistant Secretary will submit the file either to a Desk Officer in the rank of Deputy Secretary/Jt. Secretary/Addl. Secretary or to the Secretary of the Department in the rank of Secretary/Prl. Secretary/ Spl. Chief Secretary.

ii. Desk Officer in the rank of Dy. Secretary/Jt. Secretary/Addl. Secretary will themselves dispose of the files or submit them to the Secretary of the Department in the rank of Secretary/ Prl. Secretary/Spl. Chief Secretary.

iii. Disposal of files by Desk Officer in the rank of Dy. Secretary/ Jt. Secretary/Addl. Secretary or by the Secretary in the Secretary/ Prl. Secretary/Spl. Chief Secretary will be subject to the standing orders issued under Rule 22(a) of the Business Rules.

Cases dealing with formulation of policy, changes in policy, deviation from the rules, existing policies or guidelines etc., should be circulated to the Minister concerned and the Chief Minister in accordance with the Business Rules. The general approach will be not to give relaxation in individuals cases but to amend the Act or Rule or guidelines in cases of real hardship so that benefit accrues to all and not to a few individuals who approach for such relaxations.

f) In this arrangement, the role of Section shall be as defined in the para-87.

g) To enable this arrangement to work, the Ministers shall cause to issue standing orders as required in Business Rules 22(a) for effective disposal of business.

11. Assistant Section Officers, Assistants, Typist-cum-Assistants, Stenographers:-

The duties of these categories are described below:-

The main duty of the Assistant Section Officer in a section is to assist the Section Officer in dealing with the cases pertaining to the subjects allotted to the section. He has to properly reference the current file and note file of each case. He has to prepare notes and drafts after taking the guidance of the Section Officer wherever necessary. He is required to be well versed with the computer operations/processing under SMART Gov.

Assistants and Typist-cum-Assistants are required to do work of a routine and mechanical nature such as maintaining the prescribed registers and stock files, typing notes and drafts fair copying, dispatching, indexing etc., They are also required to be well acquainted with the computer operations/processing under SMART Gov.

Stenographers:- Private Secretaries to the officers of the rank of Secretary and above, do shorthand work and other Peshi duties and Stenographers of Special/Senior/Junior category do shorthand work for Additional Secretaries, Joint Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries and Under/Assistant Secretaries and Other items of work as are entrusted to them. The Private Secretaries attached to the Peshi Secretaries and other higher officers and the Stenographers are required to be well versed with the computer operations/processing under SMART Gov.

12. Central Record Branch: -

(a) The Central Record Branch is the repository for non- confidential records appertaining to the current year and the preceding three years. The branch is under the control of one of the Assistant Secretaries of the General Administration Department and is under the immediate supervision of a Section Officer who is responsible for its proper working and the maintenance of records. One of the principal duties of the Section Officer is to see that papers asked for by any department are supplied promptly and that papers supplied are returned to the branch as early as possible.

(b) State archives Interim Repository:- After keeping records in the Central Record Branch, for a prescribed period, they are transferred to Interim Repository of State Archieves which is located within Secretariat premises for easy convenience to obtain them by the departments of Secretariat for reference. After keeping for a prescribed period in the Interim Repository these records are sent to State archives for permanent preservation.

13. Central Cash Section:-

The Central Cash Section deals with all matters connected with cash relating to all departments of the Secretariat. It is under the control of Finance Department and is incharge of one or more Section Officers attached to that department. The Central Cash Section also deals with disbursement of cash and receipts. It also deals with pay bills, T.A. Bills of Ministers and despatch of bills to the Pay and Accounts Office, a branch of which is located in Secretariat premises and receipt of cheques.

14.

(i) Secretariat Library:-

The Library is under the control of the General Administration Department. It is primarily responsible for the selection of new books. It is incharge of a Librarian who is responsible for the safety of the books in his/her charge, the issue and return of books and the proper maintenance of the Library generally.

(ii) Planning Department Library:-

One combined Technical Library mainly consisting of books on Economics, Planning, Management, Computers, Industry etc., and important periodicals intended for both Planning and Finance departments has been established in Planning Department. It is under the charge of a Librarian who is responsible for the safety of the Books in his charge, the issue and return of books and proper maintenance of the Technical Library-generally. The provisions under Chapter XV relating to Secretariat Library under the charge of General Administration Department shall mutatis-mutandis apply to the Technical Library under the control of the Planning Department.

15. Secretariat Telephone Exchange and Police Wireless: -

(i) Secretariat Telephone Exchange: -

This is under the control of the General Administration Department. It serves all departments of the Secretariat.

(ii) Police Wireless: -

An inter-State Wireless Grid is located in Secretariat premises, which is under the control of Government of India. This Wireless station is made use of for sending/receiving Wireless messages from/to Government of India and other State Governments

16.

(a) Conservancy and Watching Staff:-

The Conservancy and Watching Staff is centralised under the control of General Administration (SB) Department. The main duties are the proper care of the Buildings under their control, cleaning and protecting from fire and theft.

(b) Public Assistance and Grievances Bureau:-

The Government have set up a Public Assistance and Grievances Bureau in the General Administration Department to function under the control and direct Supervision of the Chief Secretary to redress the grievances on -top priority without any delay in disposal of representations at various levels.

Secretariat Campus security is the responsibility of Police Department under Inspector General (Spl. Protection Force). The SPF Units posted to Secretariat security duty function under the charge of an Additional Superintendent of Police. He exercises over all control of the personnel connected with Campus security and regulation of entry at gates.

(d) Reception: -

One Reception Office is functioning at the `INGATE' manned by an Assistant Section Officer, and four Assistants. The Reception Office is placed under the control of the Chief Security Officer who supervises its day-to-day work and issues necessary instructions from time to time. The Reception Office starts functioning from 10.00 a.m. and is kept open upto 5.00 p.m. on all working days. With a view to restrict the entry of visitors into the Secretariat, certain instructions have been issued, important among them are as follows:

(1) The officers and employees working in the Secretariat should display their Identity Cards/Metalic Badges with photographs or temporary passes issued to them, to the Security persons posted at the gate before entering into Secretariat.

(2) The visitors to Ministers, Secretaries to Government, and other officers are permitted to enter into Secretariat only between 3.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.

(3) The Reception Office will issue passes to the visitors only after 3.00 p.m. based on the requisitions received from the Private Secretaries to the Ministers, Secretaries and other officers.

(4) For other visitors, the Reception Officer will issue passes after ascertaining the willingness of the Minister or officer concerned through their Private Secretary only after 3-00 p.m. when the Ministers/officers are available in the Secretariat and as per the prior appointments/meetings during Office timings.

(e) Single Unit: -

The departments of Secretariat which were hitherto separate and independent units for purposes of maintenance of seniority of staff at all levels have been constituted into a Single Unit (except Finance and Law Departments) under the control of General Administration Department for the purpose of common Seniority allotment of candidates on appointment, promotion or on return from leave to various departments of Secretariat and also for assigning dates of regularization or appointment or promotion or for transfer purpose from one department to another.

(f) Dispensaries: -

In order to facilitate immediate and free medical treatment to the officers and staff of the Secretariat departments, including their family members, dispensaries of various systems of medicine i.e., Allopathic, Homeopathic, Unani and Ayurvedic are functioning in the premises of Secretariat during office hours.

(g) Post and Telegraph Offices: -

Full-fledged Post and Telegraph offices are functioning in the Secretariat to facilitate effective and quick communications for official purpose and also for private use of the members of staff of Secretariat.

(h) Bank: -

A Branch of State Bank of Hyderabad and a Branch of Andhra Bank are functioning in the Secretariat to cater to the official needs of the departments of Secretariat as well as the personal needs of the staff members.

CHAPTER-II: DEFINITIONS

17. The following are the definitions of some of the words and expressions used in the Manual.

Arising reference:-Any reference issued from the office which originates a file is called an arising reference.

Branch is the term used to denote one of Central Branches, viz. Central Record Branch or Central Cash Section.

Business Rules is the expression used to denote rules made by the Governor under Article 166 of the Constitution of India

Case consists of the current file, draft, note file and any previous papers and books put up for reference.

Circulation:- The submission of files to the Ministers or to the Governor for information or orders is termed 'Circulation'.

Current:- A communication received in a department from outside office or from another department of the Secretariat which is stamped with a number of the department until disposal is known as 'Current' and the number itself is called a current number or briefly C. No.

Current file consists of the official or unofficial paper or papers under disposal, to which are subsequently added the office copies of any intermediary official or un-official references and the replies to such references, including questions in the legislature and originals of answers thereto, demi-official communications other than from Ministers and the Governor, or other communications received by any other means. All the papers in the current file shall be arranged chronologically.

Demi-official Correspondence:- Correspondence is called "Demi-official" when Government officers correspond with each other or with any member of the public on administrative or official procedure and with a view to the interchange of communication of opinion or information, which may not necessarily be placed on official record in the proceedings of Government.

Department is a division of the Secretariat acting under the direction of the Minister in- charge or otherwise acting on behaIf of the Government in accordance with the provisions in the Business Rules and Secretariat Instructions.

Despatch means, all despatch work.

Disposal is a file in which Government have taken final decision on any matter submitted for information or orders.

Drafting is the preparation of any communication which is proposed to be issued on behalf of or under the direction of the Government.

Enclosure:- A communication or a statement, a plan, sketch or other document which is attached to or accompanies another communication to supplement or elucidate the point, intention or orders conveyed in the communication is called an 'Enclosure' to it.

Flagging is the process of attaching to the top of papers put up for reference in a case, slips printed with letters of the alphabet or Arabic or Roman numerals.

Issue is the term used to denote the process of copying or printing and despatching communications intended for any person or authority.

Linked Case:-One file is linked with another when a reference to any paper in the one is necessary for the disposal of the other.

New Case:- A paper which is not connected with a pending case in the office or one which originates in the office or is started under a note or Demi-official letter of a Minister or officer of the Secretariat is treated as a 'New Case'.

Note file consists of the notes with un-official references and replies thereto and demi- official communications from Ministers and the Governor.

Official correspondence:- Correspondence is called 'Official' when one Government officer, as such, addresses or is addressed by another Government officer or by any public body or private individual, in writing, in accordance with certain fixed rules as to form, matter and procedure, and with the intention that such correspondence, may be the public record regarding the question discussed.

Old Case:- A reply to a reference issued from the office, or a paper which though not a reply of that nature has for any other reason to be filed with a current already pending in the office is called an 'Old Case'.

Put-up papers mean the previous orders or other papers connected with or bearing on the subject of a current under consideration and put up in the case with the current.

Referencing is the process of putting-up in a case previous correspondence, laws rules, reports, etc., required for its disposal flagging them and indicating, their presence by references in the margin at the portion of the current file or the note file in which they are mentioned or quoted.

Registry:- A paper is said to be 'registered' when it is given a 'current number' and entered with an abstract in a receipt register known as the personal register.

Routine Note:- A note for the elucidation of a point arising in a case which a Secretariat officer wants cleared up or on matters of an ephemeral nature, such as reminders, delays in office etc., which will not go into permanent record, is termed a ‘routine note’.

Secretariat is the Government office wherein or through which the Governor or any Minister takes official cognizance of matters relating to the administration of the State.

Note: The office of the Secretary to the Governor and Secretary to Chief Minister are not covered by the term `Secretariat'.

Secretariat Instructions are the instructions issued by the Governor under rule 58 of the Business Rules to supplement the latter rules in regard to circulation, noting, drafting and other allied matters.

Section is the Minor division of a department of Secretariat consisting of a Section Officer and one or more Assistant Section Officers, Assistant and/or Typist-cum-Assistant under him.

Sectional Notes are notes written on each of several issues arising out of a single subject where orders have to be obtained separately on each of such issues. They are distinguished from the main note which treats the subjects as a whole.

Tappal:- All communications received in the office which are official, un-official or demi- official are, until registry, known as `Tappal’.

Un-official Correspondence:- When it is proposed to obtain, on the note file of a case the concurrence, opinion or remarks of another department of the Secretariat or of any particular officer of Government so that such concurrence, opinion or remarks may not form part of the official proceedings, the mode of referring a paper or a case and obtaining a reply is called ‘Un-official Correspondence'.

Shadow file:- Shadow File consists of the notes of department (in brief) on the proposals received from other departments, and examination and/or discussions that took place in the department thereon and finally also the decision or suggestion, as the case may be, of the department which maintains the shadow file. Only the decisions or remarks in the shadow file shall be recorded in the file of the other department.

CHAPTER-III: THE COURSE IN OUTLINE FOLLOWED BY A PAPER FROM RECEIPT TO DISPOSAL

18. All papers received in the department should be opened by the Assistant of the Inward Outward Communication (IOC) Section in the presence of Under Secretary/Assistant Secretary nominated for the purpose. It is possible that in every department there will be a few papers which are missent or wrongly received in the department. The IOC Assistant will separate such papers and obtain orders of Assistant Secretary concerned with office procedure (O.P) for their transfer to the department concerned. He will enter such papers in a separate register, arrange for their delivery to the concerned departments and obtain acknowledgement. The Assistant will sort out the papers, Additional Secretary /Joint Secretary / Deputy Secretary - wise and send the papers to the concerned Assistant Secretary. Files transferred U.O from other departments will be dealt with in the same manner as Tappals. The Assistant Secretary will then sort out papers of urgent and important nature which would be seen by Deputy/Joint/Additional Secretary and send these papers to his senior officer. Envelopes addressed to officers by name and those marked "SECRET" or "Strictly Confidential" are opened by the officers to whom they are addressed. The Deputy Secretary /Joint Secretary /Additional Secretary will study the tappals, and send such papers as he considers necessary immediately to the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/ Secretary for perusal and briefly indicating the line of action (or draft replies where possible) on the remaining papers he will send them to the Assistant Secretary concerned. The Assistant Secretary will study the tappal, record his instructions and also dictate the final or draft replies wherever possible and indicate whether he will initiate noting on it himself and if so, what information he needs to be put up for his use and distribute the tappals to the sections under his charge. Individual acknowledgements need be obtained only in respect of U.O. files and valuable papers. The IOC Section will assign numbers to the papers received.

Para 18-A: Correspondence with Member of Parliament / MLA's

Communications received from Members of Parliament / MLA's should be attended to promptly.

Where a communication is addressed to a Minister, it should as far as practicable, be replied to by the Minister himself. In other cases, a reply should normally be issued over the signature of an Officer of the rank of Secretary only.

Where, however, a communication is addressed to the head of an attached or subordinate office, public Sector undertaking financial Institutions (including nationalised banks) Division / Branch Incharge in a Ministry / Department / Organisation. It should be replied to by the addressee himself. In routine matters not involving question of policy, he may send an appropriate reply on his own. In matters involving questions of policy the officer should have prior consultation with higher authorities before sending a reply. It should however, been sured that minimum level at which such replies are sent to Members of Parliament / MLA's is that of Deputy Secretary and that also in letter form only.)

Normally information sought by a Member should be supplied unless it is of such a nature that it would have been denied to him even if asked for on the floor of the Houses of Parliament.

B: Prompt response to letters received

1) Each communication received from Members of Parliament / MLA's a member of the Public, a recognized association or a public body will be replied to within 15 days.

2) Where (i) delay is anticipated in sending a final reply, or (ii) information has to be obtained from another Department or another office, an interim reply will be sent within a fortnight indicating the possible date by which a final reply can be given.

3) If any such communication is wrongly addressed to a departments it will be transferred promtly (within three days) to the appropriate department under intimation to the party concerned.

4) Where the request of a member of the public cannot be accepted to for any reason, reasons for not accepting to such a request should be given.

5) As far as possible, requests from members of public should be looked at from the user's point of view and not solely from the point of view of what may be administratively convenient.

C: Watch on disposal of communications received from Members of Parliament / MLA's.

1) The personal section of each Joint Secretary / Deputy Secretary (if the Deputy Secretary submits cases direct to Secretary / Additional Secretary) will maintain a separate register of communications received from Members of Parliament / MLA's the form given in Appendix-IX. The serial number at which a letter is entered in this register will be prominently marked on that letter together with its date of registration e.g., 128/JS/(P)/MP, dated 20-3-1996.

2) To keep a special watch on speedy disposal of communications received from Members of Parliament / MLA's each section will.

a) Maintain a register as in form at Appendix-IX and

b) Mark out prominently these communications finally disposed of by rounding of the serial numbers of the register in red ink.

3) If for any reason an M.P's / M.L.A's letter is received by a section without being registered in the personal section of the Additional Secretary / Joint Secretary / Deputy Secretary immediate steps will be taken to get it registered there.

4) On the 1st and 15th day of each month, each section will submit the register along with the Report in the form at Appendix V to the Assistant Secretary / Deputy Secretary particulars of communications pending for more than a fortnight will be given in the form of Appendix II, the report with the remarks of Assistant Secretary/ Deputy Secretary will be submitted to the Secretary/Additional Secretary / Joint Secretary and the register will be returned to the section.

5) The personal section of the Additional Secretary / Joint Secretary / Deputy Secretary will check whether all the Communications entered in its register figure in the reports sent by the sections. If any discrepancy is found, it should be reconciled. Thereafter, the report will be submitted to the Additional Secretary / Joint Secretary / Deputy Secretary for scrutiny and for such other action as he may consider appropriate.

6) Ministeries may through departmental instructions include additional columns in the forms at Appendices V, IX to suit local needs.

Failure on the part of the Officers to reply to the letter addressed by the Members of the Legislature will be viewed seriously and disciplinary action will be taken against the concerned Officers, as per the A.P.C.S. (Conduct) Rules, 1964 Amended to Rule 3 in G.O.Ms.No.72, dated: 3-3-1998.

19. If any paper relates to a pending case, the Assistant Section Officer adds the paper to the current or note file of the case. Otherwise, he puts each paper in an appropriate pad and the paper thus becomes a 'case'. He then obtains any previous papers in the Secretariat referred to in the current or note file and, unless the case is taken over by the Section Officer, takes the necessary further action. Such action may be the obtaining of further previous papers or precedents, the preparation of a precis, the writing of a brief note stating the points for orders and in simple cases the drafting of an Order, Memo, Endorsement, etc., in accordance with an established precedent. In important and difficult cases, he takes the oral orders of the Section Officer before taking such action. The Section Officer after making any revision of, or addition to the Assistant Section Officer's note or draft or putting up a fresh one, submits the case to the Under or Assistant Secretary / Deputy Secretary/ Joint Secretary / Additional Secretary/ Secretary/ Principal Secretary/ Special Chief Secretary. When submitting the case for orders the note may suggest reference of further information or remarks to other departments of the Secretariat or to outside officers but should not suggest the orders to be passed except in simple cases and in cases where there are precedents. He may, however, submit a draft answer to a Legislative Assembly question relating to facts and not to the opinion or policy of Government. The officers to whom the case is submitted direct further action to be taken or suggest definitely the nature of the disposal to be made and the orders to be passed in each case. The Special Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary/ Secretary decides whether any Minister or the Governor should see the case at that stage. Specific orders of the Chief Minister should be taken if any case requires discussion at a meeting of the Council of Ministers with reference to the provisions of the Business Rules. The case is circulated, if so directed, and on return is submitted to the Circulating Officer for perusal. It is then sent to the Section Officer being first seen by the Under Secretary or Assistant Secretary if it belongs to a section under him. The Section Officer passes it on with instructions to the Assistant Section Officer or keeps it himself for further action, if necessary. If further information is called for from the Secretariat in the notes of officers or of Ministers or the Governor this process is repeated until final orders are passed.

20. If a case in which a draft has been put up is circulated to the Ministers or the Governor and is received back with final orders, the draft will be issued with such modifications as may be necessary with reference to the final orders. If, however, the case in circulation did not contain a draft, and is received back with final orders, a draft is prepared in ordinary cases by the Section Officer and the file is resubmitted through the Assistant Secretary, the Under Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, the Joint Secretary or the Additional Secretary as the case may be, to the Secretary/ Principal Secretary/ Special Chief Secretary, who revises or passes the draft circulating it again if he thinks this desirable. Drafts in important cases and drafts of letters to the Government of India are as far as possible prepared by the Under Secretary or Assistant Secretary; drafts of a simple nature may be prepared by the Assistant Section Officer under the instructions of the Section Officer.

21. The disposal as approved takes the form of an order, letter, endorsement, memorandum, telegram, demi-official, or un-official reference or reply or 'Lodged' paper. It is numbered and dated by the Assistant Section Officer concerned or by the Typist-cum-Assistant of the section or the Assistant Section Officer in the Desk, who, in the case of orders, letters, etc., to be indexed, prepares a tabling slip, makes necessary entries in the personal register and closes the current in the register if the disposal is final. In the case of intermediate references or orders calling for information he enters the date of the first reminder in his reminder diary. He then passes on the draft and its enclosures (but not the whole file) to the Typist-cum-Assistant concerned for fair copying. Confidential papers are despatched by the Typist-cum-Assistant or Assistant Section Officer of the section and the rest by the concerned Assistant in the IOC Section. Un-official files to other departments are sent by the section concerned either direct or through the IOC Section. Orders in the 'Printed' series are sent to the Government Press and in cases where proofs are called for, they are checked in the section, submitted for the approval of officers and then returned to the Press for final striking.

22. Fair drafts are signed by the Secretary or Additional Secretary/ Joint Secretary/Deputy Secretary/Under Secretary or Assistant Secretary. The Section Officers are authorized to attest copies of orders and proceedings of Government including memorandum, endorsements and telegrams other than those which are confidential. In the case of final disposals and orders in printed series, the Assistant of the section prepares dockets. Government Orders, whether printed or not, which are received from other departments of the Secretariat and are 'Lodged' will not, however, be docketed.

23. On return of the drafts from the IOC Section after issue, the Assistnt Section Officer makes sure that the papers have been properly despatched, puts the drafts back in their respective files, and when the case has been finally disposed of, sends them to the Central Record Branch under the orders of the Section Officer who satisfies himself that there is no further action to be taken and gives a 'Pass Order' in each case in writing, which should be in red ink on the face of the docket sheet. Papers which do not carry a 'Pass Order' will not be accepted by the Central Record Branch. All references to which replies are due are kept in tact in the section with the connected papers.

24. Final disposals are stitched in the Section and then sent to be put in their proper places in the bundles on the record racks or almirahas.

25. The indexer collects at the end of every week the tabling slips of proceedings in the ordinary series prepared by the Assistant and Assistant Section Officer and prepares weekly indices for submission to the Secretary and Ministers.

26. Orders in 'routine' series are numbered in a separate register.

27. Desk Officer System:-

The Desk Officer will deal with all the cases unlike the Section Officers in the conventional system. He should examine the papers under consideration with the relevant material, the existing policy and precedents, standing orders etc., and determine what in his own view would be appropriate decision in the case. In this system it is desired to dispose of office business within two levels below the Minister between the level of noting hand and the point of decision. It is the duty of Desk Officer to see all incoming tappals and give directions to the staff on the action to be taken and to indicate the date by which the case is to be put up to him.

In dealing the case, if he requires any suggestion or opinion, he should take the case personally to the Deputy Secretary / Joint Secretary/ Secretary/ Principal Secretary/ Special Chief Secretary concerned and further action will be taken as directed by him.

If any information is required from any other Desk Officer in the same department, it should be secured by personal contact only and not by sending written requests. As far as possible consultation with other departments should be made over telephone.

The Desk Officer must use his judgment in each case, about how long or detailed a note he would record. In simple cases, no note need be recorded if the paper under consideration and the reply or orders issued would suffice by themselves to show what the issue was, how it was decided, and why it was so decided. In more complicated cases, it may be necessary to set out and verify the facts and points for decision, the pros and cons of alternate courses and the grounds in support of the decision which is taken or recommended for approval.

The Staff attached to a Desk Officer will inter-alia assist him in:-

(a) dealing with simple cases including issue of acknowledgements, forwarding of papers etc.,

(b) compilation of data in given form;

(d) records management; and

(e) typing work.

28. Maintenance of Reference Materials: -

Each Desk Functionary will develop a reliable documentation-cum-reference system comprising aids to processing like stock files, Standing notes, Precedents book etc.,

CHAPTER – IV: FORMS AND RULES OF CORRESPONDENCE

29. Forms of Correspondence: -

Correspondence arising from the Secretariat shall be in one or the other of the following forms:-

(a) Letter form: When it is proposed to address

(i) a higher authority,

(ii) another Government,

(iii) the Chief Justice of the High Court of Judicature, Hyderabad, Chairman, A.P.A.T., Lokayukta,

(iv) the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly,

(v) the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission,

(vi) an officer not under the administrative control of the Government of Andhra Pradesh,

(vii) Vice-Chancellor or Registrar of a University,

(viii) A Member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly,

(ix) a non-Official, or

(x) an official or a non-official association or society of some standing.

(b) Government Order Form:-

When the disposal on a case contains the orders of the Government (whether it has been actually seen by a Minister or the Governor or not) the proceedings form is adopted. A Government Order may be issued although a report is called for, if the report is not expected immediately, and the Government Order is entered in the call book. If it is proposed to index the disposal, and to retain it permanently in the records the proceedings are issued in the 'Ordinary’ series. These disposals are marked either 'P' (printed) or 'Ms' (manuscript), accordingly, as they are to be printed or issued in manuscript.

Where the disposal is not of sufficient importance to be retained permanently, the proceedings are issued in the ‘R’ (Routine) series.

When any information or opinion has to be obtained from a subordinate officer by an 'Official' reference and papers are not being sent in original, a memorandum is ordinarily issued; even if the memorandum is issued in consequence of an order of a Minister or the Governor that the information or opinion should be called for, any indication that any views or suggestions included in the memorandum are those of the Government or of a Minister or the Governor should be avoided; in some cases, however, a memorandum may include intermediate orders of Government. The memorandum form may also be used to acknowledge the receipt of a communication or to convey information not amounting to an order of Government.

(d) Endorsement Form:-

When a paper is returned in original or when it is referred to a subordinate officer in original for remarks or is communicated to him or to the departments of the Secretariat for information or disposal, the communication takes, the form of an 'endorsement'.

(e) Demi Official form:-

In cases where an officer or a member of the public has to be addressed without the formality of office procedure with a view to interchange opinions or information which it is undesirable to place official record or when it desired that a matter should receive the personal attention of the individual addressed, the communication takes the form of a demi-official.

Communications from non-officials should never be referred to as demi-official.

The express letter form may be adopted in the correspondence with the Indian Missions abroad.

(f) Wireless or Telex Messages: -

When any information has to be obtained/proposed to be obtained from/to a subordinate office or from higher authority or another Government immediately within a short period the message may be sent/transmitted either by Wireless or by Telex or Fax or by e-Mail.

30. Contents of Communications: -

(i) Letters and memoranda issuing from the Secretariat shall as a rule be complete in themselves and as far as possible independent of enclosures.

(ii) Correspondence shall be condensed as much as possible and repetition and unnecessary details avoided.

(iii) As far as possible, only one topic shall be dealt with in one communication.

(iv) Demi-official correspondence shall not ordinarily be quoted in official communications but this may be done at the discretion of the gazetted officer approving the draft.

31. Communications received in Secretariat-`Correspondence Rules' to be enforced: -

The rules regarding the form, arrangement and contents of communications from subordinate officers to the Government are contained in the 'Correspondence Rules'. Rule XIII of those rules requiring that communications addressed to the Government shall as a rule be complete in themselves and independent of enclosures should be enforced strictly and letters received from Heads of Departments which transgress this rule should be returned to them immediately for rectification.

32. Communications issued from Secretariat to certain authorities: Special Rules: -

The following rules relate to communications from the Secretariat to the authorities mentioned.

(1) Government of India and Other State Governments: The Government of India and other State Government Administrations are ordinarily addressed by letter.

In all official correspondence by letter, whether in manuscript or in print, the name as well as official designation of the sender shall be set out at the head of every letter.

Letters to the Government of India should be complete in themselves and should contain a concise abstract of such enclosures as it may be necessary to forward.

A spare copy should accompany all important communications addressed to the Government of India in the Ministry of External Affairs.

As a matter of form, it is not desirable to develop a personal touch in letters to the Government of India and the use of personal pronouns should therefore be avoided as far as possible; the following illustrations show the correct way of addressing:

Incorrect- I am to request you to make the necessary provision of funds

Correct - I am to request that the necessary provision of funds may be made.

Incorrect - I am to request you to obtain the sanction, etc.,

Correct - I am to request the sanction of, etc.

(2) All official correspondence from the Government to the High Court and Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal should be addressed to the Registrar, in the form of letters. Especially important letters may, however, be addressed to the Chief Justice, High Court/Chairman, Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal.

(3) Demi-official letters may be addressed by the Chief Secretary or other Secretaries to Government to the Chief Justice or to the Registrar, High Court and Chairman or Registrar, Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal according to the importance and circumstances of each case.

(4) Proceedings of the Government may be communicated to the High Court/ Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal with a covering letter addressed to the Registrar.

(iii) Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislature: -

(a) Communications sent by the Governor which must be dealt with by the Speaker whether they are messages or orders of sanction or recommendations, or convey any requisite approval or permission etc. should be forwarded by the Secretary to Government in the Administrative Department concerned demi-officially to the Secretary of the Legislative Assembly stating expressly that the communication has been sent under the orders of the Governor and requesting that it may be placed before the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

(b) Communications of a personal nature from the Governor to the Speaker should go from the Secretary to the Governor direct.

University:-

Communications sent to the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar should be in letter form. Important communications should be addressed to the Vice-Chancellor.

(a) Commander, Andhra Sub-Area, Secunderabad:- Official communications intended for Andhra Sub-Area, Bolarum, Secunderabad, shall be addressed to the commander and not to the officer by name.

(b) Other Military Authorities:- Covers including those, containing secret and confidential documents intended for other officers of Military Formations, may be addressed to the officers concerned by name, but with the addition of the words "or next Senior Officer present".

Commissioners of the Corporations:- Communications addressed to the Commissioners through the Mayors of Municipal Corporations shall invariably be despatched in covers addressed to the Mayor and not to the Commissioner.

Commissioners of Municipalities:- Communications addressed to the Commissioner of Municipal Council through the Chairman of the Municipal Council shall invariably be despatched in covers addressed to the Chairman and not to the Commissioner.

The Departments of the Secretariat should consult the Law Department in all cases where the legal opinion of the Advocate-General has to be obtained. The reference to Advocate General should be made with the approval of Chief Secretary to Government.

Copies of Memoranda, etc., addressed to either the Government Pleader or any other Law Officer enquiring about the result or stage of a particular case or requesting him to send copies of judgment or order of the High Court or Proceedings should not be sent to the Advocate-General. All routine correspondence should be addressed to the Government Pleader concerned.

The above procedure shall not apply to Legislature Department whenever it consults the Advocate-General under the direction of the Speaker or a Committee of the Legislature.

Note:- While addressing the Law Officers of the Government in the Hyderabad City and particularly the Advocate General who is the highest Law Officer of the Government or while issuing instructions to them, care should be taken to see that the language employed in addressing them is polite and courteous. Words such as "the Government direct" should not be used but instead, the instructions may be conveyed in the form of request.

Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission:- Official communications intended for the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission should be addressed to the Secretary to the Commission.

Other Authorities and private persons or bodies:-Use of honorifics — In all official correspondence the following honorifics should be prefixed to names irrespective of the race or religion of the person concerned:-

Men Women

Indian Nationals Sri Srimati, if married and Kumari, if unmarried

Other Nationals Mr. Mrs. or Miss, as the case

may be

NOTE:-(1) "Srimatis" and "Kumaris" should be used as plurals for "Srimati" and "Kumari" respectively. No plural form is used for "Sri" e.g. "Sri Ramakrishna and Sri Ganapati".

NOTE:-(2) While addressing Companies, firms etc., having Indian names "Sri" should be used in the place of Messrs e.g. "Sri Kalyan and Sitharam" or "Sri Kalyan and Company".

Medical and Veterinary practitioners (except those who hold. Military rank), whether in the service of Government or not, should be addressed by the courtesy title of "Dr." before their names and with their degrees, Licences, etc., added at the end as indicated below:

Practitioners of Modern Medicine Dr. M B.B.S. L.M.P. etc;

Practitioners of Indigenous Medicine Dr L.I.M., etc., or Dr. (Ind.) (when

if they have registered their names in qualification is not indicated)

Class A of Register maintained by a Board of Indigenous Medicine.

Practitioners of Veterinary Science Dr……. (Vet..) …………..

Government of India's instructions in regard to channel of Communication between State Governments and (A) Foreign Missions in India: (B) Indian Missions in Overseas Countries and (C) Foreign Governments.

Between State Governments and Foreign Missions in India.

All Official communications with Foreign Missions. in India should normally only be addressed to and by the Ministry of External Affairs. Should any communication be addressed by a Foreign Mission direct to a State Government including invitations to Ministers, Senior Government Officials etc. to visit abroad, the latter should consult the Ministry of External Affairs at the earliest opportunity. A reply will be sent by the Ministry of External Affairs who may, alternatively ask the State Government to send a reply adding a polite request that such communications should, in future, be addressed to the Ministry of External Affairs.

There is no objection to direct correspondence between the Consuls General, Consuls and Trade Representatives of Foreign Governments and the Deputy High Commissioners of Commonwealth countries in India on the one hand, and State Governments on the other on routine matters such as a request for factual. information of a non-confidential nature on technical subjects. When in doubt, the advice of the Ministry of External Affairs should invariably be obtained. If security considerations arise, the Ministry of Home Affairs and/or the Ministry of External Affairs should be consulted.

Correspondence, which relates to a matter involving directly or indirectly, a question of policy or one, which though not initially, may eventually raise a policy issue, should be made only through the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Registrars General of Births, Deaths and Marriages of States of India may forward certificates of births, deaths and marriages in respect of foreign Nationals to the foreign missions concerned direct.

Between State Governments and Indian Missions in Foreign Countries.

There may be direct correspondence between State Governments and Indian Missions abroad on routine matters provided copies of such correspondence are endorsed to the Ministry of External Affairs as well as to the Administrative Ministry concerned.

The following types of cases belong to this category:

Enquiries relating to births, deaths, residential addresses, antecedents, whereabouts and of Indian Nationals residing abroad or in India.

Verification of Statements that may have been made by certain applicants for securing Indian or Foreign travel documents.

Verification of the services of ex-employees of Foreign Governments, their medical examination etc.,

Petitions and complaints from Indian Nationals asking for miscellaneous kinds of assistance either from a Mission abroad or State Government in India.

Correspondence on questions of policy should invariably be sent through the Ministry of External Affairs:-

Exceptions:-

Correspondence on the following shall continue to be sent through the Ministry of External

affairs:-

Completion of D I —91, N.R.P. —78 and 127 Forms of relatives of Indian Residents in South Africa, Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia respectively;

Entry of educated entrants into South Africa;

Applications for temporary visits and entry into South Africa and any of the East and Central African territories.

Transmission of judicial documents: Once however, the documents have been transmitted, all further correspondence in the matter may take place between the State Governments concerned and the Indian Mission abroad, copies of correspondence being sent to the Ministry of External Affairs for information.

Subordinate Officers of State Governments are not authorized to correspond direct with Indian Missions abroad.

Exceptions:- (i) Between a Licensing Authority and Indian Mission abroad:- Licensing authorities in India authorised to issue licenses Under the Indian Arms Act and the Rules framed thereunder may enter into direct correspondence With the concerned Indian Missions abroad in connection with the renewal of a licence granted by the latter, or the grant of a licence to a Person residing in Nepal. Copies of the communications made should, however, be simultaneously endorsed to the Ministry of External Affairs.

Between Directors of School Education and Higher Education and Indian Missions:- Directors of School Education and Higher Education or other officers holding equivalent posts in the State may correspond direct with Indian Missions abroad in reply to the latter's request for verification of the educational qualifications and service rendered by teachers who were initially employed in India.

Between the Registrars General of Births, Deaths and Marriages and Indian Missions:- When an Indian Mission or Post abroad is approached by an Indian citizen for a copy of a certificate of birth, death or marriage, the Mission may enter into direct correspondence with the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages of the State Government concerned. The Mission or Post should also recover, on behalf of the Registrar General, the requisite fee for the issue of such a certificate. The head of account to which such a fee is to be credited shall be indicated by the Registrar General.

When a foreign Government approaches an Indian Mission for the grant of an emergency certificate to a person of Indian origin to enable that Government to deport such person to India for violating local laws, the Mission, unless specific orders to the contrary exist, e.g., in the case of Ceylon, should contact the district authorities in India directly, and satisfy itself that the person concerned is an Indian citizen in accordance with the Constitution of India or/and the Citizenship Act, 1955, and in accordance with such executive instructions as the Government of India may have issued or may issue in future in regard to Citizenship. Copies of all such correspondence should simultaneously be endorsed to the Ministry of External Affairs. If a Mission/Post abroad consider that a particular deportation has political implications, or if there is large scale deportation of Indian nationals, it should obtain the prior orders of the Government of India from the Ministry of External Affairs, before issuing emergency certificate to or agreeing to the deportation of the persons concerned.

Between State Governments And Foreign Governments:

State Governments should not correspond directly with Foreign Governments. Normally, such communications are not acted upon by the Foreign Governments concerned, but are made over by them to the appropriate Indian diplomatic authority. The proper channel of communication with Foreign Governments is the Government of India in the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Indian Diplomatic Post in the country concerned or, where there is no Indian representative, channel desired appropriate by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Between Central/State Government and Private Individuals, Organisations Abroad:

Ministers of the Government of India, their attached and subordinate offices, State Governments and other Governmental organizations in India may correspond directly with appropriate individuals, non-official organisations abroad on routine matters; copies of such communications need not be sent to the Indian Missions concerned abroad, if it is unlikely that the matter will subsequently have to be pursued further through the agency of those Missions.

The term Governmental organizations also includes. Bodies of Port Commissioners or other authorities legally entitled to or entrusted by the Government with the control or the management of a Municipal or a local fund.

Between Local Bodies And Foreign Governments:

Local bodies should be advised by the State Governments that when they receive a communication from abroad, including invitations to visits abroad, they should refer it to the State Government, along with the proposed reply, for instructions. If the matter under correspondence is of a routine and non-political character, and the communication is not from a foreign Government authority the State Governments may authorise the local bodies to send a reply direct. But if a political issue is raised, or it appears that the correspondence may have important or embarrassing implications, the advice of the Government of India in the Ministry of External Affairs should be sought.

Miscellaneous:

The Indian Mission in the country concerned should be kept fully informed about important orders or contracts being placed or negotiated direct with foreign firms or industries by Ministries of the Government of India or other Governmental authorities. Failure to do so places the Indian Mission concerned in an awkward position when enquiries are made from them in regard to such matters and they have no information on the subject.

Invitations to foreigners to visit India:- No invitations should be sent by a Government, semi-Government institution or organisation or local body in India to official or non official delegations from foreign countries to visit India nor is it desirable that private organisations do so, without consulting the Ministry of External Affairs as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs. Whenever it comes to notice that an invitation is being extended to a foreign delegation by any organisation, Government or private, the organisation should be advised to do so through the Ministry of External Affairs. An Invitation in the above context, includes an invitation for participation in fairs and exhibitions.

Indian Missions abroad should correspond with the respective Ministries of the Government of India only through the Ministry of External Affairs in such matters.

Demi-Official form of Correspondence-form of Salutation:-

In Demi-Official correspondence officers should address each other as "Dear Sri ……………………." Or Dear Mr. ..............." irrespective of the service to which they belong and irrespective of their seniority. It is, of course, open to very intimate friends to address as Dear A..............................

CHAPTER-V: Tappal

PROCEDURE - GENERAL

35. Nature of Tappal: -

The Tappal consists of -

Communications in cards, closed envelopes, packets, telegrams, fax communications, E-mails, wireless messages etc., addressed to the Chief Secretary /Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary/ Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary/Deputy Secretary/Under Secretary or Assistant Secretary or to the department, and

Non-confidential papers from departments of the Secretariat which by an inter- departmental arrangement are sent open to the departments concerned.

Receipt of Tappal:-

The tappal is received in Inward Outward Communication Section (IOC). The IOC section in the departments which have more than 25 sections viz. General Administration Department, Revenue Department, Home Department, Finance Department and Panchayat Raj & Rural Development Department is headed by an officer of the rank of Section Officer assisted by one Assistant Section Officer and two Inward Correspondence Assistants (ICA). In the remaining departments the IOC Section is headed by one Assistant Section Officer assisted by one Inward Correspondence Assistant. The general guidelines issued by the information Technology and Communications Department and the specific guidelines issued by the Secretariat departments should be duly followed. The Inward Correspondence Assistant will decide as to which currents need to be scanned and which currents can be sent directly to the Section without scanning duly following the guidelines issued.

The Inward Correspondence Assistants shall scan the correspondence and store the scanned image in separate shared folders, date wise. The folders will be shared between Inward Correspondence Assistants and Section Officer/Assistant Section Officer who is in charge of Inward Outward Communication Section. After scanning Inward Correspondence Assistants shall also bundle up all the physical copies of the Correspondence for a particular day and store it with him for any later reference.

Section Officer/Assistant Section Officer who is in charge of Inward Outward Communication Section should go through each scanned current and create an electronic file or add the current to an existing electronic file. For communicating hard copies out of the Secretariat, the IOC Section will take print out of the relevant orders and send them by post.

Communications which are of immediate or urgent nature, Fax, E-mail, Telegraphic Communications etc., should be attended to on priority basis by the Inward Outward Communication Section.

Registered and Insured Articles:-

Articles sent by post registered or insured are received by the Inward Correspondence Assistant who signs the postal receipts attached to them on behalf of the officers to whom they are addressed.

Acknowledgement of Tappal delivered by messengers:-

Any Tappal delivery by a messenger is acknowledged by the recipient in the messenger's delivery book. When a case is transmitted unofficially from one department of the Secretariat to another, an acknowledgement should be obtained in a transit register from the Inward Correspondence Assistant of the department to which the case is sent.

Note:-

(1) "Any Tappal marked `Secret' Strictly Confidential' or `Confidential', shall be received only by the Inward Correspondence Assistants or the peshi staff of the concerned gazetted officer and the staff should put full signature with date in token acknowledgement in the delivery book.

(2) Whenever a representation or communication is received, an acknowledgement should invariably be given to the person who has delivered the tappal or the representation by the Inward Correspondence Assistant or the peshi staff of the concerned official receiving the representation over his full signature. He should write his name legibly and also affix the official seal with date, wherever possible, on the acknowledgement.

Any Tappal marked 'secret' or 'strictly confidential' or addressed to the officer by name is opened only by the officer to whom it is addressed.

Submission of Tappal to officers concerned and Secretary: -

The Assistant Secretary sends papers that do not relate to his own sections to the officers in direct charge of the sections concerned together with the Tappals marked 'Secret' or ` Strictly Confidential' and those addressed by name.

Note:- Secret/Confidential covers should be delivered by the Inward Correspondence Assistant after these are duly resealed in covers, against specific acknowledgement from the officer or Section Officer concerned. In the case of secret / confidential communication sent to the officers direct, the Steno to the officer concerned must maintain the register and obtain acknowledgements from the concerned. The Inward Correspondence Assistant and the Stenos to officers should maintain a register in the following form for obtaining acknowledgements while handing over secret / confidential covers or their contents.

FORM

Sl.No. Subject No. & date Description Handed over Full signature

and of the of the enclosure to and

Designation

Date communication (Mention the of the

Receiver and from particulars of the

Whom valuables received)

received

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Submission of un-official Tappal from other Departments:-

Un-official references from one department of the Secretariat to another are also submitted to the officers concerned, before they are distributed to sections.

Perusal of ‘Tappal’ by Assistant Secretary or Under Secretary - Points to be noted:-

The Assistant Secretary or Under Secretary will look through the papers relating to his own sections, stamp them with his date stamp, note on them any instructions necessary in regard to the urgency of individual papers or the manner in which they should be dealt with and submit to the Secretary at once papers of the kind specified below:

Letters from the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission, Government of India, Governments of other States, or Foreign Embassies, Consulates or Legations in India except those which are purely of a routine nature; Communications/Orders/Notices from High Court and Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal.

Papers relating to disciplinary proceedings against gazetted officers such as reports from the Anti Corruption Bureau, Intelligence Branch, Crime Branch of Police Department, Vigilance Commission or from the Tribunal for Disciplinary Proceedings, explanations of the officers or requests for personal interview; and

Other important communications including papers received from the Ministers which the Secretary should see; and send the rest to the Inward Correspondence Assistant or, as the case may be, to the Sections in his charge.

Note:- Papers received without a date stamp or initials of officers should, unless they are very urgent, be resubmitted to them for the stamp or initials.

Marking in `tappal’ — circulation of advance copies of important communications and reports:-

Under the Business Rules copies of all communications received from the Government of India (including those from the Prime Minister and other Ministers of the Union) other than those of routine or un-important character or of the first report of an occurrence which under the orders in force should be reported to the Government of India by telegram should as soon as possible after receipt be submitted by the Secretary, to Chief Secretary, Minister incharge and to the Governor and to the Chief Minister for information. Such circulation should not delay 'Secretariat' action on the original papers.

Duty of Section Officer in regard to important Communications and Reports:-

Papers marked for circulation of advance copies should receive the immediate attention of the Section Officer and any omission by oversight on the part of the Secretary or other officers to mark papers for circulation should be brought to the notice of the Secretary by the Section Officer of the section concerned.

Transfer of papers intended for other Departments:-

Any papers intended for any other department of the Secretariat and those which prima facie appear to belong to another department of the Secretariat are marked to the correct department by the Assistant Secretary or the Section Officer (where he has been authorised to do so) and are then entered in a U.O. transit Register. The Assistant Secretary or the Section Officer shall ensure that the papers are forwarded immediately to the department concerned and that the acknowledgement of the receiving Assistant of that department is obtained.

Treatment of valuable enclosures:-

Details of money, cheques, and other valuable such as court fee stamps, copy stamp papers etc., received as enclosure should be entered by the Inward Correspondence Assistant in a register maintained for the purpose in the proforma under the note to para-40 and attested by the officer opening the tappals. The enclosures will then be delivered by the Inward Correspondence Assistant in person to the Steno attached to the officer concerned with the communication and his acknowledgement obtained in the same register. The Steno in -turn will enter the details in similar register, get it attested by the officer and obtain the acknowledgement of the valuable enclosures from the Section officer concerned. The latter should hand them over to the Section officer of the Central Cash Section for safe custody and obtain his acknowledgement in the margin of the current.

In the Legislature Department, the enclosures, referred to above shall be handed over to the Section Officer in charge of Accounts Section for safe custody.

Treatment of adhesive stamps affixed to communications:-

The adhesive stamps affixed to petitions or other documents should first be defaced by the Inward Correspondence Assistant by applying the date stamp in such manner as to cover or touch some part of the stamps but not in such a way as to obliterate the entries on them or to render the detection of forgeries difficult. The stamps should then be cancelled by punching the figure heads. Although the duty of cancelling adhesive stamps is laid primarily on the Inward Correspondence Assistant, the Section Officer and the Assistant Section Officer concerned should see that all adhesive stamps have been punched and defaced as directed above.

Numbering of currents and distribution among sections:-

The tappals received in sections are numbered by the Inward and Outward Communication Section. Papers of an ephemeral nature such as post copies of telephonic messages, tour programmers of Ministers and printed copies of indices circulated among sections are not numbered as currents. On the other hand, any note from a Minister or from an officer of the Secretariat, directing the examination of any point or issue should be registered as a current, lest the matter should be lost sight of calls from officers for a paper or a Government Order, etc., must, however, not be numbered as currents. Enclosures and spare copies should not be given separate current numbers.

When a current' relates to more than one section, it should be taken up by the section which is concerned with the first point mentioned in the communication. That section should register it and if the points raised are sufficiently important, give extracts to the other concerned sections for taking separate action. General currents, i.e., currents which relate to all sections should be taken up by the section specified for dealing with such papers.

Distribution of Currents in Section - Marking 'Urgent and Specials' by Section Officers:-

Each section will maintain a numbering register in which tappals are serially numbered in hand and the acknowledgement of the subject Assistant Section Officers will be obtained therein. It is the responsibility of the Section Officer to ensure that all papers assigned numbers are brought to the personal registers. The Section Officer distributes the papers among the Assistant Section Officers in the section with such instructions as are necessary.

When a paper is not marked 'Urgent' or 'Special' by the issuing officer, i.e., Special Chief Secretary / Principal Secretary / Secretary / Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary / Deputy Secretary /Under Secretary or Assistant Secretary, the Section Officer will, if he deems it necessary, mark the paper 'Urgent' or 'Special' as the case may be, and note the date by which the Assistant Section Officer should put it up. Before doing so, however, he should observe carefully the distinction between the two classes of papers, viz., that 'Urgent' papers are those which need early but not immediate attention and 'Special' those which need immediate attention.

Numbering of arising references:-

The subject Assistant Section Officer will be responsible for getting a number assigned to a letter, reference, etc., issuing from a department and originating a file.

PROCEDURE-OUT OF OFFICE HOURS

Telegrams-Chief Secretariat:-

Telegrams, Fax messages etc., addressed to the Chief Secretary, are delivered direct to the peshi of Chief Secretary. If, however, any telegram addressed to officers of the Chief Secretariat is received, it should be shown to him if he is in office and if he is not in office, arrangement should be made to take it to the residence of the officer.

Other Secretariats:-

The instructions issued by the respective Secretaries should be followed.

Tappal:-

Letters and other communications marked 'Special' should, unless otherwise directed, be sent to the officers concerned the same day by special messenger.

PROCEDURE-ON SUNDAYS AND OTHER HOLIDAYS

Telegrams-Chief Secretariat:-

Telegrams, Fax massages etc., addressed to the Chief Secretary, Special Chief Secretary and other officers of General Administration Department should be sent to the residence of Chief Secretary or other officers by the staff on holiday turn duty.

Other Secretariats:-

The instructions issued by the respective Secretaries should be followed.

Tappal-Chief Secretariat:-

The following personnel should be on turn duty on all holidays:-

One Section Officer

One Typist-cum-Assistant

One Record Assistant

One Motor Cycle Messenger

Two Attenders

One Roneo Operator

The turn duty staff should be in office by 10-30 A.M. The Section Officer will be responsible for the attendance of the duty staff. If anybody comes late or absents himself from duty, on that date, the concerned Assistant Secretary may be informed of this on the very next working day. The staff posted on turn duty should leave office at 5-00 P.M. with the permission of the Section Officer.

The Typist-cum-Assistant should receive all tappal including Postal tappal. The tappal should be handed over to the Inward Correspondence Assistant on the next working day. All urgent papers should be sent to the Assistant Secretary or the officers concerned through Motor Cycle Messenger or Attender posted on turn duty. The turn staff are strictly forbidden to open sealed covers and covers addressed by name. In case any immediate and important communication as also any sealed cover superscribed as `Urgent' or 'Important' etc., is received, it may be sent to the residence of the officer to whom the cover is intended through the Motor Cycle Messenger or the turn duty Attender on the same day. This would ensure circulation of important papers on the same day. Before sending such communications to the officer, the Section Officer on turn duty may contact the officer concerned over phone wherever possible, and with his permission read out or convey the gist of the matter to him excepting those in the sealed covers.

The Typist-cum-Assistant on turn duty should equip himself with all papers necessary for turn work and similarly the Record Assistant and Attenders posted for turn duty should equip themselves with the sealing materials, covers, service stamps etc.

The Roneo Operator on duty should attend to any roneo work received from the Personal Assistants to Ministers. A few reams of impression paper and one or two ink tubes should be kept ready before-hand, for their use.

An up-to-date list of addresses of officers and Ministers and an up-to-date list of distribution of subjects among the sections in the Chief Secretariat and all current tappal instructions issued by officers, whether general or special, should be kept prominently on the Inward Correspondence Assistant's table. The turn duty Assistant will peruse them before beginning his work. The turn Assistant will also attend to urgent or special circulation cases.

Other Departments of Secretariat:-

Instructions issued in the respective departments should be followed.

CHAPTER-VI: REGISTRY OF PAPERS

Personal Register:-

The currents received in each section should be registered in the Personal Register (Appendix-I), bound volumes of which are supplied to each section. The Register should be maintained by the Assistant Section Officer or by the Typist-cum-Assistant of the section. It should not be maintained in loose sheets or in unauthorised note-books.

The names of the Section Officer of the Section, the subject Assistant Section Officer and the Typist-cum-Assistant maintaining the register should be written on the fly leaf in each volume. Changes in personnel should be entered with the dates on which the changes took place.

Currents to be entered in Register immediately on receipt:-

As soon as the papers are received in the section the Assistant Section Officer or the Assistant/ Typist-cum-Assistant, as the case may be, must at once enter them in the personal register before which the Section Officer should classify them into Routine and Primary Currents.

The following types of papers fall under the routine category:-

Interim Replies indicating the stage of any pending matter.

Reminders received on pending cases.

Request for supply of a copy of an order or reference.

Action required to be taken on such currents is very simple and of a routine nature. Therefore, such currents though registered are not counted for assessing the work load in a section.

The remaining currents which are termed as Primary Currents constitute the real core of work in a section. Any delay or neglect in this matter will be held dereliction of duty on the part of the Assistant Section Officer. Section Officer should see that all currents received in the section are duly registered in the personal register on the very day of their receipt.

All communications to be registered:-

All communications, whether official, un-official, or Demi-Official, should be registered in the personal register and all entries made neatly.

Number of entries on a page:-

The number of entries on each page of the register shall ordinarily be three. A line in red ink should be drawn across the page after each entry. Insertion between two entries of a fresh entry should not be made except with the initials of the Section Officer of the section.

In the case of an entry relating to a current on which a circular reference is likely to be issued or protracted correspondence is anticipated, adequate space, if necessary a full page, should be allotted to enter the stages etc., clearly and neatly.

If the space so allotted proves inadequate, slips should be pasted along the page for making additional entries.

Method of registry of papers:-

Papers are registered in the order of the numbers stamped on them; these are called current number or briefly 'C' Nos.

Title to be brief and accurate (Column (4) of Register):-

The title to be entered in Column (4) shall be as brief as possible, just sufficient to convey generally the subject of the paper, e.g., 'Land acquisition, Hyderabad Police Lines, Lingampally'. It should be framed and arranged exactly as an index title (see Chapter XII, Indexing and Purports). It is the duty of the Section Officer of the section to check the accuracy of the titles when he examines the personal register.

Entries in column 5 of register:-

In making entries in column 5 of the personal register the Assistant Section Officer may use the abbreviated designations. In the case of a letter or petition from a non-official, the name of the writer and his brief address should be entered in column 5 and not in column 4.

Entry in column 5 of currents sent by one Officer through one or more other Officers:-

In registering a current submitted to Government by one officer through one or more other officers, it is sufficient to enter the designation of the officer from whom it is actually received and also the number and date of his communication.

Entry of dates of submission of cases to Officers and return (column 7 and 8 of register):-

Whenever a paper is submitted by the Section Officer or Assistant Section Officer to a gazetted officer the fact and the date of submission should be entered in column 7 and its return in column 8. The Section Officer is responsible for 'ensuring that this is done by his Assistant Section Officer when a paper is submitted to an officer through one or more other sections. The fact should be noted in column 7. The actual submission of the paper to the officer should be watched to check delays.

All entries should be in ink.

Numbering and entry of references or final disposals (columns 9,10 and 11):-

When an intermediate reference or a final disposal is issued in the form of memorandum, telegram, letter (except one numbered in special disposal series), endorsement, demi-official or un official, it will be numbered with the current number originating the case, the year to which it relates and a sub- number (e.g. Memorandum No.95/87-1, General Administration (Inspection Cell-I) dated 14-8-87) by the subject Assistant Section Officer or Typist-cum-Assistant of the section, the same sub-number and date being given if the same reference or final disposal issues to one or more officers. He will at the same time fill in columns 9, 10 and 11 of the personal register in the case of references.

Entry of nature of References - Abbreviations, (Column 9). - The nature of the reference issued will be noted in column 9 of the register, the letter 'L' being adopted for letter,

`O.M.' or `M' for Office memorandum, 'U.O.' for unofficial, ‘D.O' for demi official, `T.M.' for the telephonic message, `Telgm' for telegram and 'Remi’ for reminder.

Entry of reminders:-

Reminders issued should be entered in red ink in columns 9,10, and 11 and reminders received should be similarly entered in columns 12,13 and 14 of the personal register. Against each item the date of next reminder should be indicated in pencil.

Entry of replies to references and, currents to be added to old cases (Columns 12, 13 and 14):-

Replies to references previously issued and papers which, though not of the nature of replies to previous references, have, for any other reasons, to be filed with old cases will be registered in their turn, the new current number being entered in column (2) and the old current number in column (4); columns (3), (5) and (6) should also be filled in. All currents whether they are registered for the first time or registered and carried over to previous currents should be given a serial number in the personal register. The current and date of receipt / origin and outside number and date of such communications should be entered, without any purport in columns (12), (13) and (14) against the previous current number.

Closing of currents in personal register column (15):-

If the disposal is final, its nature, number and date will be entered in red ink in the last column of the personal register. For example, when a file is closed by an order or letter in the ordinary or routine series, the number and date of disposal will appear in that column. A similar entry will be made when the closure is in the form of an endorsement, memorandum, telegram, demi-official or un-official. If a paper is returned in original with an endorsement, the fact should be indicated and dated in the last column of the register. The current number in column 2 of the register should be ringed off in red ink as soon as it is finally disposed of.

Entry of 'Lodged' disposal (column 15):-

'Lodged' papers will be closed by the entry 'Lodged' with the date of disposal in the last column of the personal register.

Entry of disposals stitched with previous paper:-

In cases where the papers received with a current that has been 'Lodged' are stitched with a previous order or other paper, the Assistant Section Officer shall, in addition to entering 'Lodged' with the date in the last column of the personal register, make an entry of the fact that the papers have been so stitched e.g., Lodged, 30-5-1988 and stitched with G.O.Rt.No.1834 General Administration (Inspection Cell-II), dated 1st June 1988. A. similar procedure will be adopted when a final disposal such as a reference letter, memorandum, etc., is stitched with a Government Order or other paper.

Treatment of papers wrongly addressed: -

If a paper is wrongly addressed to one department of the Secretariat, it must be immediately submitted to Section Officer with an un-official endorsement transferring it to the department concerned.

If the paper is one belonging to another section of the same department of the Secretariat it may be handed over immediately to the other section concerned, if it is prepared to accept it and acknowledgment obtained in the personal register. The transfer should be made only under the orders of the Section Officer. If the other section is not prepared to accept the paper it should be submitted to the Assistant Secretary or the Under Secretary/Deputy Secretary/Joint Secretary/Additional Secretary as the case may be and formally transferred under his orders.

Instructions regarding registry of office papers:-

The procedure regarding registry of papers described in the forgoing paragraph obtains in the case of papers relating to purely office matters. The personal register for such papers will be maintained by an Assistant of the O.P section.

The following classes of office papers need not be registered in the personal register but shall be disposed of as shown below:-

Applications for casual leave from members of the office establishment are filed in the leave files maintained in the O.P section after disposal. These files are destroyed after the expiry of the calendar year following the year in which they were received.

Any other class of papers which the Assistant Secretary or the Under Secretary, Deputy Secretary / Joint Secretary / Additional Secretary considers it unnecessary to bring on to the personal register.

CHAPTER-VII: REFERENCING, NOTING AND DRAFTING

SECTION-I GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

(a) Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary:-

The Secretary is the official head of the department and it is his duty to take efficient steps for the prompt dispatch of business in his department. When a department has a Special Chief Secretary or a Principal Secretary, the Special Chief Secretary or the Principal Secretary shall be the official head of the department. In cases of exceptional urgency the procedure laid down must be expedited by all possible means. Personal communication (by telephone or otherwise) should be freely resorted to with a view to reduce the volume of noting.

Ex-Officio Principal Secretary/Secretary to Government:-In some selected departments of Secretariat the Head of Department functioning under the administrative control of the department is appointed as Ex-Officio Principal Secretary to Government or Ex-office Secretary to Government, as the case may be. He is responsible for planning, policy formulation, supervision and execution of all schemes, both Plan and Non-Plan connected with his department. He is also responsible for legislative proposals, policy issues, meetings of the Project Programmes and Approval Committee, Departmental Promotion Committees and interface with the Government of India and financial institutions to formulate effective supervision and prompt disposal of business. The Head of the Department and Ex-officio Principal Secretary/Secretary will adopt the single file system of originating proposals from the department and pursue further action at the Secretariat level in the same file.

It may be noted that the Administrative Department in the Secretariat comprises a group of subjects mostly inter-related and in view of this it may so happen that there may be a Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary for the main department for a homogeneous group of functions and consequently such department will be known as the principal department. This department will deal with all other subjects which are hitherto being dealt with by the department, excluding the subject relating to the Head of the Department concerned who has been entrusted with the status of Ex-officio Secretary. In such cases the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary of the principal department would be in-charge of high level coordination, review and monitoring of the schemes, hearing of appeals, revision and inspection.

However, in respect of matters relating to policy, the files may be routed on return from circulation through the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/ Secretary of the principal department, and if he has any points to make, he can do so and send the file to the Chief Secretary/concerned Minister/ Chief Minister. It would also be necessary that the Ex-officio Secretaries are able to undertake tours to oversee their line-functions by organising meetings etc. on specified dates so that they would be free to tour on the other days. Further, while inviting for meetings etc., and also while calling for files from the departments, the communications have to be addressed to the Special Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary/ Secretary/Ex-Officio Secretary dealing with the subjects concerned and not the Secretary of the principal department. Attimes, in respect of some heads of departments, though they are assigned ex-officio functions they are designated as Ex- officio Additional/ Joint/ Deputy Secretary depending on their level of seniority. In such cases, though they may circulate routine files to the Minister incharge, all important papers relating to policy issue etc., will have to be routed through the Secretary of the principal department.

It is essential that the proposal initiated in the office of the head of the department is circulated for orders in the Secretariat for expediting decision making in the ex-officio system. Such procedure is known as "Single file System". The proposal of the head of the department (by retaining a shadow file of the proposal) would be circulated through the second level ex-officio functionary, if any, in the office of the Head of the Department or from an appropriate functionary in the office of the Head of the Department through the conventional circulating officer in the Secretariat. In either case after the orders are obtained in circulation, appropriate orders are issued by the Government with a copy to the head of the department for filing the same in the shadow file. The sections which are under the control of ex-officio Secretary will mainly function as routing sections or repository sections for Secretariat files and records and also attend to inter-departmental consultation and legislation.

Additional/Joint/Deputy Secretaries:-

The duties of these officers are identical with those of the Secretary in regard to the sections placed under their control.

Under Secretary / Assistant Secretary:-

The functions of the Under Secretary or the Assistant Secretary are to control and supervise the sections placed in his charge. He will instruct them how to deal with papers, both generally and in individual cases, and see that such instructions are carried out and that papers are properly handled. It is his duty to check delay, superfluous noting and prolixity of language, whether in notes or drafts, and enforce the rigid observance of all rules in regard to such matters as the form and scope of office notes and drafts, the communications of copies of documents as enclosures, referencing, the citation of precedents and authorities, indexing, the nature of records that should be printed, and the editing of matter for the Press.

In accordance with the recognised practice and such specific instructions as the Secretary may issue from time to time he may pass final orders approving proposals which are of a routine nature or which require only the formal sanction of Government. In other cases he will see that points on which orders are required are clearly and conscisely set forth, and will ordinarily express his own views on them. When the Government have passed orders on a case, he should see that those orders are conveyed completely, accurately and clearly without un-necessary verbiage to those whom they concern, and that all points for orders are dealt with in the communication to be issued.

Noting and drafting on a case of a difficult or complicated nature should as far as possible be done by the Under Secretary or the Assistant Secretary, as the case may be, who should make free use of Stenographers and utilise the services of Assistant Section Officer and Section Officer for the collection of statistics or papers of any information which he may require. In some cases he may save delay and trouble by indicating appropriate disposals on papers when received in the tappal and drafting on papers immediately on their return from circulation. In the case of papers received unofficially from other departments it is often possible for him to note at once on receipt.

Section Officer:-

The Section Officer is responsible generally for the prompt, steady and efficient despatch of work of his section. He must constantly examine the cases pending with his Assistant Section Officers to see that they do not delay them. He should advise his Assistant Section Officers as to the manner in which they should deal with the individual cases and should encourage them to come to him for advice whenever they have doubts. He should insist on his Assistant Section Officers studying the currents and beginning to collect papers for reference immediately on their receipt. He should check any tendency to unnecessary and too elaborate research. He should see that currents are put up quickly and according to the nature of their urgency and that they are properly referenced. He should check prolixity in noting. The chief merits of a good note being lucidity, completeness and brevity, he will see that they are constantly kept in view both by himself and his Assistant Section Officers. The Section Officer is. not expected to express views or suggest what orders should be passed except where they necessarily follow from some provision of law or rule or are in accordance with the precedent.

Note(i)

The above directions will apply mutatis mutandis to Assistant Section Officers who submit papers direct to officers.

The Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary or other gazetted officer will decide what papers or classes of papers dealt with by Assistant Section Officers shall pass through the Section Officer on their way to the Special Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary/ Secretary or other gazetted officer and what papers shall be submitted direct. From time to time the Section Officer will scrutinize a file, picked out at random or for some special reason, from the files that the Assistant Section Officers have dealt with and are authorised to submit direct, on their way to the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary. Such files he will initial, after taking such action in regard to them as he may find necessary.

Papers returning from the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary will pass to the section through other gazetted officers concerned and all papers returning from those officers will pass to the Assistant Section Officer concerned through the Section Officer. From the notes written by those officers and their modifications of the drafts put up by the Assistant Section Officers, the Section Officer will know what each Assistant Section Officer is capable of, what help and guidance he requires and where he is liable to fail and must therefore be watched.

Note(ii)

At the gazetted level, besides the Section Officer, whose note will be limited to exposition of the facts of the case, no file should be seen by more than one officer between the Section Officer and the decision-making authority viz., a Minister/ Special Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary/Secretary.

Desk Officers: -

The Desk Officer is incharge of a Desk, assisted by one Assistant Section Officer and Junior Stenographer. The Desk Officer is responsible and accountable for the proper disposal of all cases belonging to his Desk with due speed and efficiency. He is incharge of subjects involving policymaking, planning and problem solving. He will initiate action and dispose of all cases, references or receipts pertaining to the subjects allocated to him. He will be responsible for keeping the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary, Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary or Deputy Secretary, as the case may be, informed of all important developments, problems or difficulties which are anticipated, or may arise in relation to the subjects or cases dealt with by him.

The mode of submission of files will be that the Section Officer designated as Desk Officer (Junior) will submit files direct to Deputy Secretary, Joint Secretary or Addl. Secretary, as the case may be while the Assistant Secretary / Deputy Secretary/ Joint Secretary / Additional Secretary designated as Desk Officer (Senior) will submit files direct to Secretary or the Principal Secretary or the Special Chief Secretary, as the case may be.

Assistant Section Officers:-

Assistant Section Officers assist the Section Officer and the Desk Officers in all stages in dealing with a paper. They should study the currents immediately on receipt and collect papers without delay. They are responsible for complete and accurate referencing and for the proper arrangement of a case. They may put up notes and drafts in simple cases and should assist the Section Officer / Desk Officers in dealing with complicated cases by procuring previous papers, preparing precise and rough drafts etc. Their principal duty is to attend to routine matters with scrupulous care and punctuality. They should cultivate methodical and business like habits. They should freely seek the advice and guidance of the Section Officer/Desk Officer whenever they have doubts or difficulties.

The Section Officer may assign to his senior Assistant Section Officers (or to Assistant Section Officers who are in practice found competent to deal with a subject) papers of a routine or simple nature with such instructions general or special, as may be necessary. Such an Assistant Section Officer may act in respect of such papers as if he were the Section Officer. The Typist-cum-Assistant will assist not only the Section Officer but also such Assistant Section Officers as the former may direct.

Points to be attended to immediately after currents are registered:-

After the currents are registered the following matters should be immediately attended to:-

Scrutiny of currents with reference to "Correspondence Rules":-

Assistant Section Officers shall ensure that the arrangement of communications received by them conforms to the "Correspondence Rules" (see Chapter IV-Forms and Rules of Correspondence). In trifling cases they shall make the necessary corrections, otherwise they shall bring the matter to the notice of the Section Officer who will take orders whether the communication in question should be returned to the officer concerned for resubmission in proper form.

Copy to be made of illegible communications:-

A typewritten copy of every communication which is illegible shall be made. It will then take the place of the original in the case, the original being placed at the bottom of the case and a note to that effect being made on the copy.

Tagging of currents and enclosures:-

Except in the case of bulky papers, all the stitches of threads are cut off and the communication and the enclosure arranged below it chronologically, punched in the left hand corner at the top about an inch inside and a single tag is passed through the hole so that the pages may be turned freely and read conveniently. Papers must not be tagged untidily nor must the hole be poked in the papers with the pointed end of the tag.

Arrangement of enclosures:-

If the enclosures are bulky and inconvenient for punching they are kept below the communications and treated as "put up" papers for reference purposes. The enclosures received should be checked carefully and the result noted on the communication and the Assistant Section Officers should verify whether the enclosures sent in original with a reference to an outside office have been completely returned. If an enclosure is not received the sender of the communication should be immediately informed in urgent matters by telegram.

Adding currents to case:-

Use of current and note file sheets and appropriate pads - A paper relating to a pending case will be added to the current or note file and new current which does not relate to a case already pending will after a current file or note file sheet is added to it at the beginning, be put in appropriate pads.

Note:-

Note file sheets are not now supplied and the supply of current file sheets is very much restricted. Half a sheet of a course paper, e.g. Badami cut breadth wise may be used where available as note file sheet.

Page numbering:-

Pages should be numbered continuously. Both sides of each leaf should be numbered even though one of the sides may be blank. The numbering of the front and back pages should be done at the right and left hand top corners respectively. Old pages numbering, if any, should be erased or scored out neatly and clearly. Overwriting is prohibited.

Punching of adhesive stamps:-

All court-fee stamps affixed to documents received in the office should be punched through the figure head if that has not already been done by the Inward Correspondence Assistant. In regard to those affixed in excess of legal requirements a certificate will be issued to the party concerned in accordance with Standing Order No. 96 (2) in the Andhra Pradesh Stamp Manual.

Preliminary Points for action:-

(1) Transfer of currents:- A paper belonging to another department of the Secretariat should immediately be put up to the gazetted officer concerned with an un- official note transferring it to that department. Such papers may also be transferred on the orders of the Section Officer if he has been specifically authorised to do so.

Treatment of currents containing points for orders in more than one Department or Section:-

In the case of a communication received in one department of the Secretariat containing matters which requires orders in another department of the Secretariat, an extract of the portions relating to such matter should be forwarded immediately to the other department under the orders of the gazetted officer concerned. A similar procedure should be adopted in regard to portions in a communication relating to another Section or Sections in the same department.

Preliminary action on important communications:-

In the case of an important communication from the Government of India or the first report of an occurrence which under the orders in force should be reported to the Government of India by telegram, the instructions in Business Rule 30 should be complied with.

Acknowledgement of communications from certain authorities or persons:-

Letters from foreign Governments or from non-official bodies like Chambers of Commerce and from non-officials etc., should be acknowledged immediately on receipt.

If there is likely to be delay in issuing orders on an urgent reference from the High Court or other Head of a Department, the fact should be intimated to them at once.

Order of preference in dealing with papers:-

Papers shall be dealt with as they arise, priority being given to urgent papers and communications from the Government of India.

‘Special' Papers:-

Whenever in any section a paper or file is received which is marked 'Special' or should, in the opinion of the Section Officer, be treated as `Special', the Assistant Section Officer shall see that it is dealt with at once. If the file has to go to any officer when he is not at the Secretariat, the Section Officer will see that it is despatched at once by special Attender who must be given clear instructions where to take the file on its return.

When the draft has been finally passed for issue he will see that it is fair copied and despatched without delay. Section Officers will be held responsible for any unnecessary or avoidable delay, whether the delay is actually caused by them or not, in the disposal of 'Special' files and in the actual issue of orders thereon.

Translation of papers:-

Petitions or other communications in any of the languages of the State should be translated by the Assistant Section Officers themselves with the assistance, if necessary, of the Section Officer of the section or of the staff in some other section of the Secretariat. If in any particular case any special difficulty in translation is experienced the Director of Translations may be consulted by memorandum.

Full translations will ordinarily be put up of petitions and brief abstracts of enclosures unless instructions to the contrary are given.

The department issuing a Government notification, press communiqué, leaflet or other important papers will get them translated by the Director of Translations where necessary. When sending requisitions for translation, departments of the Secretariat should supply the Director of Translations with a sufficient number of spare copies of the notifications, etc., to be translated into the languages of the State.

(a) Reference to outside Offices to be made without delay before referencing and noting: -

After the action referred to in paragraphs 73 and 74 above has been taken, the Assistant Section Officer will reference the papers and carry out instructions of the Section Officer as regards the preparation of a note or draft. The systems of referencing, noting and drafting are dealt with in the succeeding paragraphs. However, before this is done it should be considered whether the file should clearly be referred to any officer or authority outside the Secretariat (eg., the Accountant- General). If so, time may often be saved by making this reference at once before the putting up of previous orders or the writing of notes is undertaken.

(b) Intermediate reference and time-limit for receipt of replies:-

When an intermediate reference is issued, a definite time-limit for receipt of replies should be specified in the reference and on the expiration of the period the papers should be put up to the Secretary concerned who should decide whether to wait for replies which were still due, to issue further reminders or to proceed to disposal. Unless in any case it is specially necessary to wait for all the replies, the papers should be disposed of without further delay mention being made in order of the officers who have failed to reply to the reference.

Papers concerning more than one section - submission to officers - procedure:-

When a paper concerns more than one section in the same department, it will be submitted to the Secretary only after each of the sections concerned has noted on it. Wherever possible a single note covering all the points at issue and initiated by the Section Officers of all the sections concerned may be put up.

When a note etc., received from another department and relating to matters which concern more than one section is submitted by a section, a certificate should be given in the office note to the effect that action is being taken by other sections on matters relating to them.

SECTION-II: REFERENCING

Referencing: -

Collection of papers and books of reference - After a current has been registered and the steps mentioned in the preceding section taken, the Assistant Section Officer will study it and see whether any previous papers or books of reference are required in order to deal with it. He should consult the index in order to trace such papers. It is of great importance to put up previous correspondence bearing materially on points raised in the paper under disposal. The putting up of relevant previous papers will obviate the issue of inconsistent orders and possible wastage of time, as for example, in making a reference to some other officer, which could have been avoided if the previous papers had been traced and put up.

Every paper quoted by its number and date in a current and its enclosures should be put up. If it is a Government disposal it can be obtained from the records. If it is the despatch number of another office (for instance the number of a Collector's letter) its disposal can be found out by consulting the personal register. If no papers are quoted in the current and a similar case has previously been disposed of, the precedent should be put up. If a paper is referred to only by its subject, indexes under the appropriate heads must be consulted for proceedings in the 'Ordinary' series. Proceedings in the 'Routine' series can be traced from the Register of Routine Proceedings and other papers from the personal register. Stock files maintained in the section will also help in getting relevant papers, but stock files should not be put up if this can possibly be avoided.

When a put up paper has not been printed completely, the original shall be placed in the case, but, if printed notes suffice, originals are not necessary.

When bulky volumes are referred to and the passages in them bearing on the point or points at issue are not long, typed extracts of such passages and not the volumes themselves may be put up.

If the required papers are not printed and the originals or copies are not available, substitutes may be put up. The substitute for a paper which is under disposal is an extract from the personal register and that for a paper which has been disposed of is an extract from the Index or Register of Routine Proceedings. Currents which require urgent action should not, however, be delayed unduly on the ground that previous papers or books of reference required for their disposal are not readily available.

Care of papers put up: -

Particular care should be taken in handling old records. They should not be injured by attaching flags or pins or by writing in them or underlining or sidelining passages in them. Whenever it is seen that a sheet is torn or not properly stitched, the Assistant Section Officer concerned should repair the sheet before putting up the paper in the case. Old papers should be flagged as described in paragraph 85(a) below.

Arrangement of cases: -

After the required references have been obtained the papers in a case will be arranged in the manner shown below:-

A case under disposal consists ordinarily, in addition to the papers and books put up for reference, of two main portions.

(i)Current File and (ii) Note File.

These two portions are maintained separately until disposal ie., not tagged together and are, except in trifling cases, distinguished respectively by separate covering sheets.

During the disposal the arrangement of papers in a case beginning from the bottom is...

the put-up papers

the Current File

the draft where a draft is submitted

the Note file

the Order Paper, if there is one, and

books of reference placed at the top of the case outside the flaps of the pad.

If there is a sectional notes file in a case, it is placed immediately below the main notes file.

(i) Arrangements of 'put-up' papers:- The put-up papers are placed face upwards and are arranged in chronological order, the oldest at the bottom, the next in date immediately above, and so on, the latest being placed at the top. Old records should be carefully handled. Records received from the State Archives and containing sheets which are fragile or otherwise liable to damage on handling should not be put up in files in original, but only copies of them should be put up. Such documents should be returned to the State Archives safely as soon as copies are taken. Other old records received from the State Archives should be put in envelopes before they are put up in a file.

(ii) Noting of put-up papers on current file sheet and their verification in un-official transmission particulars of records which may be put in a case under disposal or removed there from should be noted by the Assistant Section Officers concerned over their signature under the printed headings of the current file sheet or the note file sheet if there is no current file in a case. When a case is transmitted unofficially from one department to another, the Assistant Section Officer dealing with the case in the latter department should check the record put up therein with the list and if any record is found missing, the fact should immediately be brought to the notice of the former department through the gazetted officer concerned.

Current File:- The current file consists at the outset of 'official' (or formal) ‘un-official' ( or informal ) paper or papers under disposal, to which are subsequently added the office copies of any intermediate 'official' or 'unofficial' references and the replies thereto. The following papers are also added to it:

A question in the Legislature and any official or unofficial reference issued in-connection with it and replies to such references;

The original of the answer after despatching copies to the office of the Legislature should also be added to the current file; and

Demi-official communications other than from Ministers and the Governor and telephone messages.

If the demi-official or un-official communication contains anything confidential or secret, the file to Which it is added should, if it has not already been treated as confidential or secret, be treated as such from that time.

The papers in the current file are arranged chronologically, the papers of earliest date on the top, each current being followed by its enclosures arranged chronologically. This file is paged continuously in red ink unless the enclosures are books or are unwieldy.

In files in which references have been issued to several Heads of Departments, Collectors, etc., or in which periodical returns are due from several officers, and in respect of which action can be taken only when all the replies and returns have been received, the replies to such references or returns should not be added to the current file but should be kept separate as an enclosure file, the replies, or the returns, as the case may be, being arranged according to the date on which they are received and the pages numbered in pencil tentatively. When all the replies or returns are complete and the file is taken up for action, the replies in the enclosure file should be re- arranged so as to conform as far as possible to the method in which the various points in the file are dealt with in the notes so as to reduce to a minimum the necessity for turning over the pages in the enclosure file backwards and forwards. Intermediate references for eliciting further information or for clarification of any points, and replies to such references should, however, be added to the main current file.

Note file:- The note file consists of the notes with un-official references and replies thereto, demi- official communications from Ministers and the Governor, memorandum for the Council of Ministers and the decision of the Council of Ministers or Cabinet Resolution. If a question in the Legislature is sent from the office of the Legislature with an un-official note on a separate sheet or paper, the note should be the first page of the note file. The pages in the note file will be continuously numbered in a separate series in black ink and shall be referenced like those of the current file. At the head of the first page of the note file will be written the title of the file which should be arranged as laid down in Chapter XII-Indexing and Purports. In addition to the page numbers in the note file mentioned above, the notes should be broken up as much as possible into short paragraphs each dealing with a single point. There should be a continuous numbering of paragraphs from the beginning to the end ofthenotesinafilewhether the notes are recorded by the office or superior officer.

‘Flagging'-References...(a) Flags will be attached by paper fasteners and not by pins, and will be affixed to the brown docket sheet and not to any of the sheets in it. The flags should be arranged in such a way as to readily catch the eye. They will beso arranged that one flag does not cover another. Letters or numbers printed in flags which are used to indicate papers in a case under disposal shall not be altered to AA or A-2 or A-3 etc. In flagging papers the oldest should as far as possible be flagged first and then the latter papers in order commencing with letter flags in alphabetical order and after the alphabet has been exhausted going on with number flags starting from ‘I’ in order. There must be only one flag for each paper put up for reference. A particular letter or number flag should not be used more than once in the same case. Duplication of flags is a serious mistake.

Very old decaying papers should never be flagged, lest they should get torn; they should be put in envelopes with a note in pencil outside the envelope showing the paper within; these envelopes will be flagged.

(b) References to books, etc., when proceedings, volumes or books are put up the portion of the volume or book referred to should be marked with tape or a slip of papers and not flagged. Whenever a book is referred to, the number of the relevant page, paragraph, clause, etc., should be quoted; if a book or Act not included in the list of books with the officers is referred to it should be put up with the file. Such books and Acts will be placed above the flags of the file and not under them and tied with the tape of the pad containing the case.

(c ) Referencing the current file and draft:- (i) The object of noting references is to connect the whole case so that an officer reading the file may have no difficulty in finding the references.

The number and date of every paper to which reference is made in the current file- or draft or to which a reference is necessary and which is not quoted fully in the correspondence must be noted in the margin in pencil. The page of the paper at which the reference should be looked up must also be entered. Every paper put up to which reference is actually mademust be flagged and the letter or number of the flag should be repeated on the margin against the paper quoted. This method of indicating papers by flags is also followed, but it should be remembered that it is not sufficient to note a flag letteror number alone as, if this is done and the paper is put up subsequently for reference, it will be difficult to trace the various references; the number and date of papers referred to shall always be quoted as well.

Flags not be to attached to current file: - No flags may be attached to the current file and note file under disposal. References to these will be made by quoting the number of the page e.g., "P.6 c.f." or "paragraph 10 on P.6 n.f."

Underlining or sidelining of currents prohibited:- Unnecessary underlining or sidelining of currents should not be made. When special reference is sought to be invited to a particular portion in paragraph, that portion should be indicated by a letter ofthealphabet and reference should be made to it.

Referencing the note file:- All references to authorities quoted shall, as far as possible, be made in the body of the note at the end of each sentence within brackets, the number or letter borne by the flag attached to each alone being noted in the margin in pencil. For every statement made in the note except expressions of opinion, an authority must be cited. If such an authority is found in the current file, the page at which it is to be found and the number of the relevant paragraph on such page should be noted. When it is contained in a previous disposal the number and the date of such disposal, the number of the page in that file and the number of the paragraph whichcontains the relevant information will all be noted, the flag being indicated in the margin. When legislative enactments are referred to they shall be quoted by their proper short title as given in the list of Acts and Regulations.

Chaining of papers:-(a) Papers shall be 'Chained' by the Assistant Section Officer entering the number and department of the current under disposal on the docket sheet of the latest order in the column 'Further papers' or on the face of the outermost sheet in the case of 'Lodged' and other papers without a docket.

(b) The Assistant Section Officer shall ensure that in each of the originals of the orders and papers put up with a case, the order or paper immediately preceding as well as that immediately succeeding each order or paper is noted. Chaining shall always be carried out in ink by the concerned Assistant Section Officer and shall not be delegated to the Record Assistant.

Linking of files: - (i) (Mode of linking):- When it is necessary to refer in one file to a paper in another file that has not been disposed of, the two files will be `linked' i.e., the file put up for reference will be put under the other file and the strings of the lower file, but not its flaps, will be tied round the upper file. The strings of the upper file will be tied underneath, it in a low out of the way so that there may not be the trouble of uniting and retying two sets of strings. Each file will thus be intact with its note file, current file and reference files, properly arranged in its own pad. The two pads must not be put together at the bottom with the contents of the two files mixed together above them.

When files are 'linked' distinguishing slips, such as, "Two cases for orders", "L.F. for reference only' should be put up in a prominent place in the concerned files.

Restrictions on linking of files:- Files are not to be 'linked' unnecessarily or merely because they deal with similar cases, but only when it is absolutely necessary to refer to a paper in one file in order to dispose of the other or when the orders passed on the one will apply to the other.

Where a linked file is referred to in a case, the reference should invariably be given the current number and department of that file so that it should easily be identified after it had been detached. If the linked file disposed of finally in a Government Order or otherwise, while the main case yet remains unclosed, the disposal number of the linked file should invariably be entered. If the disposal is put up in the main case, necessary alterations in the reference should be made.

On no account should a pending file be flagged and put up for reference in a case. Where a reference to it is absolutely necessary, it should be linked. In most cases, an extract of the relevant portion should prove to be sufficient.

If in a linked file further action remains to be taken or arises to be taken, on no account should it be deferred because the file happens to be linked with another case. if the linked file and the principal case belong to the same section, action on both should simultaneously be taken. If, however, the linked file belongs to another section or department and is not immediately required for the disposal of the principal case, it should be detached and sent to it without delay under the orders of the Assistant Secretary or Under Secretary.

Where the principal case and a linked file bear on the same issue and a single disposal could be put up on both the files, they should wherever possible be combined and dealt with as a single case after making necessary alterations to references, page numbers etc.

Referencing in linked files: - Whenever it is found necessary to refer to a linked file or a top file, as the case may be, in the office note, the current number of the file concerned should also be noted [(e.g. please see . page 6 c.f. of L.F.I.) (C.No.635/54); please see page 3 n.f. of top file (C.No.356/54)].

SECTION III — NOTING

Noting:-Papers, after being referenced are, unless otherwise specially ordered, submitted to the officers by or through the Section Officers of sections with a note or draft, reference or disposal, as the case may be. Note file should not form part of the current file.

Object and contents of a note:- The aim of a full initial note should be to present in the most intelligible, condensed and convenient form possible the facts of the case to be dealt with including where necessary its past history, the points for decision, useful precedents, and the material provisions of the law or rules governing it, supported by full reference to the current file or to previous correspondence and to Acts or other official publications, enabling every fact stated to be verified and every authority cited to be consulted in original. The section and the Under Secretary or the Assistant Secretary must satisfy himself that proposals submitted to Government do not offend either the provisions of any statute or those of any rule, whether statutory or executive, that calculations are accurate and facts correct. In cases of importance, precedents or decisions on analogous cases should be referred to especially if they are in conflict with the proposals under consideration, in order both to secure a reasonable degree of continuity and consistency and to obviate the wastage of time involved in reiterated discussion on identical or similar points.

Method of noting:- (i) No notes should be written on the current itself except very simple ones. Notes shall be written or typewritten or computer printed on paper of foolscape size with l/3rd margin or such other suitable margin prescribed for the purpose and on both sides of the paper, blank sheets being added where necessary before submission to officers or before circulation. No note shall, be written in the margin unless it is very brief. When an officer writes a question in the margin of the note, the reply to it is to be written in continuation of the note and not in the margin. The officer's question will, if necessary, be copied out afresh at the end of the notes and the answer written below the copy; or the letters A,B,C, etc., will be written boldly against each question and the answers marked with the corresponding letter entries written at the end of the note. If the officer writes any questions on drafts or currents they will be similarly dealt with, and the answers written in continuation of the note; and if a note file has not been opened already, one will be opened for the purpose.

No notes shall be written below a draft disposal unless it is a very simple one and no further note is likely to be added by the Officer.

Handwriting should be legible and tidy, All long notes should, as far as possible, be typewritten or computer printed. If there is much correction in the note, it should be re-written or typed.

A tabular statement in a note shall follow the portion of the note relating to it and not be detached. Big statements may, however, be put up separately with a flag.

At the head of the first note in the note file will be written in red ink the 'Title' of the file which should be arranged as laid down in Chapter XII "Indexing and Purports." The current number, the officer from whom a communication is receivedand the number and date of such communication are entered in red ink below the title. The note is written below this entry. Against each red ink entry in the note file relating to the receipt or despatch of a communication, the number of the page or pages of the current file at which the paper in question is to be found will be entered to facilitate reference to the correspondence.

The note connected with any subject will run continuously from the inception of the file until final orders are passed. Should a note result in an intermediate reference, the office copy of the latter is placed after issue in the current file and the reply to it is also added to that file chronologically. The nature, number and date of the reference are then noted in red ink in square brackets in the proper place in the note file. When a reply is received, its number and the authority from whom it is received, with its number and date, are entered in red ink below the bracketed entry and a new note with reference to the new current is written in continuation. Below each note completed, the Assistant Section Officer or Section Officer who prepared it should put his initials and date in the left-hand corner and gazetted officers will sign their names in full and legibly on the right. The date including the year should invariably be given below each signature. When the case is finally disposed of, its disposal number and date shall be inserted within square brackets at the end of the note file.

Sectional notes:- When there are in a single case several points for orders which, in the opinion of the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary/Special Secretary or other gazette officers, can be more conveniently dealt with separately than in a continuous note or a Minister directs by general or special order that such a course should be adopted in any case or class of cases submitted or to be submitted to him, each point shall be separately noted on in “sectional notes”, the gazette officers noting after the office note on each point and space being left after the last officer’s note in each case for the Minister or the Governor to note. The notes on each point should begin on a fresh sheet of paper and after each such separate sheet a sufficient number of blank sheets should be added for the use of officers. Such separate notes may, if necessary, be preceded by notes dealing with the subject as a whole and not with the individual points for orders, e.g., with matters of principle.

Para phrase of current etc., to be avoided in a note:- In some cases, perusal of the paper under consideration will be sufficient and nothing is required beyond brief suggestion for action. When a note is required, it should be a statement of the case showing more or less in detail according to the importance and stage of the case, the question for consideration, the circumstances leading up to it, the rules and the precedents bearing on it and the suggestions for action.

As it is always assumed that the paper under disposal will be read by the officer to whom it is submitted, the note should not reproduce or paraphrase the current. Least of all should it reproduce or paraphrase notes of another department in the same file. Elaborate financial case and complicated schemes relating to establishments require different treatment from most other class of cases.[[[

Though no paraphrase of a current or another department note is permissible, a note should supply deficiencies or omissions and correct any error or explain any ambiguity in it and draw attention to points on which fuller information may be necessary before orders can be passed. If a report is full, accurate and clear, a short note summarizing the salient points on which orders should be passed will be sufficient.

A précis of the contents of a single paper shall be made only when it is of great length and complexity and neither such a précis nor précis of the contents of the file or history of the case shall ordinarily be prepared without the orders of an officer. When a file is submitted for orders, the proposals should, wherever possible, be embodied in the form of a draft.

Scope of further noting in a case:-It may be observed that as each note written in succession of the first office note is intended to advance the case a step towards its disposal, it is evident that its province should be restricted to such an end. It should not, as is often done, repeat the facts and arguments already summarized in the office note unless the latter is inaccurate, too diffuse or unmethodical; unnecessary noting should be studiously avoided.

(1) Office not to give suggestions or opinions in notes:- While preparing the note the Section Officers and Assistant Section Officers should bear in mind that opinions and suggestions, unless they are specifically founded on statute, rule or precedent or are clear from the nature of the case, are the province of gazetted officers. It is, therefore, presumptuous for Section Officers and Assistant Section Officers to give expression to personal views unless specially asked to do so. Hence, it follows that in writing notes Section Officers and Assistant Section Officers should refrain from making use of the first person.

At the gazetted level, besides the Section Officer, whose note will be limited to exposition of the facts of the case, no file should be seen by more than one officer between the Section Officer and the decision-making authority viz., a Minister/Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary to Government.

For any inaccuracies or improprieties in noting on files, the Additional /Joint /Deputy/ Assistant Secretary will be held responsible.

No file should be kept with any officer without action for more than a week.

With regard to all matters relating to sensitive decisions of confidential nature, policy making, amendments to Acts and Rules, issues involving substantial financial implications, important court cases which are likely to effect vitally the interest of the Government, etc., the relevant files must be in the personal custody of Additional /Joint/Deputy Secretary and under no circumstances such files should be found in the custody of the officers below the rank of Deputy Secretary who may open separate registers for such files with the help of the personal staff attached to them.

The time bound matters should be processed promptly and circulated to Minister/Chief Minister sufficiently in advance.

No officer below the rank of Deputy Secretary to Government should carry any files home.

Reference to a note in a previous case permissible :- In the absence of any orders to the contrary, it is not necessary to set forth afresh any summary of facts or discussions of principles which already exist in an adequate form in any previous files. It will be sufficient in such a case to draw attention to the previous file, and then add such fresh matter as may be required. But great care should be taken not to overlook any new points. It may be sufficient simply to refer to the notes in the previous file, but it should be carefully verified whether there are any fresh points raised in the latter communications, and if there are, they should be noted on.

Removal of ephemeral matter:- Before a case is submitted for orders, or is sent to another department, all ephemeral matter in the current file and in the notes should be removed and placed at the bottom of the case so that the officers, Ministers etc., may be saved from unnecessary reading. It is desirable that editing of this nature should be done before the case is submitted to the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary/Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary or Deputy Secretary or other gazetted officer concerned. Demi-official communications which do not contain any information, comments or suggestions relevant to the disposal of the case, reminders, replies to reminders and notes relating to them should be treated for this purpose as ephemeral; they should never be placed in the ordinary current or note file, but should be placed with the ‘Routine Notes’ etc., at the bottom of the case. They should be kept there until the file is finally disposed of and should then be destroyed. If, however, any enquiry as to the cause of delay in the disposal of the file is pending or is contemplated, then they should not be destroyed till the enquiry is completed. The ‘Routine notes’ including notes asking Section Officer or Assistant Section Officers for information or explanation, notes asking for papers and notes relating to reminders should not be written in the main notes file, but on separate sheets of papers. Before a case is sent in circulation, not only should the current file and note file be edited in the above manner, but unnecessary put up papers should also be removed.

Revision of notes by Section Officer and Officers:- Not more than one note shall be submitted by the office on each case(or on each point for orders where sectional notes are put up). The Section Officer of the branch or section re-writing or modifying the Assistant Section Officer’s note should ensure that only a single note is put up by the Section. The office note may be similarly treated by the first officer to whom the case is submitted if he thinks fit. If the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary or the gazetted officer concerned considers that the office note is incorrect or unduly prolix he should correct it or modify it and have it typewritten or computer printed as his own note.

Where the notes or drafts put up by an Assistant Section Officer are corrected or revised by the Section Officer, the original notes and draft should be kept at the bottom of the file separately tied, so that the officer-in-charge of the section may be able to estimate the quality of the work done by the Assistant Section Officer and the kind of check exercised by the Section Officer over the work of his Assistant Section Officers.

When a draft or a note is re-typed as amended by the gazetted officer concerned or the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary, the initials of the Assistant Section Officer etc, who put up the original draft or note should be omitted, the initials of the officer who last corrected the draft or note only being typed thus indicating his responsibility for the revised draft or note.

Avoidance of cumulative noting:- Among different officers dealing with a case within a department, cumulative noting should be avoided as far as possible. Thus can be secured by oral discussions between the officers concerned. Similarly, talks with the Section Officers concerned will help to secure that the noting proceeds on correct lines and thus avoid duplication of noting and congestion of work at the top.

When a case is sent for the remarks of another department unaccompanied by a draft, the Department of origin shall state, with as much precision as possible, the specific points on which the remarks of the other department are invited and the department referred to shall avoid repeating in its notes what is already sufficiently stated in the note of the department of origin.

A summarizing note to be added before sending a case in circulation:- Before a case is submitted by a Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary/Special Secretary to a Minister or the Governor for orders, a summarizing note should be added at the end specifying the points for orders and referring also to the views taken by the other departments, if any, which have been consulted in the matter. Summarising notes should not generally be put up at earlier stages.

In what cases draft may be put up with or without notes:- When a file is sent to another department or when it is submitted for orders and certain definite orders are proposed, the proposals should whenever possible be embodied in the form of a draft. Where the action to be taken is so obvious that a draft is put by the office, there is no need to put up a note practically identical with the draft.

Special kinds of notes:- (i) Note for the Public Accounts Committee and Notes on Supplementary Estimates:- These notes should be prepared in accordance with the instructions issued by the Finance Department from time to time.

Notes on address to the Governor:-Notes on addresses to be presented to the Governor on subjects on which he is to receive deputations or on points raised in interviews with him or prepared for his use in connection with any public speech shall be submitted to him through the Minister-in-charge and the Chief Minister.

Notes for the Council of Ministers:-The instructions in the Business Rules and the Secretariat instructions should be followed.

Notes on extracts of resolutions:- Resolutions submitted by Associations and other similar bodies should be dealt with in accordance with instruction IX of the “ Instructions regarding the submission and receipt of petitions and other papers of the same class addressed to the Government of Andhra Pradesh” printed in Appendix-I to the Business Rules and Secretariat Instructions. If the resolutions relate to any other department relevant extracts are sent to that department. Resolutions or extracts received as mentioned above are submitted without notes and should not be noted upon unless expressly directed to do so.

Use of “Routine Notes”:-Routine note should be resorted to minimise noting on the main notes file.

Opening of a fresh file for a separate subject arising out of a current file:- When in the course of dealing with a subject any fresh subject arises, which it is desirable to deal with separately, extracts shall be taken of the parts of the current file and note file relating to the fresh subject and with these a separate file shall be started. A note should be made in the office note of the main file to the effect that a fresh file has been opened and its current number should also be noted. This will probably be necessary whenever the original title of the file no longer correctly describes the actual subject under correspondence, and not otherwise. The general principles laid down in regard to indexing apply to such cases as much as to correspondence originating in an outside reference. It must be numbered as a new case and registered.

SECTION IV –DRAFTING

Drafting is the preparation of any communication, which it is proposed to issue by, on behalf of, or under the direction of the Government.

Draft of orders or references shall be written or typewritten on sheets of paper specified for the purpose distinct from those containing the notes, with which they shall not be tagged while a case is under disposal. In the case of short drafts the printed or roneo forms shall be utilized. In important cases a blank half margin sheet of papers shall be added to draft orders and draft references before submission to officers and before circulation.

When a number of short drafts are put up together, they should be written as far as possible in the run on- form instead of a fresh sheet being used for each draft.

All long drafts should, as far as possible, be typewritten or computer printed. If there is much correction in the draft, it should be re- written or typed.

Form and arrangement – Abstract:- A docket abstract indicating briefly the purport of the draft order with the catchword underlined should be written at the top of the first page of the draft. The list of addresses is entered in the margin at the end of the draft. Entries relating to reminders or to proposed entries in the Reminder Diary or Call Book are also made at the end of the draft.

Drafts to be complete and brief:- Orders should be drafted so as to be complete in themselves and, accordingly whether issued in print or otherwise, they should not include anything more than is necessary to enable the receiving officer to comprehend fully the bearing of the order. In the large majority of cases, offices outside the Secretariat are not concerned with the genesis of an order and the communication to them of antecedent correspondence not only results in the waste of their time in deciding how much of the proceedings should travel beyond themselves, but also involves needless expenditure on stationery.

Prefacing an order with reference to previous correspondence to be avoided:- The practice of prefacing an order with a preamble, e.g., the number and date of a letter from the Government of India or of a previous order or a communication from a head of the department, should be avoided. The authority for an order is always on record in the original of the proceedings, which can be referred to on the rare occasions where this is necessary and it should not appear on the printed proceedings themselves. The communication to outside offices of more numbers and dates of letters from the Government of India or other Governments or other offices conveys to them no information whatsoever. If it is necessary to inform officers to whom an order is communicated of the authority for the same, this authority can generally be worked into the order itself, e.g.,-

‘The Government of India have directed (Ministry of Home Affairs, No.F.411,dated 8th December, 1950), etc.,’

‘Under sub-rule (3) of rule 29 of the Indian Arms Rules, 1924, the Government of Orissa have imposed (Letter No. 84-110-G, dated the 5thDecember, 1950), the following restrictions, etc.,’

When an order of General Application arises out of a reference from a single officer and it is necessary to indicate to him that his communication originated the order, the inclusion of the number and date of his letter in the order itself serves the purpose, e.g.,

‘With his R.O.C No.5114, dated the 12thMarch, 1951, the Director of School Education submitted a revised draft of the rules relating to etc.,’

Or the same purpose may be effected by including against his address in the entries at the foot of the order the number and date of his communications, e.g,-

“To the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (through the Mayor), with reference to his No…………….dated… ”

When a copy of the proceedings of the Government is forwarded to the Government of India or another State Government and it is necessary to connect the correspondence of that Government, this can be effected by mentioning in the address entry the number and date of the last communication in the chain from the Government of India or the other State Government.

Reading of previous correspondence at the head of an order:- When an order disposes of communications from more than one person, official or non-official, the adoption of the methods indicated in paragraph 99 is not always practicable. In such a case it is not necessary to preface the order by the number and date of all communications, but in order to connect the correspondence for the addresses it suffices to read at the head of the order, the number and date of only the latest communication from each such person.

Similarly at the head of an order passed on several communications from the same person only the number and date of the last communication from that person should be ‘read’.

Method of communication of general rulings and orders on particular cases in the same draft:- Care should be taken that in communicating general rulings which arise out of a particular case, the latter is kept distinct from the former. The general ruling alone should be issued to all whom it may concern. The orders on the particular case should be communicated only to the head of the department concerned.

Entries in the margin and tabular statements:- Entries in the margin in a draft cause inconvenience and delay in printing and should be avoided except when quoting references. Tabular matter is best placed at the foot of a paragraph.

Submission of more than one draft in a case:- One case is sometimes closed by more than one disposal when, for instance, an order is passed to subordinate officers and a letter is sent to the Government of India. These are entered one after the other and headed separately. When written on separate sheets special attention shall be drawn to the fact of more than one draft having been put up.

References to Advocate-General:- Special care should be taken in addressing the Advocate-General. He shall always be consulted by official memorandum and not by an un-official reference. No reference should be made to him without the approval of the Chief Secretary. Secretariat notes shall not be forwarded to him except in the special circumstances mentioned in paragraph 120(iii). All previous opinions and Government Orders relevant to the matter under reference should also be supplied to him.

The above procedure shall not apply to the Legislature Department whenever it consults the Advocate-General under the direction of the Speaker or a Committee of the Legislature.

Communication of Advocate-General’s opinion to an outside authority or to an authority subordinate to Government:- An opinion given by the Advocate-General to the Government on any matter shall not ordinarily be communicated to an outside authority or to an authority subordinate to the Government. The question whether it is expedient to do so in any particular case should be decided with reference to the facts of that case. The guiding principles should be-

that the text or gist of the opinion should be communicated only if some public purpose requires it; and

that such communication will not prejudice the Government’s interest or place the Government or the Advocate General in an embarrassing position.

Unofficial references to officers outside and the Secretariat:- Section Officers and Assistant Section Officers are required to be particularly careful in ensuring that papers which it is undesirable to allow to leave the office are not included in the portion of un-official cases referred to non-Secretariat offices.

Drafting of endorsements for signature:- Transferring endorsements and references shall, where possible, be endorsed ready for signature.

Drafting of telegrams:- In drafting telegrams great care should be taken to exclude all matter that is not essential consistent with intelligibility. Minor parts of speech like the definite articles should ordinarily be omitted.

Code Telegrams:- When telegrams to the authorities to whom the “Indian Word Code” may be used are sent in that Code, fair copies of such telegrams should be checked by the Assistant Section Officer and initiated as correct for issue before they are submitted for signature.

In the case of telegrams received in the “Indian Word Code” only a decoded version of the telegram shall be submitted in the file. The original code telegram should be retained separately and destroyed on receipt of the post copy or after an interval of 3 months, whichever is earlier.

Post copy of telegrams and telephonic messages:- A post copy of every telegram whether inland or foreign shall invariably be dispatched immediately after the transmission of the telegraphic message, the Section Officer or drafting Assistant Section Officer being responsible that this is done. Post copies of important telephonic message shall be sent likewise.

Note:- No post copy of a cipher (as distinct from a code) telegram should be sent in any circumstances, and the answer to a cipher telegram should go in cipher.

Inclusion of entry regarding “Withheld memorials”:- The Assistant Section Officer shall enter below the draft of an order withholding a memorial addressed to the Government of India, a red ink entry drawing attention to the fact that the order should be entered in the “Withheld Memorial” Register. He shall also furnish the necessary particulars to be entered in the quarterly statements submitted to the Government of India.

Indication of nature of disposal at the head of drafts:- All drafts shall be headed with the word ‘Letter’, ‘Order’, ‘Notification’, ‘Endorsement’, Memorandum’, ‘Telegram’, ‘Fax’, as the case may be, remarks which are not meant to be copied or printed being headed with the word ‘Note’.

Marking of nature of proceedings and of enclosures:- Section Officers and Assistant Section Officers are required to mark the series of the proceedings as ‘P’ (Printed), ‘Ms’ (Manuscript) or ‘R’ (Routine) as well as to indicate all addresses to whom an order, letter or memorandum is to be communicated; the papers to be returned or forwarded being clearly specified against the addressees concerned. When an original enclosure is returned to the person or officer from which it has been received or is forwarded outside the office, the Assistant Section Officers shall ensure that a copy is retained if the enclosure is likely to be required again in the office for reference.

Despatch instructions to be checked before issue:-Despatch instructions shall be checked by Section Officers and Assistant section Officers before papers are passed on for issue.

Amounts should be written in words:- In communications, which are of the nature of authorization of payments to be made, the amounts should be clearly expressed in words as well as in figures, and copies thereof should be attested by responsible officer not lower in rank than that of an Section Officer.

Drafts from orders.-Time allowed for submission:- When an order is issued ‘to draft’, it is important that action is taken urgently, as otherwise the officer might forget the points in the file and might have to go through it again in order to refresh his memory and satisfy himself that the draft is correct. In cases where a draft is ordered to be put up it must reach the gazetted officer concerned the next day if it is short draft (i.e., not more than two pages) or within two days if it is long.

Drafts not approved by Officers or bearing their remarks:-An officer who approves a draft will initial it at the end in token of his approval. If the draft is not approved by him it should not be left between the current file and the note file but should be placed at the bottom of the file if it is rejected by him or included in the notes if he discusses the wording of the draft and it is necessary to refer to it to enable his notes to be understood. Ministers do not usually signify their approval of a draft by initialing it.

Superseded drafts:-Superseded drafts should be folded and kept underneath the file and destroyed when the file has been finally disposed of. But superseded drafts in which a Minister or the Governor has made material corrections or remarks which are useful for future reference should be stitched along with the notes in the file.

Style in draft and notes:-(1) In writing notes and drafts simple and grammatical language should be used; complex and long sentences should be avoided. Split infinitives should not be used.

The expression “Government of Andhra Pradesh” should be used instead of the expression “State Government” in notifications and orders except in cases where expressly or impliedly a reference has to be made to the Andhra Pradesh Government in central distinction or in juxtaposition with “Union Government”.

The phrase “Government are unable” is incorrect in cases where the Government have power to take certain course of action. The word ”decline” should be used in such cases involving the exercise of discretion. Where it is advisable to regret, the formula in such cases might be “the Government regret that they must decline ”.

SECTION V-TREATMENT OF CASES AFTER DISPOSAL

(I) Points to be attended to after disposal (final or intermediate) is passed.- On receiving a case the disposal on which has been finally passed, the Assistant Section Officer who dealt with the case or the routine Assistant of the section shall ensure that the dispatch and printing instructions are clear and complete. He will also ensure that the entry in the personal register is closed after entering the number and date of the disposal. If the disposal is an intermediate one, he shall make the appropriate entries in the columns in the register and note the call in the reminder diary. It is then passed on to the typist concerned. He prepares clean copies, obtains the signature of the Section Officer or the gazetted officer as the case may be and if the disposal is non- confidential passes it on to the IOC section after entering it in a transit register. The acknowledgement of the receiving Official in that section will be obtained in the transit register.

(II) Un-official disposals.- Unofficial references to departments of the Secretariat which are ‘Special’, will, however, be sent direct by the section Assistant Section Officer or by the Inward Outward Communication Section.

Before passing on an un-official reference to be sent to an office outside the Secretariat, the Assistant Section Officer should remove from the case all notes written on routine sheets, any other notes not intended for permanent record and "put up" papers which are not intended to be sent out of the office. These will be restored on return of the reference.

Communication to outside officers of notes of the Governor, Minister or other departments prohibited:- Notes written by a Minister or by the Governor shall not ordinarily be communicated unofficially to any officer or head of department outside the Secretariat without the permission of the Minister concerned or the Governor. Such permission will, however, not be necessary where the notes are of a routine character and do not contain any expression of opinion of the Minister or the Governor.

Notes written in one department and sent to another should not be communicated to an officer outside the Secretariat without the consent of the department concerned.

Secretariat note files should not ordinarily be sent to Government Law Officers. If, however, a Law Officer desires to see the note file in a particular case for the better understanding of the Government's point of view or for proper representation of the Government's point of view before a Court, it may be furnished to Law Officer after obtaining the specific orders of the Minister concerned and Minister for Law wherever possible. In such cases, the note file should be sent with a Section Officer who should bring it back after perusal by the concerned Law Officer.

Drafts and enclosures alone to be sent for issue:- Only Drafts for issue with any enclosures which should accompany the disposal should be sent to the typist and the IOC Section, the reminder of the case being kept intact by the section Assistant Section Officer until the office copy is received back after issue.

Removal of original papers from files to be sent as enclosures:- When enclosures are detached from the original or manuscript disposals or from pending files for despatch to outside offices, the Assistant Section Officer should, for each such enclosure or, when a set of enclosures occupies consecutive pages of the current file, for each such set, put in a substitute slip showing the pages of the original so detached, the number and the date of the original and the addressee or addressees to whom the enclosures have been despatched together with the number and date of reference to which they were attached. Only in exceptional cases should papers be removed and sent in original in this way. The return of the papers should be watched.

Numbering of disposals:- No paper shall be numbered and passed for issue without an order from the competent officer concerned. If, however, the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary/Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary or Deputy Secretary, initials the draft and does not mark the case for the Minister, it may be assumed that the officer intends the papers to be issued. Similarly drafts initiated by the Assistant Secretary or Under Secretary or gazetted officer concerned should be issued unless he has expressly marked them for the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary.

A reference, memorandum, endorsement, demiofficial, telegram, un-official disposal or reference and letters other than those entered in the disposal series is numbered in the manner indicated in Chapter VI- Registry of Papers.

Disposals are given the appropriate departmental disposal numbers according to the series, 'Ordinary' or 'Routine', for which the disposal has been marked; 'Ordinary' includes two classes 'Printed' (P) and 'Manuscript' (Ms.). But all ordinary disposals are numbered consecutively whether they are printed or not. A tally register. (numbering book) is maintained for each department for the purpose. A separate register is maintained by each department for numbering disposals in the 'Routine' series. The number allotted to each disposal is entered at the head of the original disposal.

Before deciding on the nature of the disposal which any paper should receive, the period for which it need be retained should always be a matter for consideration; and the practice of recording papers of no permanent interest in the `Ordinary' series should be avoided as far as possible. Any Government Order which lays down a policy, or which introduces some new features or departure is rightly indexed in the 'Ordinary' series. Subsequent orders which are based on these or appeal to authority but do not depart f rom them are a matter of routine nature and consequently 'Routine' is the proper disposal for these. Ephemeral papers that contain no notes of value for reference shall be lodged and not recorded in proceedings of Government.

Note-I. The following types of cases only should be given Office Order disposal:-

Regular appointments (including promotions) and regularisation of services;

Appointment as full members;

Orders issued in disciplinary cases;

Commencement and completion of probation.

Note-II. Orders issued in the following illustrative list of cases be given Office Order Routine disposal:

Temporary appointments;

Sanction of all kinds of leave other than casual leave; (3) General Provident Fund advances;

) Festival Advances;

Cultural Tour Advances;

Distribution of work among Sections;

Procedural matters to be observed in the departments.

Reimbursement of or advances for medical expenses;

Reimbursement of school fees under educational concessions;

Any other non permanent matter at the discretion of gazetted officers of the department.

Dating of Disposals:-Disposals are ordinarily dated on the day on which they are passed by the officers. This rule, is however, departed from in the case of important letters to the Government of India and demi-officials. These are numbered and dated only after the fair copies are ready for despatch. Where a proof of a letter to the Government of India which issues in print is received from the Press, the letter will be numbered and dated when the final proof is passed and before its return to the Press for striking of clean copies.

Lodged papers will not be given a separate series of disposal numbers. They will be closed in the personal register by the entry 'Lodged' with date of disposal. The dockets of lodged papers will bear the number of the current lodged and the date on which it is lodged. Government orders whether printed or not which are received from other departments of Secretariat and 'lodged' will not be docketed.

Disposals in printed manuscript and routine series:—In the case of disposals in the manuscript and printed series the section Assistant Section Officer or the routine Assistant prepares a tabling slip (Form Sectt. II-34) in ink, i.e., (i) writes out the abstract of the disposal on the form, (ii) distinguishes printed and manuscript disposals by letters A and B respectively, at the head of the form, (iii) indicates separately the cases which have been submitted to the Governor, the Minister, Chief Secretary and the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary of the department or discussed at a meeting of the Council of Ministers prior to disposal and(iv) gives complete index headings with cross-references at the foot of the form.

In the case of routine Government Orders no tabling form is usually prepared as they are not indexed, but the purport of the Government Orders will be entered in the register referred to in paragraph 121. Routine orders are also indexed by some departments.

Points to be observed after despatch:-The office copy and its enclosures on return from the IOC Section are restored to the respective cases and the cases which have not been finally disposed of are put in the side rack. The Assistant Section Officer should ensure that the despatch has been correctly made and that reminder date, if any, has been duly entered. Similarly in the case of final disposals the Assistant Section Officer should ensure that the despatch has been correctly made, that call book entries have been duly entered, that extracts for further action, if any, have been taken and that the "Chaining' of papers in the case is complete. The case containing the final disposal should be properly arranged, the arrangement being first the current file, then the office copy of the order, followed, where there is a letter, by the office copy of the letter, then the Order paper, if there is one, and lastly the note file, half a sheet of coarse paper, e.g., badami cut breadth wise, being placed at the beginning of the note file. The pages of the current file should be numbered in red ink and those of the note file in black ink as provided in paragraphs 83 and 84. In the case of orders in the printed series and orders, which have been roneographed, a copy of the printed order and of the printed notes, if any, or a copy of the roneographed order is placed first in the brown docket. Miscellaneous papers in the file, such as statements flagged and put up in the case should be added to the current file or note file as their nature requires and these pages should be renumbered in continuation of the current file or note file, as the case may be. The pages of the whole file should not be numbered consecutively. On no account should current and note file sheets be bound up in closed files.

Before sending a final disposal to the Central Record Branch the Section Officer should satisfy himself that there is no further action to be taken. The put-up papers obtained from the Central Record Branch and State Archieves are returned to that office and acknowledgement obtained.

Stock Files:-Each section should maintain stock files on all important.subjects relating to it. It is the duty of the Assistant Section Officers to maintain them up-to-date. When drafting a disposal of an important or general nature, the Section Officer will decide whether a copy of it after issue should be added to the Stock file on the subject and if so, should add the entry "stock file" at the end of address entries to the draft. This entry will not be copied or printed in the fair copybut the typist concerned should send the spare copy required to the section. The Assistant Section Officer will add the copy to the concerned stock file and initial in the office copy against the entry "stock file" in token of having done so. Similarly when a paper of importance or of a general nature is received in the section, the Section Officer will arrange for a copy being secured or made and added to the stock file Only spare copies and not originals should go into stock file. When any order is too long, an extract of the relevant portion only may be added to the Stock file. Notes, copies of Government Orders and extracts of notes from Government Orders need not be filed unless they contain important discussion or decisions which will be required for frequent reference. The papers should be filed chronologically and the pages numbered serially in ink. There should be at the beginning of the file a table of contents in which the orders should be noted chronologically as follows:

Number and date of order Subject Page Number

(1) (2) (3)

The papers should be tagged neatly between two flat boards. On no account should the copies included in the file be removed. Whenever an order added to the stock file supersedes or modifies a previous one included in it, it is very important to note the fact on the previous order and in the table of contents against the entry relating to it. Section Officers should check the stock files at frequent intervals.

For a stock file to be reliable and useful, it must be uptodate and the super session or modification of previous orders should without fail be indicated in it. Assistant Section Officers should remember that stock files are not intended to dispense with reference to disposal indices.

The Section officer of the section will decide the subjects on which stock files should be maintained. (Each section should invariably keep a stock file of all instructions and orders regarding office procedure issued from time to time by the officers and also on miscellaneous topics which may come up for reference frequently, e.g., number of copies of "Papers to be placed on the Table" to be sent to the Legislative Assembly etc.,). A list of stock files maintained should be hung up in the section.

CHAPTER-VIII

PROCEDURE IN DEALING WITH PROPOSALS FOR LEGISLATION, QUESTIONS, RESOLUTIONS ETC., IN THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.

PROPOSALS FOR LEGISLATION

The procedure to be followed in dealing with proposals for legislation is set out in detail in the Andhra Pradesh Government Business Rules (41 to 55) and Secretariat Instructions (22 to 33).

Secretaries to report to Governor on assent to Bills:-(1) When a Bill has been passed by Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Assembly and is presented to the Governor under article 200 of the Constitution, the Governor may require a report of Law Secretary and of the Secretary of the Administrative Department concerned as to whether the Governor may assent to the bill or withhold his assent therefrom, or whether he has to reserve the Bill for the consideration of the President, or whether he may return the Bill together with a message as is mentioned in the first proviso to Article 200.

(2) Every such report shall be submitted to the Governor by the Law Secretary through the Secretary of the Administrative Department concerned, the Law Minister, the Minister in-charge of the Bill and the Chief Minister.

QUESTIONS

Circulation of advance copy:- As soon as a question which is admitted is received from the Legislature department an advance copy of it shall be circulated to the Minister or Ministers concerned. As far as possible, the circulating officer should indicate the lines on which it is proposed to answer the question and even attempt preliminary draft.

References on Questions:- References to heads of departments for information regarding answers to questions shall not be made except in cases of real necessity.

When information is required from heads of departments to answer a question, only the necessary particulars should be called for. In doing so the question itself should not be forwarded unless it is absolutely necessary for a clear understanding of the case. A report on the question should never be called for. The name of the member of the Legislative Assembly who puts the question may also be communicated where necessary.

While collecting the data or information necessary for drafting a reply to a question and for preparing the material for the possible supplementaries thereto, careful attention should be given to the nature of the information to be collected and the authorities who should be addressed for the purpose. Circular letters forwarding advance copies of questions and asking for such information should not be endorsed to the various authorities as a matter of routine. Only the information, which is not available with the department dealing with the question, should be collected from the other authorities. Further only those authorities, which are in the best position to furnish the information, should be addressed. If a part of the information is available with one authority and a part with another, communications asking for information should state in precise terms the nature of the information called for from the respective authorities, so that there is no avoidable duplication of effort.

When an allegation or complaint which casts a reflection on the official conduct of a Government Officer is contained in a question and the truth of such allegation or complaint has to be verified by a reference to the head of a department or other authority, the proper course, when making the reference, is to send a self- contained memorandum or letter stating the facts as reported and asking for their verification. The source of the allegation or complaint should not be disclosed, nor should the question or the letter of the member of the Legislative Assembly be communicated to the head of the department or other authority.

Sometimes a question is either involved or may appear confusing, The practice at present is to return the question for clarification. Generally, however, since a preliminary scrutiny has been made by the Speaker, it would be possible to guess what the intention of the Member, who has put the question, is. In such cases, an answer should be provided with an observation that the Hon’ble Member presumably wants such and such information. This is a much better course where the intention is not clear.

Many questions start with an enquiry, “Whether the Government are aware” of any particular fact. Where the fact is not known either to a gazetted officer in the Secretariat or the Minister concerned, the answer should be given immediately in the negative.

Where it is considered that it will be impossible to furnish a reply within the prescribed period, the answer should be; “The answer involves collection of information, which is being done, and will be placed on the Table of the House as soon as possible”. At this stage, it should also be possible for the circulating officer to decide whether the time and trouble involved would be commensurate with the results likely to be achieved and the public purpose likely to be served. The Minister may be so advised at the earliest possible moment, so that he may decide whether he will decline to answer the question or, promise to collect the information and place it on the Table of the House when it is ready.

Telugu translation of the answers to Legislative Assembly questions should be obtained from the Director of Translations to have authorised translation. A Translation Cell also functions in the Secretariat for this purpose.

Top priority should be given to Legislative Assembly Questions. Each department should maintain a register for the purpose and this register should be put up to the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary/Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary or Deputy Secretary concerned once in a week. The Officer should personally examine each item and see that replies are sent out within 21 days. The register may be maintained by an Assistant Secretary nominated for the purpose, but there is no objection, where circumstances justify this, to nominate more than one Assistant Secretary and maintain more than one-register provided the questions can be adequately classified and divided between the Assistant Secretaries concerned to make reference easy.

Draft answers and notes for supplementaries:-(a) Apart from the note discussing the matter, a draft answer to a question should invariably be put up, together with a concise note to facilitate the answering of supplementary questions if it is a Starred question.

The notes for supplementaries may be in English unless the “Minister specifically desires them also to be furnished in Telugu. There may also be cases in which the Minister should be advised not to answer supplementaries without notice for example, where the question relates to

the supply of statistical or other detailed factual information. In such cases, it may be suggested to the Minister that supplementaries need not be answered but if put, may be met with a request for notice. When answers are tabled, cyclostyled copies should be preferred to printed ones.

(b) When a draft answer to a question is prepared, the word “Starred” should be written in red ink in the case of Starred questions and the word “Unstarred”’ should be written in black ink in the case of Unstarred questions at the top of the draft.

(C) In the draft, the clauses of the question should be reproduced on the same sheet of paper as the draft answers in parallel columns. The clauses of the question should appear on the left half of the page and the answers on the right half of the page.

(135) Co-ordination of answers:- (i) The Legislature Department will send to the Departments of Secretariat concerned copies of notices containing all questions admitted by the Speaker as soon as possible after their admission. Before despatching the copies of notices, the Legislature Department will examine them and if there are any questions, the answers to which, in their opinion, require co-ordination, they will invite the attention of the administrative departments concerned to such questions. It will then be the duty of the departments not to send separate and varying answers to the Legislature Department but to circulate their proposed answer to one another and attempt to arrive at uniform answers to the questions. The answers to the questions thus arrived at should be sent to the Legislature Department quoting the number and date of their reference in which the departments concerned were requested to co- ordinate the answers.

Departments of the Secretariat should also scrutinize the notice immediately on receipt and point out to the General Administration (GPM & AR and Co-ordination Cell) Department as well as to all the departments concerned the questions, the answers to which in their opinion require co- ordination.

50 copies of the answers to questions in case of Unstarred and 200 copies of the answers to questions in case of Starred should be despatched to the Legislature Department who will scrutinize with a view to seeing whether there are any questions which require co-ordination.

Immediately on receipt of the list of starred questions and of Unstarred questions departments of the Secretariat should scrutinize the lists. The questions, the answers to which require co-ordination, should be pointed out to the Legislature Department should also be informed of the withdrawal or modification, if any, of the answers as well as to the other departments concerned. The Legislature Department already despatched sufficiently in advance.

Time limit for despatch of answers:- Answers shall be sent to the Legislature Department within 21 days from the date of notice of the question which will be found on the copy received from the office of the Legislature Department.

Nine copies of the answers to a Question shall be typed, seven copies for the Legislature Department, one copy for the Minister concerned and the remaining copy for the file.

When the draft answer has been approved by more than one Minister the names of all such Ministers should be mentioned in the answer issued.

Paper laid on the Table:- When papers are to be laid on the Table of the House, 450 copies or such other number as are asked for by the Legislature Department from time

to time, should be supplied along with answers. The copies should have the following heading.

PAPERS PLACED ON THE TABLE

See answer to Legislative Assembly question No. ………………… put by Sri , MLA).

They should not be authenticated by the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/ Secretary or other officer of the Secretariat department. They should be authenticated by the Minister.

Supply of published papers referred to in an Answer:- When in any answer reference is made to any Government Order or notifications, three copies of such Government Order or notification should be sent along with the answer for the purpose of preparing ready reference files for the use of the Speaker, and the leaders of parties.

Submission to Ministers of files dealing with starred questions:- It is the duty of the Assistant Section Officer and Section Officer who have dealt with a starred question to send the connected file to the Minister concerned as soon as the answer has been despatched or at least a day before the meeting at which the question has to be answered. Before doing this, the file should, where possible be shown to the Assistant Secretary concerned so that he may ensure that the answer indicates the latest position.

Further action on Question:-(a) When a question has been answered on the floor of the House, the files may be closed finally without any call book entries. Action should however be pursued when assurances, if any, given by the Ministers are called out and forwarded by Legislature Department to concerned departments of Secretariat. To facilitate prompt implementation of such assurances, the Legislature Department should give priority in aulling them out and communicating to the concerned department of Secretariat.

(b) If only an interim answer was given and further information has since been obtained, orders should be obtained as to which of the following courses should be followed:-

Whether a further question from the member may be awaited for supplying the information;

Whether the information may be communicated to the member by letter;

Whether the information may be placed on the Table of the House.

(C) In case any promise is made by the Ministers either in the course of their replies to the questions, motions and such other matters, to place the required information or further information or reports on the Table of the House, departments of Secretariat should take urgent action to place such information promptly, as promised by the Ministers, on the Table of the House during the course of the meetings in that Session or atleast in the next one. The officers of the departments posted for noting down the points pertaining to their departments should prepare a list of items to be’ placed on the Table of House.

In the cases where an Assurance is given in the Legislature about any matter, the departments are allowed 30 days time to send implementation reports from the date of

communication of the Assurance to them. The departments should take such steps as are necessary to speedily and effectively implement the Assurances and immediately report the matter to the Committee set up by the Legislature to look into the implementation of Assurances. Expeditious action has to be taken not only in the Secretariat, whose duty it is to report the implementation, but also the executive staff who have to actually implement the Assurances.

The departments of Secretariat have to furnish the implementation reports on Assurances will in advance so that the Members of the Committee may get sufficient time for their study and in case any of the Assurances communicated by the Legislature Department do not pertain to them, they should be transferred to the concerned department, within a week under intimation to the Legislature Department.

The departments have to take speedy measures for the expeditious implementation of the Assurances pending with them and invariably send periodical reports for review by the Committee.

The copies of the final orders issued on the Assurances by the concerned departments should be sent for the information of the concerned Legislators.

Appropriate authorities in the departments of Secretariat should attend the meetings of the Committee to facilitate decisions and implementation of Assurances involving financial commitment and other administrative matters.

Short Notice Question:- Orders of the Minister concerned whether he will consent to the waiver of notice will be taken by the Legislature Department and intimated to the Secretariat department concerned. Necessary action should however be taken by the department immediately on receipt of the question without waiting for orders as to waiver of notice.

RESOLUTIONS

General:- An advance copy of every resolution proposed to be moved in the Legislative Assembly shall be circulated to the Minister concerned as soon as a copy of it is received from the Legislature Department.

The file containing the Resolution with all available information shall be submitted to the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary who will decide on the need for consulting the heads of departments.

Notes on Resolutions:- Notes on Resolutions shall as far as possible be self-contained. In printing notes on Resolutions, the Resolution itself should be printed in clarendon type at the beginning of the notes.

Subject to the orders of the Chief Minister, the attitude of Government to the Resolutions should be determined at a meeting of the Council of Ministers. As soon as the ballot is declared, copies of the notes on the successful Resolutions and the orders thereon should be circulated to all Ministers and the Chief Secretary atleast a day before the meeting of the Legislative Assembly. Notes on Budget Resolutions need not ordinarily be so circulated but Secretaries will ensure that notes on important Budget Resolutions are sent in advance to all the Ministers.

No information relating directly or indirectly to the subject matter of a Resolution shall be supplied to any member of the Legislative Assembly without the orders of the Chief Minister.

Submission to Ministers of files relating to Resolutions and Budget motions:- These files shall be submitted to the Minister concerned as soon as they are ready and in any case not later than a day before the meeting at which they are required for reference.

Further action on Resolutions:- The department concerned is responsible for any further action that may be necessary in consequence of the replies made to Resolutions or on their being passed by the Legislative Assembly.

CHAPTER IX

INTER-DEPARTMENTAL REFERENCES AND REFERENCES TO THE SECRETARIAT OF THE LEGISLATURE.

Provisions of Business Rules and Secretariat Instructions to be followed:- The provisions in the Business Rules and Secretariat Instructions regarding inter-departmental references shall be strictly followed.

When inter-departmental references are necessary, personal discussions between the officers concerned should be resorted to, as far as possible, with a view to reduce the volume of noting.

After a file is referred to another department for consideration of a proposal or for remarks, the officer of the department from which the file is going, should ring up to the officer concerned in the other department and request for speedy disposal, although the officer receiving the file should dispose it off at the earliest at his own level whether or not such a request is made.

Second reference to be marked to the Secretary normally:- Should a second reference to a department becomes necessary., the case will normally be marked to the Secretary of the department concerned so that further noting by the office on the main note file may be obviated.

Sending of cases for perusal:- A case should not ordinarily be sent for perusal to another department whose connection with the question at issue in the case is remote and interest likely to be small.

Communication of copies of notes to other Departments:- Except with the orders of a gazetted officer of the department, copies or extracts of notes written on a case in a Department should not be communicated to another department to which the case has not been previously referred. Such copies or extracts, if ordered to be sent, should be authenticated by the Section Officer.

Put-up-paper in unofficial files sent to Accountant General:- When a file is sent unofficially to the Accountant General, copies of Government Orders and other papers which are not confidential, put up in it, should not be removed. The department of the Secretariat should at the same time note that rules relating to the sending of notes of the Secretariat or of the Ministers out of the Secretariat should not be departed from.

References to the Secretariat of the Andhra Pradesh Legislature:- The Legislature is independent of the Executive (Government). The following procedure should be followed in regard to the despatch of communications to the Andhra Pradesh Legislature:-

Communications sent by the Governor which must be dealt with by the Speaker as such, whether they are messages or orders of sanction, or recommendations, or convey any requisite approval or permission, etc., should be forwarded by the Secretary to Government in the administrative department concerned demi-officially to the Secretary to the Legislative Assembly, stating expressly that the communication has been sent under the orders of the Governor and requesting that it may be placed before the Speaker.

Communications of a personal nature from the Governor to the Speaker should go from the Secretary to the Governor direct.

Correspondence by the departments of the Secretariat in regard to questions, resolutions and other motions and by the Law Department in regard to meetings of Select and Joint Select Committees of the Legislature on Bills and redrafting of Bills may be by unofficial references.

CHAPTER-X

CONFIDENTIAL, SECRET AND TOP SECRET PAPERS - MAINTENANCE AND CUSTODY.

All papers are confidential to outsiders and public:- Every communication received in the office and the registers and papers (i.e., notes, correspondence and disposals) showing the steps taken in connection therewith are confidential, so far as the public including non-Secretariat Government employees are concerned unless their communication to the latter is authorised by the Government or by a gazetted officer. Notes or correspondence started in the office as arising papers are no exception to this principle.

Classification of documents on security basis:- There are some papers which are seen by, or shown to, only a limited number of officers or Section Officers or Assistant Section Officers in the department itself. Such papers will be given three grades of security marking as follows:-

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

Top Secret:- This marking will be reserved for papers containing information of such a nature that for reasons of national security it must only be disclosed to persons whose duty makes it essential that they should have knowledge of it. Such papers will include references to current or future military operations, impending movements or disposition of the armed forces and shipping, and secret methods of warfare, to matters of high political policy and to methods of secret intelligence and ciphers.

Secret:- This marking will be reserved for papers other than those marked Top Secret, which are of such a nature that their disclosure to persons other than those whose duty it is to have knowledge of them would cause administrative embarrassment or difficulty or would be helpful to the enemy without being gravely dangerous to the national interest.

Confidential:- This marking will be reserved for papers that are sent into the office and may have to be kept 'Confidential' for a limited or unlimited period. The custody of such papers is vested in Section Officers of sections.

It is essential that the above security categories should be universally adopted and that classification of papers into these categories should be made by responsible officers only, care being taken to ensure that the Top Secret category is not unnecessarily employed.

Treatment of Secret and Top Secret papers in Office:-[

Top Secret Papers:- These should be dealt with only by the Secretaries/Principal Secretaries/ Special Chief Secretaries and should be in their personal custody. This should be possible as the number of such papers received is small. Top Secret papers, may on receipt be opened only by the officer to whom they are addressed, or by the officer who is dealing with his work in his absence. Top Secret papers which are of such a nature that they cannot be sent down to the office or to the Secret Sections where these exist, must at all hours and in all stages remain in the personal custody of the officer responsible for dealing with them. The officer who deals with Top Secret papers should number the currents and maintain a personal register, which should be kept in the same filing cabinet, safe or cupboard where Top Secret papers are kept. Where consequential instructions etc., have to be issued, an Additional/Joint/Deputy Secretary or an Assistant Secretary may be asked to assist.

Secret papers:- Secret papers should also remain in the personal custody of the concerned officers and be dealt with by them, as far as possible. Where this is not practicable, on account of a large number of such type of papers to be handled, they may be allowed to be handled by a thoroughly reliable Section Officer, whose antecedents and character have been previously verified by the Special Branch C.I.D This will not apply to General Administration Department, which is provided with Special S.C. staff. Steel almarahs should be provided for keeping secret papers and they should be in one of the Officers' rooms.

Where there is separate secret section, action must be taken, to ensure that adequate physical security is provided, which must include the complete segregation of the section from non-secret sections. The provision of safe locks on all doors and bars on windows, the strict limitation of access to the section to the minimum number of authorized persons only, and the provision as far as possible of adequate secret almarah accommodation within the section should be ensured.

It is essential that the above security categories should be universally adopted and that classification of papers into these categories should be made by responsible officers only, care being taken not to employ the Top Secret category unnecessarily.

Once a paper has been given a security category, it may not be downgraded to a lower category except by a responsible officer in the department where the paper is initiated; all officers must be constantly on the alert for any opportunity to downgrade papers particularly from the TOP SECRET to the SECRET category. In every case where a paper is downgraded the initiating department or office should intimate the fact to the other departments, or officers to whom the paper has been circulated. It is also permissible to give a lower grade of security to a document embodying action on a paper of a higher category provided that the former does not reproduce in whole or in substance the contents of the latter and that intrinsically the lower category would be justified. Papers received in another department or office, the officer who receives the papers consider this necessary, be upgraded to a higher security category, but such upgrading will have effect in the department concerned only; on leaving which the papers will revert to their former category, unless the receiving department or office has included in them a paper which in its opinion should bear a higher category. In the latter case, the papers will bear the latter category.

The following few illustrations may be kept in view for purpose of classification of matters as

Secret:-

V.V.I.P. Visits, General guidelines of arrangements.

Intelligence reports on the activities of various groups of people including services, trade unions, students, etc.,

Magisterial enquiry reports and other official enquiry reports which are meant for information of the Government on issues of sensitive nature.

The references and reports received from A.C.B.

Papers relating to verification of character and antecedents of the candidates selected for public services; and

Quotations received against tenders etc., and black listing of contractors and firms.

The following few illustrations may be kept in view for purpose of classification of matter as confidential:

The agenda for the meeting of the Council of Ministers, 'Memoranda' on subjects for discussion at a meeting and decisions of the Council. They shall be circulated in double sealed covers.

Matters relating to disciplinary and departmental proceedings including appeals against the orders issued.

Transfers and postings of officers till the orders are issued;

Personal files of gazetted officers.

Proceedings relating to meetings of D.P.C. and preparation of panels etc.,

Matters relating to taxation and excise duty, auctions etc.,

Cases relating to matter of 'News Value'.

Treatment of Confidential, Secret and Top Secret papers in their several stages:-The procedure in the treatment of class (2) confidential papers is similar to that of non-confidential papers but the following special instructions should be observed:-

Tappal and registry:- When confidential papers (including unofficial files from other departments) are received in tappal, they are opened by the officer addressed. After the papers are numbered the Section Officer takes charge of them. They are entered in the personal register, the abstract being indicated only by a catch word so framed as not to reveal anything which is confidential.

The officer or the Section Officer who deals with Secret or Top Secret papers should maintain a separate personal register, which should be checked periodically by the Secretary to Government in each department.

Referencing, noting and drafting:- Confidential papers shall be dealt with as far as possible only by the Section Officer concerned, the assistance of Assistant Section Officer being used only to obtain any previous papers required for reference.. The Section Officer shall take special care that the files are not seen by others. When the files are not being attended to by him, they should be kept under lock and key. Secret or strictly confidential papers shall under no circumstances be removed from the Secretariat by Section Officer or Assistant Section Officer.

Noting and draft on secret papers should be done as far as possible at officer's level. Previous papers should be collected without revealing the purpose for which they are required.

Submissions to Officers:- When submitting confidential files to officers, the Section Officer shall send them in sealed covers. A clear marking should be made in the margin on the last page of the note file itself that it is a confidential file.

When 'confidential' papers or records or covers are put up for reference in a file, the whole file should be treated as confidential.

Transmission of Top Secret and Secret files should be only in double sealed covers. Section Officers and Assistant Secretaries/Deputy Secretaries/Joint Secretaries/Additional Secretaries dealing with Secret files or Top Secret papers should take them to the superior officers personally. When files are transmitted in -sealed covers from one department to another the sealing should be done in the presence of the concerned officer or the Section. Officer in charge of Secret/Top Secret papers.

Circulation:- Cases marked for circulation to the Ministers or Governor should be sent by the concerned officer or Section officer in double sealed covers in the case of Secret or Top Secret cases

and in single sealed covers in the case of Confidential cases. The subject matter should on no account be indicated on any slip or paper outside the sealed cover.

Issue:- Confidential un-official files intended for other departments of the Secretariat should be sent in sealed covers or packets. Economy labels should be used and the seal should be affixed only on the labels. In the case of Government Orders, letters, memoranda, etc., they will be fair-copied and despatched by Typist-cum-Assistant specially detailed for this purpose. The word 'confidential' will be copied in bold types on the fair copy at the top of the first page. The covers will also be marked

`confidential'. The Section Officer will handover to the Typist-cum-Assistant only those portions of the papers which have to be copied. The comparing of the copies will be done by the Typist-cum- Assistant with the assistance of the Section Officer or Assistant Section Officer concerned or in accordance with any arrangement in force in the department. If a confidential paper is to be printed, a copy of it signed by the Assistant Secretary or the Section Officer should be sent to the Government Printing press in a sealed cover with the word 'Confidential' entered on the copy as well as on the cover. The word 'Confidential' will be printed in bold type at the top of the first page of the paper and also at the top of the brown docket sheet.

Typing and despatch of secret papers may be entrusted to a specially selected stenographer preferably the Secretary's personal stenographer who can be expected to be reliable. He may be designated as the 'Confidential Steno-Typist' and his antecedents and character should also be verified by the Special Branch, C.I.D. If the antecedents of any Secretary's personal stenographer are not satisfactory, he should be changed at the earliest possible opportunity. For fair-copying Secret and Top Secret G.Os., letters, memoranda, etc., coloured letter heads specially supplied for the purpose should be used. Carbon papers used for typing Top Secret and Secret papers will be kept in the personal custody of the Officer, Section Officer or Typist-cum-Assistant, as the case may be, so long as they can be used and then destroyed by burning.

When 'Top Secret' and 'Secret' files are sent to officers at their residences, they should be put in sealed covers.

Duplication of Secretariat Top Secret Paper:- The number of copies made will be carefully recorded and each copy will be serially numbered and identified by number in the distribution or despatch list. Spare copies should be strictly limited to the minimum and held in the custody of the Section Officer of the Secret Section who will destroy the stencils by burning.

Papers for signature:-Confidential and secret papers for signature should be taken to officers by the concerned Section Officer or Assistant Secretary in person.

In the case of Top Secret and Secret papers fair copies will be submitted to officers in sealed covers by the Home (S.C.) and General Administration (S.C.) Departments. In other departments fair copies will be taken to officers in person for signature.

Despatch:- 'Top Secret' and 'Secret' communications other than 'nil' reports, if dispatched by post, shall be kept in double covers the inner cover being marked 'Top Secret' or 'Secret', as the case may be, sealed at both ends and addressed to the officer for whom it is intended by name, official address and the frank of the Secretariat. Special Top Secret seals have to be supplied to Secretaries for use of sealing the Top Secret covers. Outer cover should be fastened and the seal affixed. The inner cover should be strong and large enough to fill the outer cover which should likewise be of strong material. If despatched by hand, the communications shall be put in single covers with both the flaps sealed and the covers clearly marked with the correct name, address and security marking.

Ordinary confidential communications, which are despatched by hand or by post shall be put in single envelopes and sealed and the covers addressed to the officers both by name and official designation. "Nil" reports pertaining to Top Secret, Secret or ordinary confidential matters shall be put in single envelopes only and then sealed and despatched in the same way as ordinary confidential communications.

Sealing should not be overdone; two seals one on each flap of the cover will generally suffice. Where an economy label is used, a seal should be affixed at both ends of the label.

Postal registration:-Confidential covers sent by post shall be registered at the post office in the following cases:-

'Top Secret' papers.

'Secret' papers;

Confidential papers sent to other Governments;

Confidential papers relating to disciplinary enquiries;

Confidential papers containing valuable documents or original records; and

Any other confidential paper which is specially instructed to be sent by registered post.

`Top Secret' and 'Secret' communications shall be sent by registered post `acknowledgement due'.

Surprise Checks:- Surprise checks should be made at irregular intervals by one of the officers, to cover transit, faircopying, despatch, custody, etc., and ensure that proper security is maintained at all stages; any irregularities noticed should be set right from time to time.

Telephone conversation:-A telephonic conversation is liable to interception and all users of Telephones must remember that somebody else may be listening. Confidential, strictly confidential, Secret or Top Secret matters should never be transmitted through the telephone.

Mode of addressing confidential covers to certain authorities:-

Military authorities:-The instructions given in paragraph 32(v) in Chapter IV-Forms and Rules of correspondence, should be followed.

General:- When Confidential, Secret and Top Secret covers have to be despatched to any authority by name and if the name of the incumbent is not correctly ascertainable or there is doubt over the point or if the officer is under orders of transfer, the inner cover may, with the orders of the Assistant Secretary or the Deputy Secretary, as the case may be, be addressed to (name and designation) " or successor" in order to prevent delay in the covers reaching the proper quarter (the words "or successor" should be underlined in red ink).

Maintenance of Confidential records in Departments-Rules-(i) What confidential records are kept in Departments:-Confidential disposals of the current and preceding three years are kept in the departments themselves and the earlier disposals in the Central Records Branch.

Maintenance of Confidential Register:- As soon as a confidential file is closed and the disposal is put away, the Section Officer of the section will hand-over the record to the Assistant, who has custody of the confidential records of the section of the department, and the Assistant will acknowledge its receipt by initialing with date against the disposal in the last column of the personal register. The Assistant will then enter the record in the register of Confidential records placed in his custody which he will maintain in the form below and will place the record in its appropriate place in the confidential bundle.

Date of receipt Number and date of the Subject Remarks Paper received.

Issue of confidential records:-Confidential records shall be supplied within the department on requisition signed by the Section Officer of the section requesting a record and countersigned by the Section Officer of the section to which it relates. When a Section Officer is on casual leave or otherwise absent, the senior most Assistant Section officer of the section may sign or countersign, as the case may be, therequisition for confidential records. Requisitions from other departments should be signed by a gazetted officer of the department making the requisition. All requisitions should invariably state the purpose for which the record is required.

When a record is taken out of the confidential record an entry should be made in the confidential records register which should be maintained by the Assistant inchargeof the said records in the form below:-

Serial number of Number and date of Date of issue from Current number if

requisition and disposal or other the records any, for which

taken; description of otherwise purpose

date of receipt document required for which taken

(1) (2) (3) (4)

Signature of the Initials of the Date of Signature of Initials of

Section Officer Remarks return the Section the Assistant

taking it Assistant Officer incharge of

incharge of returning confidential

confidential records

records

(5) (6) (7) (8) (9)

(10)

For every record issued from the confidential records a dummy slip should be deposited in the place of the record by the Assistant in-charge. When the paper is returned, the entry should be scored out in the dummy slip and the Assistant may return the requisition to the Section Officer concerned to be destroyed.

The Assistant in-charge of the confidential records will watch the return of the records and issue reminders once a month. The Section Officers should return records taken out promptly and also intimate transfer of records from one file to another to the Assistant in-charge of the confidential records. At the beginning of every quarter, the Assistant incharge should bring to the notice of the Assistant Secretary of the department of any record which has not been returned to the records for more than six months from date of issue. The Assistant will be held responsible for the safe custody of the confidential papers.

Downgrading of security classification:- At the end of each calendar year, the Assistant in- charge of the confidential records shall prepare a list of confidential papers in the records in his custody, the continued retention of which as 'Confidential' is prima facie not necessary and will submit it to the Assistant Secretary or Under Secretary, Deputy Secretary/Joint Secretary/Additional Secretary, as the case may be, for orders through the Section Officer of the Section concerned.

If it is ordered that any papers need not any longer be treated, as Confidential, the Assistant Section Officer in charge will make out a list and transfer them to the Central Record Branch. The acknowledgement of the Section Officer, Central Record Branch, will be obtained in the last column of the register of confidential records mentioned in sub-paragraph (ii) above; list of records so transferred will be maintained both by the Assistant incharge of confidential records and by the Central Record Branch.

The word 'Confidential' on such records should be struck off and the words `since treated ordinary' noted instead with date.

In order to avoid unnecessary accumulation of Secret papers, they may be periodically reviewed with a view to find out if it is still necessary to treat them as `Secret'. Whenever it is found that they need not be treated as secret any longer, the security classification may be downgraded and sent down to the appropriate sections after obtaining the orders of the Secretary in each case. A tendency to adopt an unnecessarily high security classification should be avoided, If the downgrading of security classification is done properly and regularly, it should be possible for really secret papers to be attended to at officer's level.

Transfer of Confidential records to State Archives:- Once every year, the Section Officer will send confidential records of the fourth year preceding together with the Register of Confidential papers and a copy of the list of records to the State Archives. Each bundle of records should be sent wrapped in brown paper and duly sealed, the wrapper indicating the year, the department and the number of the bundle. The receipt of the record in the State Archives will be acknowledged by the Assistant Director in charge of Confidential Records in the last column of the register.

Disposal of spare copies:- Spare copies of papers of all kinds whose retention for further use is necessary, including cyclostyled spare copies of letters, telegrams, etc., must be kept separate from the file in the personal custody of the Section Officer who will be responsible for their safe custody. He will be responsible for checking and weeding out his stock of fair copies regularly and at frequent intervals, and for obtaining the Assistant or Under Secretary or Deputy Secretary's permission for the destruction of any papers whose further retention he considers unnecessary. Used stencils should for this purpose be treated as spare copies.

Confidential publications:- The maintenance and destruction of other confidential publications such as fortnightly reports, reports on newspapers, etc., should be regulated in accordance with the orders in force relating to them.

Custody of seals:- The safe custody of seals is of great security importance. A list must be maintained showing the persons to whom seals have been issued. All such persons will be held responsible for the safe custody of the seals issued to them; they must immediately report to the issuing Officer should any seal be lost or mislaid. The issuing officer must ensure by frequent checks that the stock of these seals is kept intact.

Top Secret papers must be sealed with a special seal, and not with the ordinary office seal. Top secret seals will be issued to those officers who are called on in the course of their work to deal with Top Secret papers; they must on no account leave the personal custody of the officers to whom they are entrusted who will be personally responsible for their safe-keeping.

Disposal of waste papers:- Greatest care must be taken both in the rooms of officers and sections in disposing of waste papers of all kinds. Confidential and Strictly Confidential, Secret and Top Secret papers must be destroyed by burning in the presence of the officer responsible for dealing with them. The officers and Section Officers of sections are responsible for ensuring that adequate arrangements are made in their rooms/sections for ensuring the separation of confidential, strictly confidential, secret and top secret waste papers from the rest.

Rolled up papers burn quicker than small pieces and therefore when throwing paper of the above category into the waste paper basket, it will not be torn into pieces but rolled up.

If no special incinerator is available, an empty can or drum may be used for the purpose. To increase the draught and speed up burning process, holes will be pierced on the side of the can/drum but not at the bottom. A wire netting will be used over the top of the can/drum to prevent half burnt paper from being blown away. When burning is going on, the paper will be stirred with rod to see that nothing is left at the bottom.

CHAPTER –XI CIRCULATION

I- GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Points to be observed by officers ordering circulation: The circulation of cases is ordered by the Secretaries and other Officers authorized to do so in accordance with the ‘Business Rules and Secretariat Instructions” provided that under the Standing Orders issued under Business Rule 22 (a) certain categories of files may be specified which can be circulated to the Minister in- charge by a Deputy/Joint/Additional Secretary; such files could be answers to un starred questions in the Legislative Assembly, files circulated for information/perusal of the Minister not requiring the passing of Orders and the like. Such files should pass through Secretary on return from the Minister.

Before a case is submitted by a Secretary to a Minister for orders, a summarising note should be added at the end specifying the points for orders and referring also to the views taken by other departments, if any, which have been consulted in the matter.

If a case is to be treated as ‘Special’, it will be so marked on the case itself by the officer ordering circulation.

Section to check case and reference note and draft before circulation:- Before a case is sent in circulation, Section Officer and the concerned Assistant Section Officer shall ensure that the case is complete, that the papers are properly arranged, that all unnecessary papers are removed, that any old records put in the case are in covers, that the flags are in tact, that blank sheets are added to the note file, that the draft disposal or note bears the signatures of the officers who passed it, that drafts not approved are folded and placed at the bottom of the case unless necessary for reference, that the headings of notes are properly filled up, that all notes on slips or routine note sheets and rough drafts of notes or of disposals are removed unless otherwise specially ordered by the officer directing the circulation, or are kept at the bottom of the case neatly folded. If such papers are removed, they should be restored on the return of the case. The Section Officer and the Assistant Section Officer shall check and reference the notes and drafts put up by the officers and bring to their notice before passing on the case any omissions, mis-statements of facts or other inaccuracies.

Section Officer’s duties in watching special files in circulation: The Section Officer is personally responsible for seeing that ‘Special’ case marked for circulation to any Minister reach him and are obtained back with orders or a note with the least possible delay. If the case has to be sent to the Minister when he is not at the Secretariat, the Section Officer will see that it is despatched atonce by a special messenger. The special messenger should be given instructions to wait till the Minister to whom it is addressed has done with it, and if it is marked for more than one Minister to take it to them all in turn without any delay what so ever. If the Minister’s Personal Assistant or Private Secretary is on duty, he will take the case at once to the Minister and will draw his attention to the fact that the special messenger is waiting for it. The Personal Assistant or Private Secretary to the Minister should return the case to the messenger as soon as the Minister has noted on it.

Confidential files:- The Confidential files should sent in a protected way in circulation, Cases of Confidential nature or any paper put up as Confidential should be marked “Confidential” and sent to Circulation Assistant of the department in a sealed cover and handed-over to him in person. They should not be sent unprotected through an Attender or a Record Assistant.

II. PROCEDURE IN CIRCULATION

Entry of cases in Circulation Register:-Circulation Assistant will enter the cases for circulation in the Circulation Register and note the required particulars in the appropriate columns of the register. On the case itself, he will enter at the foot of the note or draft disposal the date of the circulation thus – C.20-7-87.

Circulation of weekly index:- Weekly index will be circulated to the Governor or to the Ministers, in thick brown envelopes of the largest size. An economy label bearing the expression “Weekly Index” and the designation of the Minister or the Governor’s Secretary, as the case may be, shall be pasted over the flap of the cover. After the weekly index has been perused by the Minister it will be returned to office by his Personal Assistant in the same envelope with the flap secured again with a fresh economy label.

Circulation of cases to the Governor:- Cases intended for the Governor are sent to the address of the Governor’s secretary in closed covers.

Circulation of cases to Ministers-Duties of Personal Assistants regarding their receipt and return:- The Personal Assistants shall maintain a simple transit register showing the files received by them as well as the current number and department in each case. While sending the files the Personal Assistant will enter the number of the cover or file and any other particulars that may be necessary in the transit register and obtain the initials in acknowledgement of the person to whom it is passed on. The Personal Assistants who receive the file will acknowledge the receipt in the transit register brought with the file. Then the file will be submitted to the Minister concerned.

Duties of Personal Assistants in observing order in circulation:- When cases are circulated in office they shall be passed on direct by the Personal Assistants to the next Minister if they are marked for more than one Minister and should come back to the Circulation Assistant only after the last Minister has seen the case.

The Personal Assistants will be responsible for seeing that every case is sent on in circulation in the order in which it is marked or returned to the Circulation Assistant concerned as soon as the Minister concerned has dealt with it. This applies to all classes of cases.

Checking of Circulation Register:- The Section Officer/Assistant Section Officer of IOC Section who supervises the work of Circulation Assistant in each section will inspect the Circulation Register daily and ensure that it is kept correctly and that acknowledgements are entered for all the covers and files sent in Circulation.

Papers marked for circulation to be circulated the same day:-Papers marked for circulation will ordinarily be circulated the same day. The Circulation Assistant will be held responsible for any delay `in circulation. If he is unable to circulate a case the same day, he should report the fact to the Section Officer of the section concerned.

Checking of delays in circulation:- The Circulation Assistant should submit every Monday morning through the Section Officer incharge to the Personal Assistant to the Minister a list in the form below of cases pending in circulation for more than fourteen days.

The Secretary of the department will direct such action to be taken as the ensure the prompt return of the cases to the department.

FORM

Weekly lists of papers circulated to the Ministers and the Governor and pending with them for over fourteen days.

For the period ending……………

Department C.No. Subject Date of

Circulation File Number To whom

circulated

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Treatment of cases returned from circulation:- On return from circulation the cases/files should be seen by the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary.

Interruption of circulation to supply information called for by a Minister:-When a Minister wants any information from the office on a case marked for circulation to more than one Minister or to the Governor, the further circulation will cease until the information is supplied. In such cases, the file will be returned to the department for supplying the required information.

When, in a case marked for circulation to more than one Minister or to the Governor, a Minister passes orders which are not in accordance with the orders suggested in the noting, further circulation should invariably be interrupted and the case submitted to the Secretary or other officer who directed the circulation.

Miscellaneous instructions to Circulation Assistant:-

When a linked file is attached to a case sent in circulation, the fact should be noted in the circulation register mentioning the current number of the linked file.

When valuable books or other documents are put up in a case sent in circulation, the Circulation Assistant should, where possible, note the fact briefly in the Circulation register. If any such book or document is not received back when the file returns from circulation, the Circulation Assistant should, when returning the case to the section concerned, give a certificate that the book or document has not been received back with the case from circulation. The section will take such action as may be necessary to trace and recover the book or document.

The Circulation Assistant is responsible for maintaining absolute secrecy of the case passing through his hands. Severe notice will be taken if he allows any unauthorised person to have access to a case or the circulation register.

The Circulation Assistant may give information to Personal Assistant as to the number of files despatched on tour circulation to the Minister concerned on any particular day.

PROCEDURE RELATING TO TOUR CIRCULATION.

Circulation to the Governor on tour:- Files should be sent to the Governor’s camp in accordance with the instructions issued by the Governor’s Secretary from time to time.

Circulation to Ministers on tour:- Circulation of papers to Ministers when they are on tour shall be in accordance with any instructions which they may issue.

PROCEDUE RELATING TO MEETINGS OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS.

The Procedure laid down in Business Rules 15 to 21 and Secretariat Instructions 18 and 19 shall be strictly observed in matters relating to the cases that have to be brought before the Council of Ministers.

CHAPTER XII INDEXING AND PURPORTS

Object of index two fold: The object of the indices is two fold. In the first place, they are intended to keep Secretaries and Ministers informed of the orders that have been passed but have not been seen by them. Secondly, they are intended to enable one to trace the papers containing the orders passed on any particular subject.

Title and head defined:-The entry in the Index relating to an individual paper is called a “Title”. The important word that is placed first in the title, by which its alphabetical position in the Index is determined and on which primarily depends the possibility of finding the title, is called the “Head”.

Head must be obvious and distinctive:-The first thing to do when writing anIndex title is to select the head. The Head must be a word that will naturally occur to any one who wants the papers. It must not too wide. For instance, to index all the petitions received under the “Petitions” would be absurd, though orders of a general nature, relating say, to the way in which petitions should be dealt with would be appropriately indexed under that head.

Consistency essential-Standard Heads and sub-heads-Un-authorized additions forbidden:-Consistency is essential in the selection of Index heads. Even if the heads are badly chosen, so long as there is consistency in their useless mischief will be done than if they are in themselves better chosen, but papers relating to the same subject are indexed sometimes under one head and sometimes under another. Consistency can only be secured by adhering to a standard list of Index heads and sub-heads. Each department of Secretariat will have a list of Index heads of its own, selecting heads as it ordinarily requires and adding to them such heads and sub-heads as may be found necessary. The list should be approved by the Secretary of the department and any addition to it or modification, if found necessary, should be made only by an office order issued with the approval of the Assistant Secretary or the Under Secretary of the department.

Use of heads and sub-heads:- A head may be used along or in combination with a sub- head. A sub-head may not be used without a head. Any head may, if appropriate, be used as a sub- head under another head. For example, ‘Budget” may be used as a sub-head under “Police”.

Under important and wide heads large number of sub-heads will be required. Every such sub-head must either be a head or sub-head found in the list or one included in it under proper authority as laid down in paragraph 189.

Smaller heads may be used alone:- Under the larger heads there will be some papers of a general nature. For such papers, a sub-head ‘General’ must be sparingly used. No paper for which a more definite and suitable sub-head can be found should be indexed under ‘General’. One legitimate use of the head is when a case falls under several sub-heads. Another is when it falls under none; for instance, there might be a Government Order dealing with the grant of allowances generally. This would have to be indexed under ‘allowances general’. It is of the utmost importance that a ‘General’ or “Miscellaneous’ sub-head under a head should not be used except for legitimate purposes as sketched above. Of course ‘General ’or ‘Miscellaneous’ should not be used a head.

Local classification:- Local classification should be introduced where possible. For instance, after the head or sub-head should come the name of a district or of a municipality. After the name of a district should come the name of the Mandal, and after the name of the Mandal that of the village. These names should be arranged in strictly alphabetical order. The districts should be arranged alphabetically. Under the name of each district the names of the Mandals should be arranged in alphabetical order and under the name of each Mandal the names of the villages should be arranged in alphabetical order where the subject matter lends itself to such a classification.

Personal papers:- (i) Personal papers relating to officials, should be indexed under the name of the officer concerned.

In case where a personal paper contains useful discussions on any general question or has any unique feature about it, it would be useful to ‘Cross – reference’ the disposal under the appropriate head and sub- head.

All matters relating to individual officers need not necessarily be treated as ‘Confidential’. Where, however, the circumstances of the case require that it should be kept confidential, the title for the index should be so framed as not to reveal any matter which is confidential.

Papers relating to Suits:-Papers relating to suits will be indexed under the head ‘Suits’, thus: First will come the name of the district in which, followed by that of the place at which, the court which is dealing with the suit is situated. Then the designation of the court, then the number of the suit, preceded by appropriate abbreviations ‘A.S’. (Appeal Suit), ‘O.S’(Original Suit), etc. These abbreviations will be arranged in alphabetical order, and under each the suits will be arranged according to their years and numbers.

Arrangement of Several Sub- heads:-The same title may contain more than one sub- head. The order in which these should be arranged is a matter in regard to which definite rule cannot be prescribed. Generally speaking the wider and more abstract should come before the narrower and more concrete. The necessity for consistency must not be forgotten.

Title proper:- After the heads and sub- heads comes the title proper. This must be as brief as is consistent with securing the objects specified in paragraph 186 above. Brevity is a merit in a title. If a title shows one at a glance, like a newspaper headline, the subject of the paper, it is a good title. Unnecessary length is a positive evil in a title. It defeats the object in view. The head or sub- head should never be repeated in a title proper.

Wording and Particulation:-The title must consist mainly of substantives and adjectives (where indispensable). Participles and minor parts of speech should be excluded as far as possible. In order that strict alphabetical arrangement may be practicable it is essential that the title should be articulated or broken up into numbers, each consisting of as few words as possible and each expressing an element in the subject matter. Each number will begin letters with a capital letter, which will help to determine the alphabetical order and should be separated from the numbers preceding and succeeding it by a bold dash. It is no use to try to put too much into a single title. The title must indicate clearly but briefly one main subject of the order.

Two or more titles when necessary- Cross reference:-if any order deals with more than one subject two or more complete titles under different heads may be necessary. But the same title must not be repeated under more than one head either entirely or partially. Instead of this,, where a subject falls under more than one head, and if it seems useful to index it under each head but there is no need for distinct titles under each head, a cross- reference or cross references must be used that is, the complete title will be printed under one head, while against the other heads will be

printed merely ‘see, so and so’ (mentioning the former head). The same cross- reference must never be repeated.

Indexing of orders of other Departments:-When an order of another department is indexed in a department, the title under which the order has already been indexed is usually adopted. If necessary, it may be prefixed with a main head which will be more convenient for tracing the paper from the point of view of the department in which it is indexed.

The number, the date of the order and the name of the department will be printed in italics in the index.

Consolidation of titles when printing:-The same words must never be printed over and over again in successive titles in the index where this can be avoided.

This will be understood from the following examples:-

Passports- Granted.

Abdul karim (Straits) November 8, No.1151 (Ms.)

Abdul Rahiman Sahib (Natal) November 8, No.1148 (M.s) Cardozo Mr.F.B.M. (England via France) November 26, No.194 (M.s) Elers, Mr. R.C. (South Africa) November 20, No.1193 (M.s)

Appeal Against Acquittal- Negatived.

Cuddapah (Session) C.C.No.23 of 1937 October12, No.2115 (Ms.) October22, No.2155 (Ms.)

C.A. No. 128 of 1937.

Kurnool (Sessions)- S.C. No.66 of 1936.

October 20, No.2147 (Ms.)

(Sub divisional Magistrate)

C.A. No.28 of 1937. October.5, No.2077 (Ms.)

Nalgonda (Suryapeta) Second Class Magistrate.

C.C. No.334 of 1937. October 4, No.2068 (Ms.)

and so on “Appeals against acquittal – Sanctioned” would follow, arranged on the same principle.

The entries should be arranged alphabetically by districts, under districts by courts (also alphabetically) and under courts by the number of the cases “C.A.s.” coming first and S.G.s. or “C.C.s” second.

Indexing of questions and resolutions in the Legislature:- In indexing Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly questions and resolutions the following form should be adopted to facilitate consolidation of titles when the weekly, quarterly and annual indices are printed.-

ANDHRA PRADESH LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Questions.- August, 1988

Courts- Sessions- Batta to defence witness

February 26, No.207 (Ms.)

Resolutions- January 1988.

Separation of Judicial and Executive functions

February 17, No.159 (Ms.)

Cross- references may, if necessary, be made under any other heads, under which the subject of a question or resolution should be entered in the Index.

Questions and resolutions in the Parliament should be indexed under head ‘Lok Sabha’ or ‘Rajya Sabha’ as the case may be. In important cases cross- reference may be given under the appropriate heads.

Note: It is unnecessary to add the words ’papers recorded at the end of the title of question or resolution in the Legislature’ if the file relating to the question or resolution did not result in any other disposal.

When a case relating to a question or resolution in the Legislature results in the issue of a general order, the disposal should properly be indexed under head relating to the subject matter of the order but such a disposal should invariably be cross referenced under the appropriate sub- head under the head ‘Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly’.

Indexing of Budget motions:-When the papers relating to a Budget motion are recorded the ‘Demand’ to which the motion related should always be indicated in the index title. When a substantial reduction is carried in a demand, the fact must be indicated in the title.

Indexing of letter, demi- official etc., disposals:- When a disposal in the form of a letter, demi- official, memorandum, endorsement, etc., is to be indexed, a title prepared according to the rules for the docket, and the Index should be got approved separately on the draft by the drafting section. The practice of copying for the Index the incomplete abstract given at the head of the letter, demi- official, etc., is to be deprecated.

Example of titles:- Some examples of titles prepared in accordance with the foregoing instructions are given below:-

Officers- Re- employment- Civil Departments- Procedure.

Funds – Re- appropriation – Heads of Departments Powers- Non- recurring expenditure- Deposits.

Government Servants Conduct Rules- Retired Government Servants Employment- Restrictions.

Duty of Section Officer regarding index titles:-It is the duty of the Section Officer to see that Index titles are properly prepared. The officer will check the titles when drafts are submitted to him for approval.

The Section Officer should also carefully check the weekly, quarterly and annual Indices to see that the titles are properly arranged and that all defects are rectified.

System of indexing slip index:-The system of the indexing which obtains in the Secretariat is the ‘slip index ’system. Indexes are prepared strictly in alphabetical order of the Index headings.

Separate index for each Department:-A separate index is maintained for each department.

An Index consists of two parts. Proceedings and letters in the ordinary series (printed and manuscript) are included in part I and proceedings and letters in the Routine series and important memoranda, demi- officials, endorsements, etc., which are given a distinct series of disposal numbers, are included in Part II.

Distinct series of numbers are given to each of the following groups of disposals included in the index.

Proceedings and letters in the ordinary series.

Proceedings in the Routine Series.

Memoranda, letters , demi- officials, etc.

Endorsements.

Only some departments, print Part-II of the Index, and in departments other than General Administration, memoranda, letters other than those in the ordinary series, demi- officials and endorsements are not indexed.

Object of weekly, and annual indices:-Indices are roneoed weekly or printed annually. The weekly indices are mainly intended for circulation to Ministers concerned and the annual Indices for reference in office.

WEEKLY INDEX

(i) The abstract of the proceedings, letters, etc., which are to be indexed, are prepared in accordance with the principles laid down in the preceding paragraphs. They are entered on the disposals and approved by the officer concerned. After the proceedings, etc. are numbered in the respective departments and series, the Assistant prepares the tabling form. There is no need to prepare it in duplicate. Abstracts of the proceedings, letters etc., which are to be indexed shall be typed on index cards. The tabling form should indicate clearly whether the disposal was circulated to the Governor or Minister, whether it was seen by the Secretary or by the Additional, Joint or Deputy Secretary, whether in the case of a printed order the notes connected with it are to be printed and whether the proceedings are printed or manuscript.

The disposals prepared in accordance with the orders of Ministers or the Governor are to be shown as ‘Circulated ‘to them though the disposals themselves may not have been seen by them.

The abstract should be written very legibly to avoid possible errors in the typed sheets of

index.

213.(i) The Circulation Assistant collects these index cards on the evening of the last working day of every week, arrange them alphabetically under the standardised heads and thereafter gets the matter thereon typed in a running form with the additional words “ Government Orders passed during the week ending.............. in Department” at the top and the words

“Submitted for perusal of” at the foot of the consolidated index.

Confidential papers and papers which have their notes printed should be indicated by the addition of the word ‘Confidential’ and letters ‘NP’ respectively after the number, and printed and manuscript series should also be clearly indicated after it, as under:-

January 8, No.17 (Ms.) (Confdl.) January 9, No.18 (P) (NP)

Finally the Circulation Assistant sends them for typing on the same day or the first thing on the next working day.

In roneoeing Part-I of the weekly Index, the disposals seen by the Governor etc., will be distinguished by distinctive symbols in the manner shown below:-

Disposals seen by the Governor-Cases disposed of after discussion at meetings of the Council of Ministers-

Disposals seen by the Minister or Ministers. Disposals seen by the Special Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary/ Secretary, Additional Secretary or Joint Secretary or Deputy Secretary.

(V) A copy of the weekly index will be got typed not later than the following Wednesday. After checking it, the Circulation Assistant circulates it to the Section Officers concerned for correction. After the list of the indices is corrected by the Asst. Section Officers and Section Officers concerned who should deal with it as “Special, it is submitted for approval to the Assistant or Under Secretary who is in immediate charge of the department. The Circulation Assistant gets the list roneoed after carrying out the corrections made in it by Sections.

Every department of the Secretariat should get the minimum number of copies of the weekly index roneoed.

The Section Officer of the section concerned will be held responsible for the indication in the weekly index of all orders seen by the Governor. Serious notice will be taken of omissions or incorrect indication.

As soon as copies of the weekly index are ready, the Circulation Assistant will submit a copy of the Assistant Secretary or Under Secretary, as the case may be, forsubmission to the Ministers concerned. A copy of consolidated weekly indices will be circulated among officers and sections in the department.

ANNUAL INDEX

At the end of the year, all index cards will be rearranged suitably according to the alphabetical order under the standardised index heads and the annual index prepared straight away with the help of the cards so arranged. The circulation Assistant should ensure by checking the numbers that all Government Orders, letters etc., issued and indexed during the year in the department have been brought on the index.

On receipt of proof, the Circulation Assistant checks it with the consolidated weekly indices and satisfies himself that no items have been omitted. He will submit the proof to Section Officers for check who should deal with it as ’special’. They should carefully see that the consolidation has been properly done and rectify all defects. On receipt of the proof from the Section Officers, the Circulation Assistant will return it to the Press for striking of final copies. The Assistant Secretary will depute another Assistant of the O.P. Section to assist the indexer in making this check.

A distribution list of the annual index will be maintained by the indexer in the form

below:-

TO WHOM DISTRIBUTED

1. Office for reference .. ..

2. Central Record Branch .. ..

3. Other Officers, if any .. ..

Progress reports on compilation of Indices:-The indexer will submit each Monday to the Assistant Secretary a report showing the progress in the weekly indices. A similar report should be submitted in respect of annual indices in the first week of January of the succeeding year.

It is absolutely essential that the preparation of the several indices should be expedited and the typed copies of such indices should in every stage be treated as special by the indexer and the Section Assistants and Section Officers. The weekly index should be submitted to Ministers etc., not later than the end of succeeding week. The annual indices should similarly be ready before the end of February after the close of the year to which they relate.

CHAPTER-XIII

PRINTING AND PROOF CORRECTION

Printing work done at Government Press:-The printing and binding works of all departments of Secretariat are done at the Government Central Press and Government Secretariat Press, Hyderabad.

When printing to be preferred to roneographing:- Printing being cheaper than roneo work, the former should generally be resorted to in the case of all communications (order, memoranda, U.O. Notes etc.,) which require wide circulation. Roneo work should be resrrricted to really urgent matters where printing cannot be done in time.

What papers may be printed:- Great care shall be exercised in ordering the printing of proceedings and connected notes. The printing of proceedings should ordinary be restricted to cases coming under one or other of the following heads:-

Important cases.

Cases not important in themselves but in respect of which important questions have been discussed in the notes.

Orders establishing important precedents or containing general instructions or rulings.

Papers likely to be required frequently for reference in more than one department in the future.

Orders of general application necessitation circulation to a large number of officers.

Printing to be authorised by a Gazetted Officer:-(i) No paper shall be printed except under the orders of a gazetted officer not less than the rank of Deputy Secretary or except in accordance with standing instructions. The Section Officer should submit for orders to print for the initials of the Assistant Secretary and the Deputy Secretary of the Department concerned and should note in the press slip the number of copies to be printed.

Printing of Notes:-Only notes on important subjects that are likely to be required for reference should be printed. The orders of the Deputy Secretary or officer above the rank of Deputy Secretary should be obtained for the printing of notes relating to a case when submitting it with the final draft.

Number of copies to be limited to the requirement:-Great care should be taken to see that the number of copies to be ordered to be struck is not greater than is really necessary. The officer placing the indent for printing should furnish a certificate in his own hand to the effect that he is personally satisfied that the number of copies indented for is really necessary and has been fixed with due regard to the availability of paper. Indent not accompanied by the certificate will not be complied with.

Confidential Printing:-Confidential Printing costs twice as much as ordinary printing. The practice of unnecessarily making papers “confidential “should therefore be guarded against and as few copies as possible should be printed of confidential papers.

Urgent Printing:-Urgent printing costs considerably more than ordinary printing. Papers for printing should not therefore be marked “Urgent” unless it is really necessary to do so. No work for the press should be marked ‘Urgent’ unless certified by an officer of rank not lower than a Deputy Secretary. Calls for ‘immediate’ printing and for work timed for return within 24 hours shall ordinary be made by a gazetted officer and not by another officer for him.

Work on Sundays and holidays:- Special certificate required for Overtime work:- Work should not to be sent to the press on Sundays or other holidays as work on such days is paid for as overtime in most cases. The Press will not attend to work on such days unless a Secretary to Government certifies that the special work is so urgent that it must be done during the holiday. Work done during the night is treated as overtime. Overtime work may be ordered by an officer not lesser in rank than Deputy Secretary to Government and should be ordered only in cases of real necessity.

Commissioner of Printing, Hyderabad to be warned in advance of urgent work”. – When printing work is likely to be required urgently the Commissioner of Printing should be warned of it. Definite information should be sent to him of the quantum or volume of work to be done and the time when it will reach the Press. In fixing the time a safety margin of half an hour, or one hour or two hours, as the case may be , should be allowed , taking into consideration the volume of work and the time that would be taken for the transit of the matter to the Press. If for any reason, the matter cannot be so sent, the department concerned should telephone well ahead to the Commissioner of Printing, Hyderabad. The matter for printing should, as far as possible, be sent to the Press in batches. Failure to give advance information to the press are required above will involve a risk of the printing work not being executed by the required time.

Sending material to the press for Printing:- (1) Material sent for printing should , as a rule, be in typewritten sheets. When carbon copies are sent care should be taken that they are sufficiently legible. If a hand- written copy is sent it should be so legible as to be deciphered by a student of the VII Standard. The press is authorised to return back illegible material to be replaced by a legible one. Such care has also to be taken when a material is received from a subordinate office and is then directly included in the material to be printed. Such material should also be checked and made free from errors and omissions.

Pages of material meant to be printed in Book form should be serially numbered (in ink or dark pencil). Care should be taken not to omit the page number pagination of the back side of a sheet when it contains matter to be printed. It is desirable to sent also a specimen book for guidance as to size and general get- up.

If slips are pasted (or attached) for insertion in a page, the place where it has to be inserted should be clearly shown. On the slip itself a line should be appropriately written thus: Slip A on page. If there are more than one slip on the same page they should be severally named

"Slip A", "Slip B", "Slip C", etc., (the order in which they occur on the page is immaterial).

When a sheet is sent to serve as original for a register (or stitched forms) it should appropriately contain the line...................................... binding here...............................

Sizes of books, registers, sheets, spacing etc., can be safely expressed in centimeters, if the technical name is imperfectly known.

The practice of sending papers to be printed in batches causes delay, increase the cost considerably and leads to errors. It should be avoided as far as possible except in the case of urgent work. The order for printing the full number of signature, space, press, circulation and other copies should be given at one and the same time.

Proofs—in what cases Press should be asked to send: - Proofs shall always be treated as urgent and submitted for the approval of the officer who ordered printing.

Proofs are ordinarily corrected in the Press and are not sent to the Secretariat unless they are specially asked for or unless the press requires information on doubtful points. The practice of calling indiscriminately for proofs must be avoided as it involves much increase in expense. Where, however, any matter is entrusted to a private press for publication the correction of the proof shall be done by the concerned Secretariat department and not in that press or at the Government Press.

Proofs of matter already in print should rarely be required. Ordinarily one copy of proof would suffice. Not more than three copies of proof should be called for except over the signature of a gazetted officer.

Proof Correction:- Excessive author's corrections in proof should be avoided. Corrections should preferably be made in red ink. Once a set of proof is received, the corrections should be shown in the proof and not in the originals, nor in an earlier set of proofs. When the same matter is to be corrected by more than one person the changes made should be neatly and correctly transferred to one proof so that only one is returned to the Press. If once corrected proofs are recalled for additional corrections such additional corrections should be made in ink of a different colour to prevent mistakes. Proofs should not be corrected in pencil.

Return of Proof:- Proofs for correction should be returned promptly.

The Commissioner of Printing, Hyderabad, will send to each department every fortnight the list of proofs belonging to the department, which have been sent out from the Press and not returned within a week.

Points to be observed by the subject Assistant Section Officer.- The subject Assistant Section Officer prepares in accordance with the foregoing instructions manuscript for the Press which will be accompanied by a press slip duly filled and also abstracts of Government orders or letters read, if any, in the proceedings. He will remove all papers which are not intended to be printed and keep them with him with a slip stating that the paper for Press was sent on such and- such a date

Gazette Notifications:- The Assistant of the Inward Outward Communication Section receives from sections of the department for transmission to the Press copies of all notifications for publication in the Gazette. He passes them on to Press, marking and treating-them as 'Urgent' with a list which will be returned by the Press after acknowledging their receipt therein. A duplicate of the list should be retained by the Assistant of the IOC Section. Proofs are generally checked in the Press itself. In case where they have to be checked in the Secretariat the Press will send them in one batch direct to the department concerned. When, however, any proof is received by the Assistant of Inward Outward Communication Section he should send it immediately to the section concerned.

In order to ensure that the notifications sent to the Press are duly published in the Gazette, section should keep open the connected files, watch the publication of the notification and close the files only after noting there in the number and date of the notification and the page number and date of the Gazette in which such notification has appeared. If the notification is not published within two weeks from the date of its despatch, the Commissioner, Government Press, should be reminded.

Holding over of exceptionally long notifications:- Notifications which are exceptionally long, but received within the prescribed time may be held over by the Commissioner of Printing, Hyderabad, who will, however, on receipt of the notification, inform the department concerned of his inability to insert it in the Gazette about to issue.

Gazette Extraordinary:- Gazette Extraordinary, cannot be issued without the sanction of the Secretary to Government of the concerned department except in the case of those containing notifications issued over the signature of the Chief Secretary or notifications issued by the Law Department or notifications issued on occasions of special importance such as declaration of war, the conclusion of peace , the assumption of charge by Governor, appointment of Ministers or the arrival of officers of high rank such as President, the Prime Minister or a Naval, Military or Air Force Commander-in-Chief. Requisitions from the Departments of the Secretariat for publication of extraordinary issues of the Gazette may be sent to the Press after approval by the concerned Secretary.

CHAPTER-XIV

CHECKS ON DELAYS AND ARREARS

Duty of Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Under Secretary and Assistant Secretary:- It is the duty of the Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Under Secretary and Assistant Secretary to check delays in the sections under their charge. In order to ensure promptitude in the despatch of business, individual instances of delay should be severely dealt with when they come to light. It is the responsibility of the Section Officer to constantly watch the files in the custody of Assistant Section Officer and see that they are not shelved. The Additional, Joint, Deputy, Under or Assistant Secretary must periodically inspect the Personal Register of Assistant Section Officer, Call Book, Reminder Dairy and Register of Periodicals.

Duty of Section Officer:- The Section Officer of a Section is responsible for the efficient and expeditious despatch of work in his section. To enforce this, he should thoroughly examine the Personal Registers once a fortnight on a specified day of the fortnight. He should check the Call Book, Reminder Dairy and Register of Periodicals at reasonable intervals, say, once a fortnight. He should initial the registers in token of check. The check should not be merely nominal. The Section Officer should not only see that the entries in the registers are correctly and punctually made but also take immediate action on delayed and urgent cases. He should ask his Assistant Section Officer to produce such-papers and give him practical help to put them up quickly or should himself take over and deal with them. It is his duty to ensure that no delay occurs which could with diligence be avoided and.that no paper is shelved by Assistant Section Officers. For this purpose he should, besides the fortnightly check of registers, inspect frequently the papers pending with each Assistant Section Officer.

Duty of Assistant Section Officers:- Assistant Section Officers will be personally responsible for delays in the disposal of their papers at all stages. The responsibility should not be considered to have ceased when a file is marked for issue but continues until the process of despatch has been done and the paper is sent to the Central Record Branch for recording. The Section concerned should even after sending an immediate communication for despatch take such steps as are necessary to ensure its prompt despatch.

Periodical reports and returns:- To watch the punctual receipt or despatch of periodical reports and returns, each section will maintain a Register of Periodicals in the prescribed form (Vide Appendix-II). A distinguishing number will be assigned to every periodical; this number will be permanent and will not be liable to alteration from year to year. They will be referred to by the numbers so assigned, e.g. ‘p.4’,’p.8, etc., and will be written up at the beginning of the calendar year so far as columns (1) to (4), (6) and (7) are concerned. Where a periodical is due from more than one officer, each-officer from whom it is due should be entered on a separate line in column (3). References received on a periodical or a periodical taken up for action in the Secretariat should not be brought on to the Personal Register unless important correspondence arises from them. Full use should be made of the Periodical Register for this purpose, the last column of which provides for the entry of any routine correspondence such as reminders, etc., for this purpose. In other respects, periodicals should be dealt with in the same manner as other correspondence. The Register ofPeriodicals shall be submitted to the Assistant, Under or Deputy Secretary/Joint Secretary/ Additional Secretary/ Secretary, as the case may be, for inspection once every month on a date to be specified by the officer.

Whenever a decision on a case involves the despatch or receipt of a report or return periodically every year, orders should simultaneously be obtained' for the inclusion of the item in the Register of Periodicals and the assignment of a periodical number to it and necessary entries should at once be made in that register.

Procedure in checking delays and arrears:- The arrears may be classified as "external arrears" and "internal arrears".

External arrears:- These are checked by means of the "Call Book" and the "Reminder Diary". The following instructions are laid down for the maintenance of the Call Book and the Reminder Diary:-

Call Book:-(a) (i). A Call Book will be maintained for each section in the prescribed form (vide Appendix-III. When a case is closed by the issue of a Government Order or a letter numbered in a Government order series which requires a reply or calls for a report, an entry should be made in the Call Book. When a reference is made to the Government of India on which orders cannot reasonably be expected for aatleast three months the papers may be recorded in a Government Order provided that an entry is made in the Call Book. Other cases in which no action is necessary in the section for atleast three months should be treated as final or if there is no such reference, the fife should be 'recorded' or 'lodged' (if the matter contained in that file is by itself unimportant). The entry relating to the file in the Assistant Section Officer's Personal Register should then be closed by the final disposal given to the file. No entry be made in the Call Book without the orders of a Assistant Secretary/Under Secretary/Deputy Secretary/Joint Secretary/Additional Secretary of the department. In every case, the proposal to make an entry in the Call Book must be made at the end of the draft when the draft is submitted or, where there is no draft, at the end of the note when the note is submitted, the date on which it is proposed to take action next being mentioned. The Call Book for each section of a department will be maintained by the Assistant Section Officer or Assistant in that Section to whom the work is allotted. When an entry in the Call Book has been ordered the subject Assistant Section Officer will make the entries in the columns (1) to (6) in the Call Book and will also note the fact that he has done so and also enter the Call Book number and date on the draft or the note below the order, authorising the entry in the Call Book (thus: "Entered in Call Book No..........................................................dated ”).

The Section Officer of the section will be held responsible for ensuring that the entry ordered has been made. If a report or reply is received before the date entered in column (6) of the Call Book, the Asst. Section Officer concerned should enter the current number and date of that report or reply in column (7) of the Call Book. The entry in the Call book would thus be closed. If the entry in the Call Book is not closed before the date entered in column (6), an extract from the Call Book should be taken not later than that date and given a current number by the Assistant Section Officer. This new current number should be entered in the Personal Register of the Assistant Section Officer concerned. The Asst. Section Officer will then obtain the original file and "put up" papers from the record room and take such further action as may be necessary.

(ii) When an order is passed that a case may "lie over" for a few days, no entry is necessary in the Call Book; an order to "lie over" does not authorise a "current" to be dosed. The current number should however, be noted in the Reminder Dairy (See sub-paragraph (2) (f) infra).

(b) Call Book shall be submitted for the inspection of Additional/ Joint/ Deputy Under/Assistant Secretary of the department concerned once every month on a date to be specified by the officer.

Reminder Diary:-The issue of reminders to outside officers and the initiation and resumption of action on papers will be watched in the section concerned under the following system:-

Each Assistant Section Officer in a section will keep a Reminder Diary in the prescribed form (Vide Appendix-IV). This should be a manuscript form of 12 pages for one calendar year bound in brown paper; on the outside should be entered the department, the section or branch and, if necessary, the name of the Assistant Section Officer and the year. This Diary is intended to act as a reminder to the Assistant Section Officer or the section that some action is necessary. The first column 'Date' will be reserved for the date of the month. In the second column should be entered the current number (C) of the paper or the number (P) of the periodical or the number (C.B) in the Call Book with reference to which action is to be taken on that day.

At the foot of every draft, whatever may be its form, which entails a reply and every unofficial reference, the Assistant Section Officer will enter in red ink a date for the issue of the first reminder thus: "Rem., 25th October, 1987". This date may be altered, if thought fit, by any officer through or to whom the draft is submitted.

On return of the draft or note approved, the Assistant Section Officer concerned or the Typist-cum-Assistant of the section, as the case may be, will enter in the Reminder Diary the current number (c) against the date approved as that on which a reminder is to be issued if necessary.

When all replies are received to a reference, the entry relating to it in the diary may be scored out.

If a case is entered in the Call Book, the Call Book (C.B) number will be entered in the Reminder Diary against the date on which action is to be taken.

Cases which are ordered to lie over will also be brought on the Reminder Diary and below each "lie over" order, there should be entered a date upon which action should next be taken on the case and the current number of the case should be noted against that date in the Reminder Diary.

Before the beginning of each year, each Asst. Section Officer who maintains a Reminder Diary will enter every periodical with which he has to deal or with which his section is concerned, as the case may be, by showing its serial number in the concerned Register of Periodicals against the appropriate date or dates in the diary. The date in each case will not necessarily be the date on which a periodical is due in or out but will be the date on which action must begun e.g. in the case of a periodical due to Government it maybe the date on which an advance reminder should be issued and in the case of a periodical due from Government to an outside authority the date will be such as to allow for preparation, noting and circulation, and after these for despatch in good time.

The Assistant Section Officer's first duty on each working day is to examine the entries in his Reminder Diary against that date and against any holidays immediately preceding that date. He will then examine the entries in the personal register against the numbers mentioned in the Reminder Diary against these dates; if a current is closed no further action is necessary; if a current is not closed, the Assistant Section Officer should at once pick out the file from among the pending cases (which should always be arranged in order of current numbers) and put up necessary reminders for signature. If a Call Book number is shown in the Reminder Diary against the date, the Assistant Section Officer should take extract from the Call Book (See sub paragraph) (1) (a) (i) above). If an entry in a diary relates to the periodical, advance reminder should he issued or other appropriate action taken. When submitting reminders a further reminder date should be suggested and the number should be entered against this date, as approved or altered in the Reminder Diary. In these cases, the files themselves need not pass beyond the Section Officer even if the reminder is to be signed by a superior officer. This process will continue until the reference is replied to or the periodical is received.

Section Officer, Assistant Secretaries, Under Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, Joint Secretaries and Additional Secretaries should, from time to time, check the Reminder Dairy with reference to the pending files in the section.

The replies to reminders should be submitted to officers for perusal and the date of next reminder already approved should be extended, if necessary, subject to their approval.

Note:- The reminders replies to reminders and notes relating to them should be kept distinct from the current file and note file and should be placed with the routine notes at the bottom of the case and removed when the case reaches the final stage.

Delay in Printing:- Whenever a paper has been with the Press for more than ten days, the section concerned should issue a reminder. This reminder should, after lapse of the first ten days, be repeated at intervals of ten days. Where the delay more than one month in a particular case, the matter should promptly be brought to the notice of the administrative department in charge of Government Printing Press.

Internal Arrears:- The arrears in sections are checked by means of the Personal Registers, Daily Detention List etc.

(a)Personal Register:- The Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary, Deputy which Secretary, Under or Assistant Secretary, as the case may be, will prescribe a certain day for checking in every month for each section working under him. On that day at 11.00 A.M., the Personal Register or Registers of the section must be on his side rack with all papers received up to the evening of the previous day entered and numbered. If a day happens to be a holiday submission will be on the next working day. The Additional, Joint, Deputy, Under or Assistant Secretary will examine all entries dealing with unclosed files. He will see that entries in columns (7) and (8) dealing with submissionand columns (9) and (14) dealing with references are kept up to date. He will see that new papers are submitted by the Section Officer within five days of receipt and that papers delayed for more than five days in submission or in the issue of references or other action are submitted to him at once with reasons for the delay unless his knowledge of the file renders this unnecessary. Any queries or remarks made in the register by the Additional, Joint, Deputy, Under or Assistant Secretary must be answered and the register resubmitted.

The Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Under or Assistant Secretary will also by means of this inspection exercise control over the framing of the :'abstracts' of all the papers entered and will see that these are as concise as possible and framed according to the rules and the list of prescribed heads for Index. He will also exercise a check over the proper maintenance and neatness of the Personal Registers.

(b) Papers pending at the end of a calendar year will he brought forward into a new register of the following year if they are not disposed of by the 3 lst January. For this purpose sufficient blank pages should be left at the beginning of the new register and the Section Officer will certify on the first submission of the register after the I st February that all pending papers of the previous year have been brought forward. There is no need to bring forward all previous entries regarding these papers. All that is required is the last reference issued or received, the last submission date, the current number of the paper in the previous year and its title.

Five Days rule:- Papers will normally be submitted by the office within five days of their receipt in office i.e., from the date revealed by the officer's date seal. Similarly papers will normally be resubmitted within five days from the date on which they are marked back to the office. The Section Officer will be held responsible for any paper found pending in his section without sufficient grounds for more than five days. Holidays will not be excluded in calculating the period of five days.

No paper shall be kept in the office for more than seven days without the permission of the Assistant Secretary, Under Secretary or the Deputy Secretary/Joint Secretary/ Additional Secretary/Secretary, as the case may be.

Daily Detention List:-In departments of the Secretariat, a Daily Detention List is submitted punctually iii the prescribed form (vide Appendix-V) in accordance with the orders in force in each department. Failure to submit or delay in submitting the list or failure to include in it items which ought to be included is a serious offence and will be dealt with severely. All directions issued by officers on the list should receive prompt attention.

The abstracts of pendency should be prepared showing only the current numbers of cases pending for (a) over three months, (b) over six months and (c) over one year, along with detention lists, to check delays. This statement should be put up along with Personal Registers to the officers who scrutinise the registers as and when they are submitted for check.

Special lists showing pendency:- Any special lists or statements showing pendency prescribed in each department shall be submitted in accordance with the orders in force in that department.

Delays with Officers and in Circulation:- The Section Officer of a section should on the 1st working day of the week bring to the notice of Assistant Secretary, Under Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary, Secretary, as the case may be, any cases which his periodical inspection of registers shows to have been with a superior officer or in circulation for more than a fortnight. In order that he may discharge this duty efficiently, he will ensure that columns (7) and (8) of the Personal Register are posted up regularly. Orders passed in circulation should be implemented without any delay.

Delay in issue:- All papers marked for issue are ordinarily expected to be issued within twenty four hours of the time at which they are given to the Typist-cum-Assistant for fair-copying. It will be the duty of the Section Officer concerned to see that the papers pending issue at the end of the day are attended first on the following working day and are despatched before the close of that day.

Delay in proof correction:- To afford check on the delay in the return of proof to the Press, the Commissioner, Government Press, will send to each department every fortnight a list of proofs belonging to the department which have been sent out from the Press and not returned within seven days. The list should be submitted immediately on receipt with explanation for the delay.

CHAPTER — XV SECRETARIAT LIBRARY

The Secretariat Library is a general reference Library, for all departments of the Secretariat and for all Government Offices in Twin Cities. The Librarian should follow all Library procedures for proper maintenance of the Library.

The Library is attached to the General Administration Department and is under the immediate control of an Assistant Secretary of that Department.

Purchase of books, periodicals, etc., for the Library shall be sanctioned by the Chief Secretary or the Secretary, General Administration Department. The bills in respect of such purchases will be passed by the Assistant Secretary.

There will be a Library Committee, the members of which will be some of the senior Secretaries to Government for the selection of books and periodicals.

Duties of the Librarian:- The Librarian is responsible for the proper performance of all work connected with the Library and for seeing that the staff under him carries out its duties satisfactorily.

He should see that all registers are correctly maintained, that books are supplied promptly and their return carefully watched. He should particularly see that the correction work is punctually and correctly attended to by the Assistant Section Officer entrusted with the duty.

He should see that unauthorised persons are not allowed to enter the Library and that the entrance door through the expanded metal partition is kept always bolted.

He should see that the doors of all the almirahs are so closed as to secure them from dampness and insects. The catches in the almirahs must be pushed home after an Attender or Assistant Section Officer has had occasion to open an almirah, the use of the long pointers with metal hooks being resorted to wherever necessary.

He should before leaving the office satisfy himself that all the exits from the entrances to the Library are properly secured. He shall also be the custodian of all the keys used in the Library.

Library correspondence-Register and filing:- Currents received or arising in the Library are stamped with the Library date stamp and given serial current number and registered in the Personal Register (Appendix-I). They are dealt with like office files and kept in the Library.

Disposal:- Correspondence and orders of an important nature or of permanent interest will be recorded for future reference in Government Orders of the General Administration Department. Correspondence relating to the purchase of books etc., and payment of bills will be preserved during the official year in which correspondence was closed and will be destroyed in May following that year. All other correspondence will be destroyed immediately after it is closed.

Receipt of books and periodicals — Registry:- Every publication received in the Library should be stamped with the Library date stamp on its title page and also on the outer cover wherever possible, and will be entered in the registers maintained for the purpose.

The Librarian should submit the registers along with invoices or bills or payment of the cost of the books to the Assistant Secretary, General Administration Department who should check the entries in the registers with the bill or invoices.

Transmission of publications not intended for Library:- Publications received in the Library which are obviously not intended for it shall be marked by the Librarian for the correct department or officer, to whom they shall be immediately forwarded.

Books to be maintained in the Library:- As a general rule, not more than one copy of a work of general interest shall be placed in the Library. In the case of books of general interest the latest available edition alone should be retained, copies of the older editions being treated and disposed of as surplus. In January each year all excess and older copies should be sent to the State Archieves or the State Central Library, as the case may be. Any copies in excess of the numbers required to be transferred will be disposed of periodically by sale or otherwise under the orders of the Deputy Secretary concerned.

Stocking of books and publications and their distribution:- Copies of books and publications will not be stocked in the Library for the departments of the Secretariat nor will their distribution be undertaken by the Library.

Accession lists — Printing and circulation of accession lists.- The Librarian will enter on slips the titles of the new arrivals at the end of every quarter. These slips are collected and arranged alphabetically according to subjects and the list is issued every quarter and copies are circulated to the Secretary to Governor and officers of the Secretariat not later than the 15th of the month succeeding that quarter.

A spare copy of each quarterly list of accessions will be filed in the Library. These will be bound up at the end of the year,

Classification-Classification of new books:- The Librarian will classify the new books according to Dewey's Decimal Classification. The book number will be according to the Cutters alphabetic order table. After classification of books the stamp of the Central Secretariat Library will be marked on the title page and also on the last page of the book. A call number label will be fixed on the book. Reviews of the books, if available will be posted inside the cover of the book.

Cataloging:- There will be a card catalogue in the Central Secretariat Library. The arrangement of the catalogue will be under author, title and subject alphabetically arranged on the model of dictionary. The catalogue will be typed according to the Dictionary Catalogue Rules.

Issue of books from the Library:-General Rules: The following rules regulate the issue of books from, and their return to, the Library:-

(1) Books may be lent from the Library to:-

Governor

Ministers

Gazetted and non-gazetted Officers of the Departments of the Secretariat who are either permanent or approved probationers.

Heads of Departments in Hyderabad.

Libraries recognised for the purpose may borrow on inter-library loan basis.

Such M.L.As. and M.Ps. of the Andhra Pradesh who get their names registered for the purpose with the approval of Chief Secretary.

Application for membership should be made on the prescribed admission card. This can be obtained from the Library.

Each borrower shall be issued two borrower's tickets which.will be deposited in the Library when a book is borrowed.

A lost ticket can be replaced without fee but the borrower shall inform the Library immediately of its loss and apply for a new ticket through his office. The borrower shall be responsible for books drawn on the lost ticket.

The period of a loan of a book shall be 14 days. Books or periodicals are liable to be recalled within the period of loan if there is a special demand for official use.

Loans may be renewed at the discretion of the Librarian for a further period, provided-

the request for the renewal of the loan reaches the Librarian before the date of the expiry of the loan, and

No other reader has applied for the book in the mean time.

Reminders for books are usually sent as soon as they are overdue though this is not obligatory. If the books are not returned on the second reminder the matter will be brought to the notice of the Head of the Department of the borrower.

If a book is not returned within a month of second reminder it will be considered as lost.

If one book of a set is damaged or lost, the member concerned shall be liable to replace the whole set.

In case a book is damaged or lost the member shall replace the book or pay the cost of its replacement to the Library. If the amount is not paid within month it shall be recovered from him through the department who recommended his membership.

Price of rare or out of print books will be assessed by the Librarian.

Borrowers are required to keep the books in good condition. They are not to fold or stain the leaves and not to make pencil or other marks upon them. They must take the earliest opportunity of reporting to the Librarian any damage or injury done to the books they have borrowed, otherwise they will be held responsible for the damaged book and asked to replace it by a new one or pay the cost of the new book.

The two borrower tickets issued may be utilised either for office references or for personal use.

Encyclopaedias, dictionaries, Gazettes not in duplicate will not be lent out of the Library premises.

Any change in the address of the borrower must be intimated to the Librarian.

General Reading Room:- The hours of the General Reading Room will be from 1 p.m. to 2

p.m. on all working days.

Readers shall be responsible for any damage done to the books or periodicals.

No newspapers, which are meant for the General Reading Room, will be lent to any person.

Registry of books issued:- Each book contains two cards in the book packets, one of which will be a substitute card. In issuing a book the Librarian withdraws the book cards from packet and affixes stamp with the due date of return on them and also on the date slip, inserts one of the book cards in to the borrower's ticket and keeps it in the filing cabinet indicating the date on which the book is due. The other substitute card is placed on the shelf at the place from where the book has been removed.

Restoration of books returned:- When a book is returned, the borrower's ticket will be taken out from the file cabinet and replaced in the book pocket. The book will then be replaced in its proper place by inserting the substitute card in the pocket.

Acquisition of books for the Library - Submission of catalogues of book sellers etc. to the Members of the Library Committee:- Catalogues of book sellers, monthly lists of books issued by the Government of India, and the journals received in the Library which contain reviews of books shall regularly be submitted by the Librarian to the members of the Library Committee and the Deputy Secretary, General Administration Department with a view to obtaining instructions regarding the acquisition of useful books for the Library.

Watching the receipt of other Government Publications:- The Librarian should watch the receipt of the annual administration reports (both general and departmental) civil lists, and other periodicals of the Government of India, and other State Governments. Immediate action should be taken on any irregularity in the supply.

Copies of other Government publications should on receipt be sent to the Secretariat Department most directly concerned with their subject before they are retained in the Library.

Purchase of books for Ministers:- Books for constant reference required for the use of the departments and the officers of the Secretariat are purchased by the respective departments from their office contingencies. Those required by Ministers are purchased by the Librarian under the orders of the Deputy Secretary, General Administration Department and their cost debited to the head "Ministers-Other Charges" in the budget allotment reserved for Ministers.

Scrutiny of bills:- The Librarian should scrutinize every bill for books and periodicals bought and submit it to the Assistant Secretary, General Administration Department for an order of payment. It will be then passed on to the Claims Section after noting the amount of the bills and other particulars in the registers maintained for the purpose. The Librarian should examine the registers frequently to see that the budget provision for books and periodicals is not exceeded.

List of Newspapers and periodicals:- The Librarian will maintain a list corrected up to date, of all newspapers and periodicals acquired for the Secretariat Library and for the perusal of Ministers. Their cost and other particulars will be noted in the register maintained for the purpose.

Circulation of periodical publications - Submission of list of periodicals to Ministers and Officers of General Administration Department:- A list of periodicals which are subscribed for the Library will be maintained by the Librarian. Whenever there is a change in the Ministers or officers of the Secretariat, the list will be submitted to the new Minister or officer and his wishes ascertained as to the circulation of any of the periodicals in the list. When, the list is returned, necessary entries will be made in a register maintained for the purpose.

Circulation and return of periodicals:- As soon as a periodical is received in the Library, it will be entered in a Register and will be placed on the Table of the Reading Room for the use of readers.

A selected set of periodicals are circulated to the officers of General Administration Department.

Treatment of periodicals after perusal:- Periodicals returned from circulation are lodged in the Library and bound as soon as indices are received. Departments of the Secretariat will be consulted as regards binding and also period of preservation in the case of those not worth binding.

Periodicals which need not be bound will, after the expiry of the period fixed for their retention in the Library, be sold as waste paper as per orders of the Government issued from time to time. The bound copies will be classed according to their subject matter and brought on the catalogue.

(a) Newspapers files:- The tiles of newspapers maintained in the Library are made up from the papers subscribed by the Library and also from the papers received from the Ministers after their perusal. A copy of important Dailies will be filed for reference. The files will be kept for one year in the Library and then sold in the manner prescribed in paragraph 275.

(b) Newspapers supplied to the Ministers:- Newspapers and other periodicals supplied to Ministers at Government cost will, after perusal, be forwarded by their Personal Assistants to the Library. These newspapers will be sold in the manner prescribed in paragraph 275.

Examination of newspaper files:- The Librarian will examine the newspaper files once a fortnight to see if issues up to the end of the previous fortnight are complete and shall take prompt measures to replace missing numbers.

Correction of Codes, Manuals etc:- The Librarian will see that all books of reference in the Library, in the Governor's room at the Secretariat and in the rooms of the Chief Secretary and the Secretaries, the Additional/Joint/Deputy Secretaries, Under Secretary, and the Assistant Secretaries of the General Administration Department are kept corrected up to date. The books should be corrected within a week of the receipt of correction slips.

Check on corrections:- A register showing the progress of corrections made shall be maintained by the correction Assistant. The Librarian will examine this periodically and initial it in token of having done so.

The Librarian will distribute promptly to the sections of the General Administration Department correction slips intended for them received in the Library. The date of receipt of correction slips and the date of their despatch to sections should be noted in the register. The pasting of correction slips in the reference books in sections will be attended to by the sections themselves.

Mode of correction:- Correction work shall as far as possible be done by pasting slips over the amended articles. If a slip cancels or modifies part of a book, the part cancelled or superseded must be scored out and the number of the correction slip should be noted in red ink in the margin against it. The same rule is applied when one correction slip cancels or modifies a previous one.

When a book is corrected, the number of the correction slips with their dates and the date of the correction shall be entered in the printed form at the end of the book for noting such details or if there is no such form in the blank sheet at the end.

Reference books of Ministers:- The Personal Assistants to Ministers should maintain a list of the books kept for permanent reference at the office as well as at the residences of Ministers. One copy of this list will be kept in the room of the Minister, another copy by the Personal Assistant and the third by the Librarian.

The list should be checked and certified as corrected by the Personal Assistants:-

annually on the 10th January;

Whenever there is a change of portfolios among Ministers necessitating transfer of books from one Minister to another; and

Should any book be found missing, the fact should be reported to the Librarian who will take the orders of the officer in charge of the Library and supply a new copy, if necessary.

Whenever books not considered necessary for frequent reference are ordered by Ministers to be returned to the Library, they should be sent to the Librarian with a note by the Personal Assistant stating that the books have been struck out of the two lists. The Librarian will also correct his list.

Books borrowed from the Library from time to time for occasional reference will not be included in this list.

The Personal Assistants are responsible for keeping corrected uptodate the books of reference in the office rooms and residences of Ministers.

(a) Andhra Pradesh Gazette:- Three copies of the Andhra Pradesh Gazette are received in the Library. A copy of the latest issue of Gazette will be put in a clampex file and kept at the counter for reference by the Secretariat staff. This will not be removed until replaced by a later issue.

One copy is circulated to the Chief Secretary, and the other to officers of the General Administration Department. On their return from circulation these will be filed in the Library. Two sets of the Andhra Pradesh Gazette will be bound at the end of each half-year.

Other States' Gazettes:- Other State Gazettes will be kept in the Library for two years and transferred to State Central Library thereafter.

Gazette of India:- Two copies of the Gazette of India are received in the Library. One copy is circulated to the Chief Secretary and other to the Officers of the General Administration Department. On their return from circulation these will be filed in the Library. A copy of the latest issue of the Gazette will be put in clampex file and kept at the counter for reference. This will not be removed until replaced by a later issue. The two copies are bound at the end of each half-year.

District Gazettes:- One copy of each of the district gazettes is received in the Library from the Revenue Department. It will be kept in the Library till the end of the year following that to which it related and then sold.

Disposal of surplus books:- As soon as a sufficient quantity of surplus books and waste paper has accumulated in the Library, the Librarian will arrange for its sale in the manner prescribed in paragraph 275.

No lists of surplus books shall be made. The books must be checked with the Library Catalogue and those not to be retained in the Library must be stamped `Surplus' and then put aside for disposal. The orders of the Deputy Secretary, General Administration Department should be taken in doubtful cases.

Periodical notices should be sent round to departments of the Secretariat and all offices in Hyderabad city intimating that surplus books have been put aside and that any officer interested in them may personally or through a deputy inspect those books on days of the week and at hours fixed by the Librarian. Such Officers or their deputies should make out duplicate lists of the surplus books they want, and one of these lists should be submitted to the Deputy Secretary, General Administration Department for sanction. After his sanction has been obtained, the officers taking the books should themselves make all arrangements for their removal. Any Officer requiring books for his private use will have to pay the price that may be fixed by the Deputy Secretary, General Administration Department but no charge will be made for books removed by officers for reference or use in their offices. Any surplus books that remain after all such applications have been dealt with should be sold by auction. Books that have not been made available for public should not be sold but should be torn and sold with other waste paper.

The covers of books, reports, etc., to be treated as waste paper should be detached and sent to the Government Press to be used in binding work. If they are not fit for such use they should be sold with other waste paper.

The amount realized at a sale will under the orders of the Deputy Secretary, be immediately forwarded to the Claims Section for being credited to "Government account".

Destruction of registers:- The following registers maintained in the Central Secretariat Library will be disposed of as shown below:-

Personal register:- A fresh one will be opened every year, the retention period will be the same as for other personal registers.

Accession register (Stock register) will be kept permanently in the Library.

Circulation of Periodicals register will be kept for one year.

Membership register will be kept permanently in Library.

Books and periodicals payment register will be kept in the Library for two years.

Registers of corrections will be kept in the Library for two years.

Stock-taking of books:- The stock-taking of books in the Central Secretariat Library will be spread over the year. Apart from the reminders mentioned in paragraph 264 (7), before stock- taking, all officers, the departments of Secretariat, and other offices in the City will once again be asked to return the books borrowed by them. Where the return of any particular book is not possible, the officers concerned will be asked to furnish the Librarian with a list of such books andwith a certificate that the books are actually in their possession. The stocktaking will be done in the shelf-list.

CHAPTER XVI: FAIR COPYING, EXAMINING AND DESPATCH

General:-

The work of fair-copying and examining papers (confidential and non- confidential) is done in the concerned sections of each department. The despatch of papers in each department is done in the Inward Outward Communication Section.

FAIR-COPYING

General rules regarding copying:- The following general rules regarding copying will be observed by the Typist-cum-Assistant.

Before a Typist-cum-Assistant begins to copy a paper for issue, he shall verify that it bears the initials of a gazetted officer.

All proceedings of Government (Government Orders), Memoranda, letters, endorsements etc., except those issued in roneo should be typed in forms embossed with the Andhra Pradesh State Emblem/Plain paper.

Note: - Affidavits and counter affidavits to be filed in the High Court and other Civil Courts should not be typed on papers embossed with the State Emblem but typed on foolscap size paper.

Any fair copy extending over more than one page shall be type-written or computer typed on both sides of the paper.

All copies must be made neatly and legibly.

Copying must be done with care, erasures and corrections being avoided; interlineations should not be made, especially in 'letters'.

In copying the first word of a separate item in the preamble to a proceedings and the first word of every paragraph in a communication to be issued, a five or six-letter space should be left between the word and the prescribed margin.

The margin to be left blank should be on the left hand side of the front page and right hand side of the back page of a sheet of paper. The margin may be encroached upon only if statements have to be copied in the body of a communication and are too big to be typed on the portion on which the communication is copied.

Entries in the margin, unless they are very small, should be inserted by an indenture made on the side on which the communication is copied and should be separated from such communication by three lines rule or typed on the top, bottom and the side facing the body of the communication.

All fair copies should be typed with single spacing.

In forms of correspondence in which designation of the officer sending the communication has to be typed underneath his signature, the name of the department need not be typed, if that is printed, embossed or typed at the top of the paper.

In official correspondence, if the designation of an officer is typed, his officiating status (if he is an officiating officer) should not be indicated by the word "officiating" before the designation.

If there are enclosures to accompany a communication they should be indicated by an oblique line (/) in the margin against the paragraph in which they are referred to.

Copies should be made on the smallest sheet consistent with the dignity and requirements of the communications. The appropriate form where one has been prescribed should be used.

The Typist-cum-Assistant should invariably type his initials with date at the left hand corner at the end of a fair copy and should also initial with date in ink on the left hand top corner of the draft (or in the appropriate place in the page, if one is printed there).

Drafts of letters should be kept as office copies and carbon copies should be made only when the draft has been so extensively altered as to make it necessary to have a clean copy. When possible, the carbon copy of a letter should be typed upon the back of the letter to which a reply is being sent.

When a letter or any other communication is typewritten or computer typed and two or more sheets of paper are used, the Typist-cum-Assistant and comparer must see that —

a paragraph is never finished at the bottom of a page and that two lines of the paragraph at least are carried on to the next page, so that with the exception of the first page no succeeding page will start with a fresh paragraph; and on no account should the bare signature and designation of the officer only be on the last page.

It is the duty of the drafting section to see that the instructions are clearly and fully noted on the draft for issue before it is sent to the Typist-cum-Assistant for copying, such as, whether it is a reference or a final disposal, and, if a final disposal, its nature, the person or persons to whom it is to be sent, and if the whole of it is not to be communicated .to all of them, the portion to be communicated to each, the enclosures that are to accompany it, noting which of them should be sent in original and which to be copied and sent and whether the addressee's acknowledgement is necessary. The Typist-cum-Assistant and examining Assistant Section Officer should see that the paper is accurately copied in accordance with the instructions before it is sent to the Inward Outward Communication section.

Telegrams:-

(i) These should be copied on the appropriate form, inland or foreign, as the case may be, and correct abbreviated addresses should be used where they exist. The superscription "State", "Express", "Most immediate", "Immediate", "Important", etc., should be correctly entered - in accordance with the instructions given by the drafting section. The number and date should invariably be entered in the fair copy also.

(ii) Post copies of telegrams:-

(a) In every case where a telegram is typed a post copy of it should also be prepared and despatched simultaneously with the telegram.

The post copy of a telegram or cablegram sent to any of the Indian Missions in foreign countries should be typed in letter form as follows:-

"I am directed to confirm the following Telegram/Cablegram despatched to………………………. .on instant:-

(Body of the Telegram/Cablegram)

Yours faithfully,

.........................................

No post copy of a cipher telegram should be sent. If in very rare circumstances, it should be necessary to confirm a cipher telegram, the confirmation should always take the form of a very liberal paraphrase and never repeat all the words as drafted in the office copy. Not even such a paraphrase should go without the orders of the Assistant Secretary/Under Secretary, General Administration Department, who will decide whether the circumstances really necessitate such an action.

Departments of the Secretariat should inform the Section Officer, General Administration (S.C) Department, sufficiently in advance if any code or cipher telegram has to be issued on any evening from their respective departments so that arrangements may be made for the cipher staff to remain on duty even after 5 p.m. Cipher telegrams should always be given departmental reference numbers.

Endorsement:- An endorsement is usually written or copied on the last page of the current if there is room and if not, on a separate form embossed with the Andhra Pradesh State Emblem added to the current. The endorsement, if copied on the current, is headed "Endorsement No..................... dated.............................. the department being entered at the right-hand top corner; but if the endorsement is on a separate sheet, the department is typed as above, the paper with the Andhra Pradesh State Emblem added to the current. The endorsement No........................ date........................ is entered. If the endorsement is to be signed by an Assistant or Under Secretary, the words "By Order" are inserted above the officer's designation with a three line space between. The address is entered on the left hand corner below the designation with a three or four- line space between. If there is insufficient room the space may be made smaller. If a copy of an endorsement is to be signed by a Section Officer, the full name and designation of the officer ordering the disposal are entered after the endorsement, the words "By order" being omitted, and below the address entries the following authentication form is used:-

"Forwarded.

(By Order)

A.B.C.

Section Officer".

Memorandum:-

A memorandum is copied on the special embossed form as indicated below:-

SUBJECT:-

Reference.

(Body of the memorandum)

To,

Emblem

No …………………………………………………..

………………………………….. Department, Saifabad, Hyderabad,

Dated 1stJuly, 1991. Office Memorandum

A.B.C

Secretary to Government

(Address entries)

Press Communique and Press Note:-

A Press Communique or a Press Note is prepared in the form of a memorandum, the place of issue and date being entered below the words "Press. Communique" or "Press Note" and after that the subject, if necessary. They are invariably issued under the authority of the Commissioner of Information and Public Relations. The fair copies are not usually authenticated and the following is specimen form:-

GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

Press Communique No. Press Note No.

(Subject. )

(Body of the Communique/Note)

Dated....................................

Issued by the Commissioner of Information and Public Relations. Press Communique or Press Note may commence with the following heading where it is not inappropriate:-

"The following Press Communique/Note is issued";

As soon as Press Communiques and Press Notes have been finally approved for issue, departments of the Secretariat should arrange to send the file to the Commissioner of Information and Public Relations marked for issue. The Commissioner after giving a serial number will arrange to have copies taken of all such papers received upto 3 p.m. each day and have them despatched by special messenger or by post to the persons concerned the same day. If it is essential to issue a press Communique or press Note after 3.00 p.m. the department concerned should consult the Commissioner of Information and Public Relations in the matter. Press Communiques and Press Notes received in Information and Public Relations Department at or after 3 p.m. which do not contain the Commissioner's orders for issue the same day, will be retained in the department for being numbered serially and issued on the following working day.

Proceedings:- Proceedings are copied on the special embossed form but a copy of the proceedings sent to the Commissioner of Printing for publication of a notification contained in the order should be on plain paper. The word 'Order' is first typed after the abstract and other headings are typed and the body of the order comes next followed by, the appropriate authentication (vide paragraph 310 infra) in brackets in a new line.

In other respects proceedings are copied like a memorandum. The following is a specimen form:-

G.O. No. P. /Ms./Rt. Read..

Order..

Emblem:

ABSTRACT

......................................Department,

Dated 20.

(Body of the order) (By order of the Governor)

A.B.C.

Secretary to Government.

(Address entries)

Address entries in fair copies of proceedings-Instructions:- All addresses shall be entered in fair copies of order, memoranda, etc., but this rule will not apply, to the orders on petitions, in which case only the address entry pertaining to the petitioner will be typed in the copy intended for him.

Spare copies of Government orders for subordinate Officers:-

When copies of Government orders or other circulars are to be communicated to a number of subordinate offices, the concerned department should estimate the number of copies that may be required by Heads of Departments or other officers like Collectors for communication to their subordinates and send the required number of spare copies for communication to all concerned. This will obviate the necessity of taking copies of the communication again in the office of the Head of the Department, or other Office like the Collector's office. The number of copies of circulars etc., required for despatch should be estimated in advance before taking copies.

Note:- When copies of Government Orders including Memoranda etc., which are not of general interest and intended to be communicated to a particular address or to a few addresses, Section Officer should not sign spare copies thereof.

Letters:- For purposes of fair-copying, letters are prepared in the forms prescribed. "Secret" letters are copied on letterheads in light green colour with the word "Secret" and the State Emblem printed in blue.

After the body of a letter is completed, the conclusion copied on the right side should be simply "Yours faithfully" in one line.

Demi-Officials:- Demi-officials are copied on embossed paper of quarto or octavo post size. The demi-official is commenced with the words "Dear Sir or My dear A.B., etc.," as the case may be, with a five line space between those words and the embossed stamp of the Government and after the body of the demi-official is completed, the words "Yours Sincerely" is copied in a new line on the right-half of the side of the paper on which the copying is done. The name and designation of the officer who signs the demi-official are copied just below the spaces provided for his signature while those of the officer or person to whom the demi-official goes are copied at the foot of the page on the left hand side.

Questions in the Legislature:- In typing answers to questions in the Legislature, the words, "Assembly Office" and the date and department entered by that office need not be typed at the top of the question. The name of the department replying will be typed above, the name of the Minister or Ministers who passed the answer being typed at the bottom.

Fair copies of answers to questions asked in Legislature should be typed on one side only with a margin of two inches. They should be signed by a gazetted officer.

Marking of important and urgent communications:- In order to enable the Heads of Departments, Collectors, etc., to give prompt attention to important and urgent communications received by them from the Secretariat, fair copies of such communications should be marked "Important", "Urgent", "Immediate" or "For Personal Attention", as the case may be, by using appropriate rubber stamps. Only officers of the ranks of Assistant Secretary and above should mark on the drafts the priority "Immediate" and the categories "Important" and "For Personal Attention". A communication which should be classified under two or more categories (e.g.) a communication which may be both "Immediate" and "Important" should be marked appropriately using two or more stamps. The Section Officer of the section concerned will be responsible for getting fair copies stamped with the appropriate stamp or stamps before despatch.

Preparation of disposal dockets:- After fair copies are prepared the Typist-cum-Assistant is required to prepare the brown disposal docket prescribed for Government Orders, Endorsemerts- etc.

Dockets are not prepared for "Lodged" Papers.

(b) EXAMINING

After a fair copy is made by the Typist-Cum-Assistant the Assistant Section Officer scrutinizes it to see whether the papers have been copied in proper order and form and whether the enclosures have been fully typed. He will compare the fair copies of the draft and the enclosures with their original and correct errors in spelling, punctuation, etc., and in other matters where the errors are obvious. He will bring to the notice of the Section Officer concerned all obvious omissions or mistakes.

The fair copies after examination will be initialled by the Assistant Section Officer below the entry of designation of the officer or Section Officer who is to sign (or at the left-hand bottom corner in the case of demi-official letters). He also initials with date on the left hand top corner of the draft and then submit the paper to the signing officer concerned. When the fair copies are submitted for signature, any enclosures to be forwarded with them should be stitched together in a single file arranged with the fair copy-on the top. If however there are numerous enclosures to a communication, the latter may first be typewritten and submitted for signature, the enclosures being typed while the fair is being signed.

Fair copies taken on roneo duplicators should be submitted to the Under Secretary or the Assistant Secretary concerned and his approval obtained before actual despatch.

Special precautions for checking financial Statements:-

The Typist-cum-Assistant and the Assistant Section Officer who compare the fair copies are primarily responsible for comparing the figures, etc., in statements forming enclosures to the proceedings, letters, etc., of the Finance or other departments. The drafting sections should, however, also check before despatch that the enclosures are in Order and that figures, plus or minus signs, etc., have been accurately copied. The drafting sections should, before sending such drafts to the Typist-cum-Assistant, make an entry to the effect that the fair copies should be shown to them before despatch.

Fair copies of all enclosures to Government Orders, official letters, memorandum, endorsements, etc., issued by departments of the Secretariat should be authenticated by the Section Officer of the drafting section concerned as follows:-

(True copy / extract) (By order)

A.B.C.

Section Officer

Signing of papers:-

The fair copies of the disposals for issue are submitted in signature pads to the officers for their signature. Fair copies so submitted should not project beyond the protecting boards of the signature pads. When more than one fair copy is submitted to an officer in a signature pad a slip projecting about half an inch should be inserted beyond the last fair copy in the pad.

When a Section Officer is absent on casual leave or is not available in office for any reason, fair copies relating to his section shall ordinarily be signed by the other Section Officer present. The section concerned must make arrangements for obtaining signature of any other Section Officer of the department available.

Form of authentication of orders and proceedings:- All orders or instructions made or executed by order or on behalf of the Government of Andhra Pradesh will be expressed to be made by order or on behalf of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh.

Save in cases where an officer has been specially empowered to sign an order or instrument of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, every such order or instrument will be signed by either the Secretary, the Additional Secretary, the Joint Secretary, the Draftsman, the Deputy Secretary, the Under Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the department concerned.

Copies of orders or proceedings of Government should be attested and forwarded by a Section Officer in the manner provided in Secretariat Instruction 61.

Signing of covering letters and authentication of copies of proceedings:- When a copy of a proceedings of Government is communicated to the Chief Justice of the High Court, to the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission, to another State Government or Administration, to the Government of India or to any of the Indian Missions abroad, a covering letter which should invariably accompany it should be prepared for the Assistant or the Under Secretary's signature. The covering letter is not numbered and bears to the date on which it is typed for signature.

The copy of the proceedings communicated with the covering letter should be authenticated.

Signing of letters:-

(a) All important letters addressed to the Government of India, to other State Governments, Administrations, Public Service Commission, High Court etc., should be issued in the name of Chief Secretary or the Secretary as the case may be. Such letters may, however, be signed by the concerned Assistant Secretary or Deputy/Joint/Additional Secretary who has actually approved the draft, under his own designation without using the word "FOR". Such important letters are, of course, generally approved at the level of the Deputy Secretary or above. If the draft letters are approved by the Chief Secretary or Secretaries, the letters may be signed by the Assistant Secretary using the word "FOR" Chief Secretary or Secretary, as the case may be.

(b) In the case of all other letters, they may be issued in the name of the officer who has actually approved the draft and be signed by such officer. In the case of letters approved by the Deputy Secretary, they may be signed by the concerned Assistant Secretary "FOR" Deputy Secretary.

Signing of orders on appeals for mercy:-

In cases dealing with appeals for mercy from persons under sentence of death, fair copies of approved drafts relating to the carrying out or the withholding of a sentence of death should be signed by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Secretary whether the paper for issue is an order,letter, telegram or post copy of a telegram. When submitting fair copies for signature, the original draft and the connected papers should also be submitted.

Signing of fair copies-Special Cases:-

(i) Copies of orders on disciplinary cases relating to gazetted officers should be signed by the Secretary of the department concerned. Such orders relating to non-gazetted Government servants should be signed by a gazetted officer.

Copies of proceedings criticising the Head of a Department to whom they are sent should be signed by the Secretary of the department concerned unless otherwise directed.

Special care should be taken in respect of signature on copies of proceedings issued under legal provisions to be filed in courts of law (e.g.) prosecution orders under section 124-A, Indian Penal Code, or the Arms Act or the Explosives Act.

In all important cases of the above nature, the drafting section concerned should give clear instructions to the Typist-cum-Assistant and examining Assistant Section Officer as to the officer to whom the fair copies should be submitted for signature.

Control of the Inward Outward Communication Section:- The section is under the immediate control of one of the Assistant Secretaries in the department.

Duties of Section Officer:-

The Section Officer or Assistant Section Officer in-charge of the Inward Outward Communication section is directly responsible for the proper distribution of work among the staff under him, for seeing to the prompt despatch of the papers sent to the section and for the efficient working of the section generally.

Hours at which work will be received:- Fair copies, etc., which are ready for despatch should be sent to Inward Outward Communication Section in two batches as follows:-

1st batch between 11 A.M and 12 noon. 2nd batch between 1-30 p.m. and 2 p.m.

"Specials" could however be sent till 4-30 p.m.

The Inward and Outward Communication Section should ensure that papers which have to be despatched by post reach the post office before the last hour of clearance.

In the case of specials which have to be despatched on the same day after 4-30 p.m., the sections concerned will make their own arrangements.

Special communications to be delivered other than by post (i.e) communications to be delivered locally in the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad to Heads of Departments and the Accountant-General, etc. will be received in the Inward Outward Communication Section upto 5 p.m., for transmission to the addresses on the following morning.

On holidays:-

Only "Specials' which have to be despatched on the same day will be accepted between 11 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. by the turn Section Officer on duty.

Communications which have to be despatched by registered post should be sent to the Inward Outward Communication Section as and when they are ready but not later than 1 p.m. on Saturdays and 3 p.m. on other days except on postal holidays.

No paper to be retained for more than twenty-four hours:-

No paper for despatch shall be retained in the Inward Outward Communication Section for more than 24 hours; Letters, both official and demi-official, which are received for despatch before 4 p.m. on a working day shall however, be despatched on the same day of receipt. If for any reason such as heavy receipts or late receipts some communications could not be despatched on the same day or by noon next day the matter should be brought to the notice of the Section Officer. These should be attended to on the following morning without delay.

Each despatch Assistant should maintain a notebook and furnish a certificate each day to the effect that no communication has been left over with him unattended.

Date of receipt to be entered on papers:-

The date of receipt of papers received for despatch should be noted on them.

Transmission of papers to, and their treatment in, the section:- Communications for despatch with any enclosures that are to accompany them but not with any other papers, should be sent by each section to the Inward Outward Communication Section after being entered in the Transit Register maintained for the purpose. The dispatchers in the Inward Outward Communication Section will be responsible for the prompt despatch of papers to the proper addresses accompanied by the enclosures received from the section.

The papers will be received by the Despatch Assistant, who will acknowledge their receipt in the transit register which will be returned to the Attender who brought it. After the fair copies have been despatched and the fact with the date of despatch stamped on office copies, the papers will be entered in a transit register and returned to the section concerned who will acknowledge their receipt in the transit register and return it to the Attender who brought it.

Despatch Assistants are responsible for the issue of all signed papers and also printed copies of orders. They are expected to check papers for issue in order to ensure that all enclosures marked in the draft are attached to the signed copies and that the papers leave the Secretariat in a complete form.

Despatch Assistants should indicate clearly on the office copy the manner in which a communication has been despatched, viz. by post or by special messenger and also should note the date and signature on the cover. In cases where a communication intended for despatch by post does not actually leave the office on the day it was ready for despatch, both that dates should be entered on the office copy, as e.g., 29th/30th September, 2003 which will signify that the paper was given to the dispatcher for issue on the 29th, but actually sent by the messenger or by post only on the 30th.

When a communication is addressed to an officer through another, the Despatch Assistant should note on the office copy the fact of having despatched the fair copy to the latter only.

When a communication or its enclosure is required to be sent by registered post or parcel, the fact of its having been so sent should be noted on the office copy. If a registered article is required to be sent "acknowledgement due", the dispatcher should ensure by checking the postal receipt that the article has actually been booked as "acknowledgment due".

No Despatch Assistant should leave his seat during the hours specified for receipt of communications from the sections.

One envelop for all communications for same office:- If there are several papers for issue to the same officer on the same day, they shall be enclosed in one envelope. Subject to this condition posting of articles in post office should be spread over the whole day so as to avoid pressure of work at the last minute before the final clearance of the mail and the possible risk of misconnection with the despatches made.

Checking of postal receipts for registered articles:-

The dispatcher should see that correct receipts have been obtained from the post office in respect of registered articles and for this he should immediately on return of Attender sent to post office collect the postal receipts from the Attender through whom the articles were sent to the post office and initial them before they are filed. He should at once bring any omission or mistake to the notice of the Section Officer or Assistant Section Officer in-charge, Inward Outward Communication Section, who will take necessary action for its rectification.

Despatch of copies of Government Orders within the Secretariat:-

Proceedings of Government addressed to officers and departments of the Secretariat need not, unless they are confidential, be sent in envelopes.

Method of enclosing papers in envelopes:-

When more than ten foolscap sheets (or their equivalent) are to be despatched in an envelope to the same addressee, the foolscap papers will be folded once lengthwise. When ten or less foolscap sheets (or their equivalent) are to be sent, the foolscap sheets should be folded twice breadth wise. The papers as folded should be put in the smallest sized envelope that will conveniently hold them when so folded. The enclosing of papers in an unnecessarily large envelope, besides involving wastage as regards both stationery and postage, renders the packet liable to damage in transit. Demi-officials unless containing bulky enclosures should be sent in the envelopes specially intended for these. Enclosures such as maps, sketches and plans which cannot be easily folded in book form or are liable to be damaged by folding must be detached from the file and sent separately, the fact being so stated in the margin of the communication in the proper place. Very bulky files which cannot be conveniently folded as suggested above may be sent unfolded.

Use of "Economy label":- The flap of an envelope containing non-confidential papers will not be gummed but an economy label will be pasted over it which may be removed by the addressee without spoiling the envelopes, the object being that the envelope should be used over and over again. Economy labels should be used also in the case of confidential papers sent in an envelope, the seal being affixed at the two ends of the economy label. This rule will not apply to registered envelopes in which case the flaps should be pasted down and economy labels should not be used.

Contents not to be noted on "Economy label":-

A description or list of the contents of a packet, such as the numbers of the communications in it, should not be noted on the economy lable or anywhere on the outside of the packet or envelope. If it is desirable to send a description or list, it should be written on a separate sheet and enclosed in the envelope or packet.

Mode of addressing non-confidential packets:-

Packets containing official correspondence which is not of a confidential nature should be addressed by official designation only without the addition of an officer's name.

Mode of addressing envelopes containing demi-official letters:- Envelopes containing demi-official letters shall be addressed to the officer whom they are intended both by his name and by his official designation.

Communications ordinarily sent to headquarters of addressee:- All communications to Heads of Departments shall be despatched to their headquarters unless there are special instructions to send any particular communication to a particular address.

Marking "Important", "Urgent", etc:-

Important and urgent communications should be marked "Important", "Urgent", "Immediate", or "For Personal Attention ", as the case may be, in red ink on the economy label. The Inward Outward Communication Section should maintain a register giving a list of communications marked "Important" and "For personal Attention" despatched each day.

Special instructions relating to "Petitions for mercy":-

In the case of communications from Government to jail authorities relating to appeals for mercy from condemned prisoners, the words "Petition for Mercy-Urgent" should be marked in red ink both on the economy label and on the communication itself.

Packets sent by post to be properly stamped and franked:-

Packets etc., to be sent by post should, before despatch, be weighed and properly stamped. They must also be franked by the Despatch Assistant, who should affix his full signature and designation, along with rubber stamp.

Local delivery - Procedure:-

Papers intended for local delivery which are not "special" will be put in pigeon holes of the almirah where one hole has been allotted for each Head of a Department. Such papers will be cleared once daily in the evenings.

Despatch of valuables - Procedure:-

Valuables intended for despatch to other offices will be put in envelopes and sealed in the presence of the Section Officer, who will be responsible for the contents of the packet. A list of description of the valuables should he enclosed in the packet and another ropy of the list of description should be sent separately with an appropriate letter or memorandum intimating the despatch of the valuables. A certificate of posting should be obtained for each letter or packet containing valuables unless it is sent by registered post. Such certificates and the receipts for registered letters etc., will be carefully filed.

Departments should avoid receiving cash. The transactions should, instead, be carried on by crossed cheques.

"Urgent" and "Special" Despatch special messengers:-

When "Special" or "Urgent" letters, papers etc., are sent with Attenders to officers houses, the time when they are, handed over to the Attenders should be marked on the outside or in a separate slip for the information of the officers in order to ensure that there is no undue delay on the part of the Atternders in taking them to the officers houses. The same procedure should be adopted in the case of special and Urgent packets, etc., intended for outside officers by local delivery.

Affixture of despatch stamp on office copy:-

The fact of despatch will be recorded by hand or by a rubber despatch stamp on the office copy when there is one, and when there is no office copy, on the page of the note or current file on which the order for despatch is recorded. The manner of despatch, i.e., by post (registered or ordinary) or special messenger, will also be indicated. The Despatch Assistant will also initial with date, in the cage on the printed draft provided for the purpose or near the address entry if there is no such cage,

Despatch of Government Orders placed at the disposal of the Press:-

Copies of Government Orders placed at the disposal of the Press shall be despatched to all addresses concerned on the same day on which they are received from the Government Press, enclosures and accompaniments, if any, being despatched later, if necessary.

Postage charges:- Maintenance and check of stamp account:-

A simple daily account of stamps spent should be maintained. The Section Officer, in charge of the Inward Outward Communication Section, should check it daily with the account of stamps used and the stock of stamps on hand. He should see that there is no unnecessary wastage.

Stamps of highest denomination to be used in making up postage charges:-

Care should be taken to minimise the number of stamps by using stamps of the highest possible denomination in each case instead of a large number of stamps of lower value.

Which communications are sent "service paid":-

All communications which are replies to communications of any kind received from private individuals or associations shall be despatched "service paid".

Service stamps not to be used for foreign countries:-

Service postage stamps should not be used for packets etc., intended for authorities in foreign countries. Ordinary postage stamps should be bought and affixed in all such cases. The dispatcher in such cases should instruct the Record Assistant regarding this.

CHAPTER - XVII CENTRAL RECORD BRANCH

Central Record Branch - Repository of current records:-

The Central Record Branch is the repository for the current non-confidential records of all departments of Secretariat except the Legislature Department. The Branch is attached to the General Administration Department and is under the immediate control of an Assistant Secretary of that department.

The Legislature Department has a record branch of its own and no records from it will be transferred either to the Central Record Branch or the State Archives.

Inspection:-

The Assistant Secretary, General Administration Department, who is in charge of the Record Branch, makes a detailed inspection of the Branch in the months of May and November, in each year and at other times, if necessary, to ensure that the records are being taken proper care of and submits a report to the Chief Secretary on the state of the records. The report will contain information, under the following heads:-

Whether the record rooms are in good repair and protected from white-ants, and whether they are kept clean and secure from entry at all points and sufficiently lighted.

Note:-Theconditionoftherecordsshouldbeclearlyandconciselystated,and it should in all cases be reported whether steps have been taken to, remedy the defects brought to notice.

Whether the records are methodically arranged.

Whether the rules regarding the issue of records from and return to the Record Branch are strictly observed.

Whether old records are periodically destroyed, and if so, what records were destroyed, during the half-year.

Note:-It is un-necessary to enter long lists of records actually destroyed. It will be sufficient if information is furnished as to the number of papers, or, if this is impracticable, the number of bundles destroyed, with a brief description of the nature of the papers.

Functions of the Central Record branch:-

The main functions of the Branch are:

Supply of records in response to requisitions. (Central Record Branch does not put up previous papers, i.e., does not do referencing work, but only supplies records specifically mentioned in the requisitions).

Checking of records transferred by the departments of the Secretariat.

Sorting of originals and spare copies of proceedings, etc., sent or returned by the departments and placing them in or restoring them to their proper places.

Registry of records and volumes sent out of the Branch and noting their return in the register.

Sending every month reminders for the return of records, taken out more than three months ago and furnishing to the departments every fortnight- a list of Government Orders numbered two weeks previously, but not received in the records.

Cleaning and dusting of racks, and the examination of records in order to protect them from damage by white ants.

Labelling and varnishing record boards.

Keeping the bundles and volumes arranged neatly and methodically on the racks.

Keeping the record rooms tidy and in good repair.

Destruction of records in due time.

Annual transfer of records to the State Archieves.

Custody of records:-

The records are distributed in ‘blocks’ each of which is in the charge of an Assistant.

Duties of the Record establishment Section Officer:-

The Branch is under the immediate supervision of a Section Officer who is responsible for the proper maintenance of the records and expeditious transaction of business in it. He should periodically inspect the register maintained by the Assistants in order to ensure that they are properly maintained.

Assistants:-

Assistants in Central Record Branch are held responsible for the proper maintenance of the records of their respective blocks and for the work of Record Assistants under them. They should see that the records are neatly and methodically arranged and the rooms kept tidy. Every morning all the doors and windows shall be kept open to admit light and air. They should also promptly attend to requisitions for records and maintain necessary registers showing the records sent out and returned.

Record Assistants:-

The Record Assistants assist the Section Officer and the Assistants in the arrangement and maintenance of the records and in taking out from the bundles the records requisitioned by the departments of the Secretariat and in labelling and varnishing record boards.

Attenders:-

The duty of the record Attender is to deliver records promptly to the departments of the Secretariat concerned. He should himself deliver the records to the Assistant Section Officer or Section Officer who sent a requisition for them and in no case should be left with the Record Assistant or an Attender of the department concerned to be handed over to the Assistant Section Officer or Section Officer. Requisitions should be examined by the Attender then and there with a view to see that the receipt of the records has been duly acknowledged by the Section Officer or Assistant Section Officer of the Section.

Workinghours:-

Theworkinghoursarefrom10-30a.m.to5-00pmon all workingdays. The Branch will not be open on Sundays and other holidays.

Lights in record rooms:-

No lights other than electric lights shall be allowed in the record rooms. Smoking is strictly prohibited. If any sealing has to be done, it shall be done in the presence of the Section Officer.

Closing of the Central Record Branch:-

When the Branch is closed for the day, the keys of all the doors after they are locked shall be put in a cover, sealed, signed and handed over to the chowkidar of the Secretariat Conservancy and Watching staff who will be present on duty in the guard room. The chowkidar shall lodge the sealed cover in the guardroom and return it to the Record Assistant who first attends office the next morning.

Opening of the Central Record Branch after it is closed for the day:-

If any immediate necessity arises to open the Central Record Branch after it has been closed for the day, or on a holiday, the Section Officer of the section concerned may obtain the sealed cover from the guard room and open the premises in the presence of a chowkidar. After the paper required has been taken, he shall leave a requisition slip duly filled in on the Record Section Officer’s table containing the particulars of the paper taken, lock the rooms and return the key to the guard from whom he received it in the same cover re-sealed with his signature on the cover.

This procedure should not be resorted to except in grave cases of urgency, the nature of which should be indicated in the requisition slip.

Particulars of Records maintained:-

The under mentioned records are kept in the Central Record Branch:-

Nature of records Number of years for which kept, including the current year.

(1) (2)

(1) Originals of—

Proceedings of Government in the Printed and Manuscript series.

Government Order in Routine series, Demi- officials, Endorsements and Memoranda (Final disposals)

**(c) Lodged papers

(2) Spare copies of-

Proceedings of Government in the printed series

Printed communications from the Government of India

Proceedings volumes

Indices

Printed proceedings of the Commissioner of Survey, Settlements and Land Records ( all departments)

Annual Indices of the proceedings of the Commissioner of Survey, Settlements and Land Records.

Proceedings volumes of the Commissioner of Survey, Settlements and Land Records

Legislative Bills and their connected papers

Tour Programmes of Ministers

(3) Personal Registers other than those relating to the current and the proceedings two years 5

Note:- (1) Records. which do not come under any of the categories mentioned in this paragraph and which are liable to destruction in the Secretariat department itself and the preservation of which is not authorised or specially directed by a Secretary to Government should not be transferred to the Central Record Branch.

Note:-(2) *When proceedings other than in the printed series are printed, spare copies are placed next to the originals.

Spare copies of letters from authorities except the Government of India are with the numbers and dates of disposals marked thereon placed next to their originals.

**Only one copy of the Proceedings volumes is now printed for record purposes.

Supply of records-Rules:-

(a) Records shall be supplied only on requisitions made in the prescribed form -Vide-Appendix-VI.

Requisition for records shall be signed by Assistant Section Officer or superior officers.

Records relating to more than one department shall not be asked for in the same form.

Section Officers and Assistant Section Officers of sections should, while calling for records from the Central Record Branch, invariably enter in the printed requisition slips the sections in which they are working so as to enable the Central Record Branch to prepare for each section separate lists of reminders for the return of record.

Requisitions for records shall be received by the Assistant in the Central Record Branch and not by Attender. The Assistant shall see whether the forms of requisition are duly filled in and signed and shall return any requisition which is either incomplete or does not conform to the rules. lf the requisitions are in order, they shall be numbered consecutively for the calendar year and the date of receipt shall be entered in the space provided-for the purpose.

No requisitions should be marked ‘Very Urgent’ or ‘Special' unless they are really so. Such requisitions should always be signed by the Section Officers in token of their urgency or special nature. If a requisition is marked ‘very urgent’ or ‘special’ the time of receipt and of compliance shall also be noted in the form.

The requisitions shall be attended to in the order of their urgency. .As a general rule no requisition received before 5 p.m. shall be kept pending till the next day without the knowledge of the Section Officer. In order to enable the Section Officer to ensure this, each Assistant shall prepare at the close of each day a list of the requisition slips received during the day which could not be attended to. This arrears list should be submitted to the Section Officer before he leaves office.

Before an original paper is taken out from the records bundle a dummy slip in Form No.C.F.73 duly filled in shall take its place in the bundle, or if there is already in the bundle such a slip relating to the paper required, the entries shall be continued in the slip. When the paper is restored to the bundle this entry shall be scored out. The Record Assistant in each block will be held responsible for the strict observance of this rule, and the Assistant shall occasionally inspect the slips to see that this duty is properly performed by the Record Assistant.

In the case of any original Government Order the date of issue shall be noted by the Record Assistant in pencil at the top comer of the back of the outer sheet of the Government Order supplied. The Assistant of Central Record Branch will note the serial number of issue against the date.

All original papers and volumes issued out of the Central Record Branch shall be entered in a register called the “Issue Register of Records”. Spare copies of Government Orders furnished for purposes other than for currents and those sent in compliance with requisitions from heads of departments and officers shall also be entered in this register.

The record and the requisition shall then be sent to the Assistant Section Officer or Section Officer concerned who will acknowledge the receipt of the record in the space provided for the purpose in the requisition form and return the latter to the Central Record Branch where the requisitions will be, filled in consecutive order of numbers.

Papers for which 'urgent’ and ’special’ requisitions are received shall be furnished forthwith; preference shall always be given to papers called for by or on behalf of or for the urgent reference of any gazetted officer; these shall not be delayed on any account.

When Attendees from departments bringing urgent or special requisitions wait for the records, the Assistant of Central Record Branch should see that the requisitions are complied with as quickly as possible and that Attenders are not detained longer than necessary. The Assistant incharge of the records shall occasionally inspect the slips to ensure that the Record Assistants have properly discharged their function promptly.

When a Government Order or other paper is taken from a file already pending or after its disposal and put up in another file, an intimation slip to the Central Record Branch in the form prescribed below should be prepared by the Assistant Section Officer taking the paper and it should be signed by both the Assistant Section Officer from whose file it was removed and the Assistant Section Officer for whose file it is taken. The former should not part with the paper until the slip is prepared and he should be responsible for seeing that the slip is sent to the Central Record Branch. In cases where on a requisition from another department, a Government Order or other paper is taken out from a pending file and sent to the other department, the department sending the Government Order or other paper should send a transfer slip to the Central Record Branch and the other Department should also send an intimation slip as soon as the paper is received. The Assistant should watch for the second slip and if it is not received, he should bring the matter to the notice of the Section Officer who will then take steps to obtain the slip. When the intimation slip has beenreceived in the Record Branch, the previous entry in the dummy slip in the record bundle and in the Record Issue Register shall be scored out and a fresh entry made.

If a department transfers a file to another department, together with the record obtained from the Central Record Branch for disposal of the case, the sending and the receiving departments should give necessary intimation to the Central Record Branch so that the Central Record Branch may know on any day where precisely the record supplied by them is kept. The intimation should be sent in the following proforma.

FORM OF INTIMATION TO CENTRAL RECORD BRANCH

TRANSFER OF RECORD ALONG WITH FILE FROM ONE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT

Department (transferring the file).

Number and date of the record obtained from the Central Record Branch.

Name of the Department to which the file together with the said record has been transferred.

U.O. Number and date with which the file with the record has been transferred.

Department (receiving the file)

Number and date of the record received with the said U.O.No. and date from ...................... Department.

New Current number and date assigned to the said file received on transfer.

The General Administration (Central Record Branch) Department.

The sending Department should prepare at least two such intimation slips, fill up the columns in Part A of it, send one to the Central Record Branch and pass on the other along with the file (and the record) under transfer. The receiving Department should in turn fill up the columns in Part B of the intimation slip and pass it on to the General Administration (Central Record Branch) Department soon after receipt of the file with the record.

If a paper is not in the bundle, the Assistant of Central Record Branch shall ensure that it has not been received in the Record Branch before the requisition is returned. He shall also note in the form of requisition the reason for not furnishing any record (eg. taken out by AB of................ Department for C.No..................on ,. ).

Record will be supplied by the Record Branch direct to any Secretariat department on regular requisition but no requisition from a Head of a Department or an officer outside the Secretariat will be complied with except on the authority of the department to which the paper belongs. A requisition from an officer for printed copies of a Government Order which has already been communicated to him, may, however, be complied with by the Record Branch without any reference to the department concerned. In the case of papers not communicated to him the permission of the department concerned shall always be obtained.

When the number of copies of a Government Order for which a requisition has been received is not available in the records for supply, the Section Officer will ask the department concerned for instructions; that department will decide whether the number of copies asked for should be cut down or the Government Order reprinted.

Access of Research Students to Records:-

Research students of any of the Universities of this State who wish to consult printed Government Orders placed at the disposal of the press may be allowed by the Librarian of the Secretariat to select required orders from the index of such papers maintained in the Library and obtain them from the Central Record Branch through the Librarian. The orders so obtained shall not be taken out of the Library premises and shall be handed over to the Librarian who will return them to the Central Record Branch, as soon as done with.

Requisition for Records-Noting of current number or purpose:-

The current number for which a record is required should invariably be noted on requisition. Where a current number could not be quoted, the subject of the file or the purpose for which the record is required should be briefly indicated. Vague entries like “for reference” “for Assistant secretary’s or Under Secretary’s perusal” should be avoided. It is open to the Central Record Branch to return requisition with such vague entries.

Return of put-away papers:-

Records which are no longer required should be put away in trays specially provided for the purpose. Every morning a Record Assistant collects the papers from the trays, sorts them out and enters them in transit registers. Records should be sent to the Central Record Branch through the departmental Attender before 1 p.m. The papers will be checked by the Assistant of Central Record Branch, who will return the transit register after initialling in it. The Assistant/Assistant Section Officer should ensure that the Record Assistant collects the put away papers and sends them to the Central Record Branch or State Archieves.

Deposit of fresh disposals:-

(a) (i) After all the requisite action has been taken on a disposal, the original, properly arranged, paged and enclosed in a proper docket sheet, tied round with a tape or securely tagged will be sent by the department concerned to the Record Branch to be put away. In the case of the press originals, the final proof of Government Order and notes passed by superior authority should be retained; papers of ephemeral importance to be destroyed after a year should be separated and transferred to the Central Record Branch with a label “To be destroyed on or after .............................”If any paper is found not properly arranged, the Central Record Branch should return it to the department concerned for remedying the defect. If a paper is roneographed, the Assistant should see that a copy of it is kept at the beginning of the file of papers in the docket in order that it may be stitched by the Record Branch.

(ii)The records to be destroyed should be classified into the under mentioned two broad categories:-

First Category:-

To be destroyed straightaway after a particular period to be specified at the initial stage of sending the disposals to the Central Record Branch. Each such disposal should carry on its docket sheet the words” “Destroy after year/years.”.

Second Category:-

To be sent by the Central Record Branch to the concerned department for scrutiny (as required under Para 370) and certification either as fit to be retained for a further period of time or for destruction, Each disposal falling under this category should carry on its docket sheet the word “To be scrutinised again after… year/years”.

When new disposals are received in the Record Branch they will be sorted and in the case of Government Orders, they will be noted in the “Register of Government Orders received”. The Assistants are responsible for keeping this register upto date. A separate register for each year shall be maintained for each department for which there is a separate series of Government Order numbers.

If the records are too bulky to be conveniently stitched, the departments concerned should arrange them properly and get them bound in the Government Press, after removing papers of ephemeral nature.

Government Orders, whether printed or not, which are communicated by one department of the Secretariat to another and are lodged in the latter will not be docketed and stitched. Such lodged disposals will be destroyed at the end of the usual period.

No loose papers of any kind or books or pamphlets etc., without the appropriate departmental disposal numbers should be sent to the Central Record Branch.

Return of records to Central Record Branch—Department’s duties:-

(a) It is the duty of Assistant Section Officers to return to the Central Record Branch records taken out from it as soon as they are done with. The evils of unnecessary detention and accumulation of records in the section are as follows:-

Accumulation of records on side racks, tables and form cases makes the section untidy and presents a picture of confusion, which will be reflected in the Assistant Section Officer’s work.

Records are more easily and more quickly obtained from the Central Record Branch than by hunting for them in ill-arranged lots detained in the section. Delays and waste of time can thus be avoided.

Unnecessary detention of records deprives other Assistant Section Officers of these records when they require them for their use or at any rate puts them to needless waste of time and worry to secure the records from the Assistant Section Officer who has detained them. The latter himself will be disturbed in his work frequently by having to search for a record whenever another Assistant Section Officer makes a requisition for it.

Records detained in section are often put up in files other than those for which they were originally taken out from the Central Record Branch and no intimation of transfer is sent to that Branch. This makes it nearly impossible to find out where a Government Order is put up. The most frequent causes of delay by Assistant Section Officers in putting up files is the difficulty in locating and obtaining records thus locked up in some unknown files. They waste good deal of their time in going to several departments to enquire about the whereabouts of a record. Most frequently this proves a fruitless search. They thus delay not only the pending file for which the record is required and very often put it up in an imperfect fashion, but also delay several other papers as much time had already been wasted in tracing the missing record.

This practice is fruitful source of loss of records.

(b) It is the duty of the Section Officer to inspect Assistant Section Officer’s table, side racks etc., as frequently as possible and to have the records sent away to the Central Record Branch. The daily detention list submitted by Section Officer and Assistant Section Officers to their officers should invariably contain a declaration to the effect that there is no accumulation of papers to be put away or transferred to the Central Record Branch or the State Archieves. Section Officers should discourage the plea of Assistant Section Officers that Government Orders are detained for use as precedents. If Government Orders are required for use as precedents, the proper procedure is to maintain stock files or if the notes are also required for frequent reference, to have the Government Order printed up.

Watching of return of records - Duties of the Central Record Branch:-

Every month the Assistant of Central Record Branch shall furnish to each department a list, signed by the Section Officer, of all original papers furnished by the Central Record Branch three months previously but not returned to the Central Record Branch. Whenever it appears to the Section Officer that delay in the return of records is not properly accounted for, he should bring the matter to the notice of the Assistant Secretary of the General Administration Department.

A list of new Government Orders numbered two weeks previously but not received in the records shall also be furnished to the departments every fortnight with a view to their being returned without further delay. All such reminders shall be entered in the Record Issue Register.

The Section Officer of Central Record Branch should see that the tags are removed from the records when they are stitched and kept in the Record Room.

Central Record Branch reminders:-

When reminders from the Central Branch are received in section, it is the duty of the Section Officer to see that a genuine search is made for the records in question and that all the items are properly accounted for and wherever possible the records are returned to the Central Record Branch forthwith. Where it is not possible to release and return a record, the necessary intimation slip should be sent to the Central Record Branch.

Tracing of missing originals:-

Whenever an original paper is not found in its bundle and there is no substitute slip accounting for its absence, or when the entries in the form do not sufficiently account for its absence, the Assistant of Central Record Branch shall immediately bring the fact to the notice of the Section Officer, Central Record Branch, who will send a note to the Section Officer of the section concerned in order that a search may be made for it and the paper returned ’to the records. A thorough search should be made in all blocks in the Central Record Branch itself before a report is sent to the Section Officer concerned.

The Central Record Branch will be held responsible for any record found missing after its receipt in the Branch. Records issued to departments should be supported by-

Requisition slip duly acknowledged.

Entry in the issue register, and

Dummy slip in the bundle.

The department concerned will be held responsible for a record found missing after it is issued to them and acknowledgement obtained in the requisition slip.

Whenever a record is found missing, a report shall at once be made to the Assistant Secretary or the Under Secretary, as the case may be, and a weekly report shall be by the Section Officer about the progress made in tracing it until it is actually traced.

Reprint of proceedings:-

When the number of copies of any proceedings in the bundle is reduced to two or three, the fact should be brought to the notice of the department concerned in order that arrangement may be made to have the Government Order reprinted, if necessary. For the reprinting of such Government Order and the printing of notes of proceedings which have previously been maintained in manuscript only, the Section Officer concerned shall obtain the approval of his immediate superior.

Assistant of Central Record Branch should see that the bundles of printed copies of Government Orders are examined systematically and that necessary intimation is sent to the department concerned once a month.

A register shall be maintained in each block of the Central Record Branch in which shall be noted the volumes of proceedings, indices, personal registers and other registers received from Secretariat departments. The register shall also show the number of record bundles and miscellaneous records, if any, other than those specified in paragraph 357.

Deposit of personal registers and Government Order numbering books:-

At the beginning of each year the departments of the Secretariat shall transfer to the Central Record Branch the personal registers and Government Order numbering books relating to the previous third year. When the originals of a particular year are transferred to the State Archieves the registers relating to that year shall also be transferred to that office.

Separate personal registers and Government Order numbering books should be maintained for each year to facilitate their transfer to the State Archieves.

Destruction of records:-

The periodical destruction of records shall be regulated as follows:-

Description of records Year of destruction Remarks

(1) Proceedings in routine series

Demi-officials, letters, official memoranda, endorsements and telegrams

Copies of tour programmes of ministers.

At the end of five years from the year to which they relate

Lodged papers

(1) Call Books, current Distribution registers and Circulation Registers

Attendance registers, daily abstract books, vacation turn lists and similar registers and lists.

Proofs of the State Administration Reports and connected papers.

At the end of three years from the close of the year to which they relate.

IV. Budget notes of the Finance At the end of seven To be destroyed

Department years from the close

of the year to which they relate with the concurrence of the Finance Department

V. (1) All spare copies of Board’s proceedings In the year following that to which they relate The original papers to be ultimately destroyed should be removed by the section A.S.O. concerned and sent by him to the Central Record Branch labelled “To be destroyed 20”.

If the annual index has been received.

(2) Originals of letters reports and returns

which are printed in full in proceedings and the original manuscript of notes, unless the original contains important additions and corrections made in the Secretariat or unless the originals are Letters in foreign European languages or translation in English which accompanied such communcation.

(3) Quarterly indices

VI. Office orders At the end of Thirty years from the close of the year to which they relate.

VII. Office orders Routine At the end of five years from the close of the year to which they relate.

VIII. Electroral Rolls At convenient intervals in consultation with the section concerned

IX. Personal Registers After 5 years of their

receipt in Central

Records To be destroyed

with the

concurrence of the

concerned

department of

Secretariat.

If there are any special records or Registers (other than those listed in this Manual), which are created in departments of Secretariat, the concerned departments may list them out and prescribe suitable period for their retention, in consultation with General Administration Department.

A review may be made of all Records in the G.O.Ms./ ’P’ Series requiring permanent retention, once in every 50 years after their creation, or after a less or higher period, as may be determined on review, after the lapse of the first spell of 50 years, so that such of those not found fit for further retention could be got destroyed to secure additional space for the proper preservation of other new records.

Procedure regarding destruction of records:-

The destruction of records and registers shall be carried out by the Assistant of Central Record Branch under the direction of the Section Officer, Central Record Branch, soon after the end of every year and before transfer of records to the State Archieves and he shall certify to the Section Officer that the destruction has been completed.

Before the records referred to in category (b) under Para 361 (a) (ii) are actually destroyed the departments concerned shall be consulted whether they have any objection to the destruction. On receipt of intimation from the Section Officer, Central Record Branch, the concerned Section Officer of the department should arrange for the scrutiny of the record bundles concerned at the Central Record Branch itself. If, however, it is desired that the bundles should be sent to the section, the Section Officer should depute an Attender of his department to fetch the bundles from the Central Record Branch. The receipt of the bundles should be acknowledged and while returning these bundles to the Central Record Branch the Section Officer concerned should furnish a certificate of scrutiny.

The Section Officer, Central Record Branch, is responsible for seeing that the destruction of records is regularly carried out. He shall submit a report to the Assistant Secretary, General Administration Department, on the matter and shall bring to his notice cases in which bundles, if any, sent to a Section Officer for scrutiny before destruction have not been returned.

Mode of destruction:-

Each sheet of the record, books and papers to be destroyed should be torn into small bits and then sent to the waste paper room.

A register of records destroyed shall be maintained by each Assistant of Central Record Branch who will enter therein particulars of the records destroyed.

Note:- It is unnecessary to enter long lists of records actually destroyed. It will be sufficient if information is furnished as to the number of papers or if this is impracticable, the number of bundles destroyed with a brief description of the nature of the papers.

Annual transfer of records to the State Archives:-

The following rules regulate the transfer of Secretariat records to the State Archives.

Records to be deposited:-

The Central Record Branch will deposit annually with the State Archives the following records of the fifth year previous-

Originals of proceedings in the manuscript series.

Printed copies of proceedings.

One set of proceedings, volumes and four copies of the indices of all departments of the Secretariat.

One set of the proceedings of the Commissioner of Survey, Settlements and Land Records.

Index or the proceedings of the Commissioner of Survey, Settlements and Land Records.

Sorting and arrangement:-

Before transferring the records the Central Records Branch will examine them in accordance with the rules in force. It will remove every paper not worthy of preservation.

The Commissioner, State Archives, has discretionary power to return records for rearrangement and to reject records, the preservation of which is neither authorised nor specially directed by a Secretary to Government.

The records retained for preservation will be arranged as follows: The originals will be filed in a series of bundles, each according to date. The printed copies will be filed in a separate series of bundles, the copies of each paper being kept together. The Central Record Branch will place slips in the appropriate position in the bundle to represent files which are at issue, but which will be sent direct to the State Archives when no longer required for reference. Such files are known as ‘slip’ records. If files are withheld from deposit because they are missing or confidential, they will not be represented by slips in the bundle. The bundle will be completed by placing the files between wooden boards and tying them with tapes. A printed label will be affixed to the upper board indicating the department, the nature of records and the first and last numbers and dates of the bundles. The label will be protected by the special process of varnishing in the State Archives.

All registers transferred to the State Archives should be properly bound. Maps, plans and similar papers connected with proceedings will be labelled with the number and date of the order to which they appertain. Where possible, they will be stitched with the proceedings-one copy or set with the original order, and the others with the copies of the order.

Title deeds and other important documents will be forwarded in sealed covers to the Commissioner of the State Archives.

Notice of transfer:-

The period for transferring records to the State Archives will be from June to September inclusive. The work should be distributed evenly between Central Record Branch and State Archives.

Covering Lists:-

The records in each series sent by the Central Record Branch for deposit in the State Archives will be accompanied by a covering list, known as the “Bundle Deposit List”, which will show the nature of the series and the first and last numbers of each bundle. The bundle deposit list will be accompanied by a “Deposit Supplement” which will give the numbers of all records which are not sent with the initial deposit. Records which are not included with the first deposit at the State Archives because they are still at issue for reference, but which will be deposited as soon as they are no longer wanted for reference, will be indicated in the deposit supplement by the word ‘slip’. Other items not to be deposited will be marked ‘Confidential’ or ’Wanting’ if they have been destroyed or lost. The Section Officer, Central Record Branch, will certify these lists to be correct and will add a declaration to the effect that all papers not worthy of preservation have been excluded.

Despatch of records:-

The bundles sent for deposit will be entrusted to a reliable Record Assistant. The Referencer of the State Archives will issue a receipt for the bundles immediately, on checking the entries in their labels with the bundle deposit list. He will then, as soon as possible, check the files in each bundle with the bundle deposit list and deposit supplement. The Commissioner will furnish his receipt for the files contained in the bundles to the Central Record Branch within one month.

When the Central Record Branch deposits bundles or records with the State Archives, it will inform the departments of the Government concerned.

Slip records:-

Departments of the Secretariat which hold ’slip records’ for reference will, when they have finished with them send them direct to the State Archives through the Central Record Branch. They should be accompanied by covering list in duplicate which should be signed by a responsible Assistant. The Referencer in the State Archives will file one copy in an annual file and return the other duly receipted to the department concerned. On receiving slip records for the first time the Referencer will indicate the fact of receipt in his supplement to the bundle deposit list by scoring through the word 'slip' noted against the number of the record under his initials and date., In the absence of a receipt from the State Archives, the department concerned will be responsible for the loss of such records.

The Referencer in the State Archives will carefully preserve the bundle deposit lists and deposit supplements binding them in cardboard covers when the file becomes sufficiently thick.

Note:- Not more than ten spare copies with notes and six copies without notes of all printed proceedings of Government shall be transferred to the State Archives. The limit applies also to legislative Bills and their connected papers.

Record in State Archives-Instructions:-

(a) The Records are obtained from the State Archives by telephone requisition or by sending the requisition slip.

The endorsements received from State Archives along with records supplied should at once be acknowledged and returned to it. All such acknowledgements relating to a department should be collected together daily and sent to the Central Record Branch for despatch to the State Archives.

Instructions regarding requisitions, put away papers, replies to reminders, etc., in respect of the Central Record Branch records will apply mutatis mutandis to records relating to the State Archives.

Preparation of record boards:-

The following instructions for varnishing the boards shall be observed:-

Each board shall first be cleaned and smoothed with sand paper. A Black sheet of paper shall then be pasted on the outer side of the board with paste made of wheat flour to which a little copper sulphate (blue stone) has been added to protect the paper from insects. After the paste is dry, printing slips denoting the department, numbers, etc., of record shall be affixed to the paper, and after a similar interval for drying coating flour glue shall be applied all over the side of the board. The board shall then be left in a place free from dust until the corn flour coating is dry. A second coat shall then be given and after this is also dry a third or final coat. The varnishing is then finished off with paper varnish diluted with turpentine. As soon as the varnish gets dry, the board will be ready for use.

Precautions against white-ants and other insects:-

Whenever white ants appear on the walls or floors of the record rooms the affected parts should be replaced with cement. Teakwood shelves, wooden almirahs and boxes in which records are kept should be painted with crude creosote or other suitable insecticide twice a year before and after the rainy season. Records affected withinsect pests should be segregated from the rest of the records and fumigated or repaired before being restored to their original place.

Records and record shelves should be regularly and systematically dusted and cleaned.

CHAPTER-XVIII TELEPHONES

Introductory:-Telephones have been installed in the Secretariat Buildings and at the residences of certain officers for more efficient transaction of Government business. A EPABX at the Secretariat connects the several Secretariat departments and officers including the Ministers, with one another. There are direct lines from EPABX to the various exchanges of the Telephone Department. All residential telephones of the Ministers and officers are also served by the direct lines from the various exchanges of the B.S.N.L.

EPABX Secretariat.-

(i) The EPABX is under the control of Chief Secretary. It is operated by trained operators attached to General Administration Department who work under the control and supervision of the Assistant Secretary concerned.

Besides the trunk lines connecting EPABX with the various exchanges of the B.S.N.L., there are about 736 internal extensions connecting several Secretariat officers and departments. A list of these extensions is displayed in a prominent place in the EPABX Room.

EPABX will be kept open on all working days from 10.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. or till the Chief Secretary leaves the Secretariat, whichever is later. The EPABX will be closed on all Government holidays.

The main function of the operator is to give connections as required. It is no part of the operator’s duties to transmit or receive messages and the operator’s services should not be requisitioned for this purpose.

Arrangements during holidays:-

There are two direct line telephones installed, one in the Guard room and another in the O.P. Section of the General Administration Department for use in emergency such as fire etc., to be used during non-office hours. The Chowkidar on duty will answer the calls. These telephones are not intended to be used for trunk line calls. All sub-lines will also work during holidays.

How to get connection through the sub-exchange:-

(i) External connections:-

Since the exchange is semi automatic, outside calls are made direct without assistance of the exchange by dialing “Zero” first and after getting the clearance of dial-tone, the outside number is dialled.

(ii) Internal connections:-

For making internal calls, the required number can be directly dialled on EPABX Telephones.

Rectification of defects:-

The first duty of the exchange operator every day shall be to test all the telephone connections to see if they are properly working. Any defect noticed must immediately be reported to and got remedied by the Telephone Department.

Telephone Conversation: -

A telephonic conversation is liable to interception and all users of telephones must remember that somebody also may be listening. Confidential, Strictly Confidential, Secret or Top Secret matter should never be transmitted through the telephone.

Care of Telephones:-

The telephone instruments and the cords attached to them shall be kept dry during the wet season; if not, difficulty in working will occur. It is advisable to cover them with waterproof cover during the wet season.

Changes in the telephone directory:-

It is most important that the directory should be maintained as up-to-date as possible. The onus of notifying alteration lies with the subscribers. All changes in names and addresses should therefore be notified immediately by the departments concerned to the General Manager, B.S.N.L, Hyderabad.

Payment of Telephone charges:-

All the Telephone bills on receipt from General Manager, B.S.N.L., Hyderabad will be sent to the officers concerned for certifying that the calls are official. On receipt of the bills after certification, they will be sent to Assistant Pay and Accounts Officer, Secretariat Branch for issue of cheques through Finance (C.C.S.) Department. After receipt of cheques, they will be sent to Assistant Accounts Officer, B.S.N.L., The receipt for cheques issued by the B.S.N.L, will be recorded in the respective bills.

Residential Phones:-

Telephones are installed at the cost of Government at the residences of Ministers, the Chief Secretary, other Secretaries to Government, etc., The officers will make use of their residential phones only when absolutely necessary.

Correspondence regarding telephones:-

Departments of the Secretariat are authorised to communicate direct with the General Manager, B.S.N.L., Hyderabad in minor matters such as the following:

The provision of a telephone at the residence of an officer for whom such connection at the cost of the State has been sanctioned by Government.

The shifting of instruments from one residence to another when the officer (or whose use it has been sanctioned moves and’ the shifting of instruments from one room to another.

In such cases, the General Manager, B.S.N.L., Hyderabad will act on the instructions so received. In all-important matters correspondence will be carried on by the department of the Secretariat, which deals with the subject of telephones.

Officers authorized to use STD:-

Only Secretaries to Government and above or persons authorised on their behalf shall use the STD telephone and only in matters of urgency.

Payment of charges:-

The procedure indicated in paragraph 385 should be followed in respect of STD telephone bills also. In addition, officers who make STD calls should intimate to their offices all private calls as and when they are made. To ensure that they have not omitted to do so, monthly bills on receipt from the Accounts Officer, B.S.N.L, Hyderabad be put up to them for certification to the following effect:

“Certified that all the calls included in the bill were made for official purposes (except item number the cost of which has been credited to the Government”)

The certificate should be attached to the copy of the bill, which is forwarded to the Asst. Pay and Accounts Officer, Secretariat Branch, a copy of the bill and certificate being retained in the office concerned.

In the case of calls made by officers for private purposes and included in the bill, the charges in respect of them should also be credited to the State Bank of Hyderabad to the appropriate head of account.

Inter communication system:-

To facilitate communication between the officers and sections working under them, an inter communication system has been installed in some departments.

CHAPTER - XIX: SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS AND THEIR CONSERVANCY

Control over buildings: -

The Secretariat buildings and permanent fixtures in them are under the administrative control of the Chief Secretary. The authority of allocating the rooms in the Secretariat for temporary or permanent occupation vests in him and no portion of the Secretariat may be occupied without his sanction. The Chief Secretary should be addressed if any accommodation is required or to be relinquished or if any structural repairs or alterations or additions to the buildings are desired.

Supervision over the buildings:-

One of the Assistant Secretaries of each department supervises the conservancy of the portion of the buildings of which he is in immediate charge. He is responsible for the general condition of the buildings including the glass in each room and fixtures as also for keeping watch against attacks by white-ants and giving strict attention to the cleanliness of the interior and neatness of the exterior and surroundings, etc. The necessity for any improvement in, or repairs to, the buildings, when it arises, has to be promptly brought to his notice by the Section Officer incharge of the Establishment Section of his department or by the Assistant Section Officer dealing with office papers if there is no such Section Officer. It is also the duty of the Deputy Executive Engineer of R&B to bring to the notice of the Assistant Secretary, General Administration Department, any cracks or of the defects which he may notice in the buildings, so that steps may be taken to get them repaired with the least possible delay.

Repairs and improvements:-

(a) All improvements and repairs to the buildings are undertaken by the Chief Engineer (Buildings) and all correspondence on the subject is carried on by the General Administration Department with the Executive Engineer, East Buildings Division, Hyderabad.

(b) All permanent fixtures are put up by the Chief Engineer (Buildings) and their repairs are also undertaken by that department at the instance of the General Administration Department.

The arrangements for the supply of and repairs to furniture, movable screens and curtains shall be made by the section dealing with stores in the department concerned.

Indents of Departments for such items of furniture that may be required either as replacements of damaged articles or to meet the needs of additional sanctioned establishments will be supplied by the concerned Department’s Stores Section.

Officers’ rooms:-

(a) Departments of the Secretariat should make their own arrangements for the dusting of furniture in their officers’ and office rooms by their Attenders.

(b) The Attenders attached to officers are directly responsible for keeping the rooms clean and for seeing that no unauthorised person interferes with anything kept there. In the evening before they leave office, they should keep the table-set of writing materials, private articles of officers and other sundry articles which are liable to b stolen, such as soaps, towels, stationery (except wall clocks) in the almirah provided in the rooms and hand over the rooms to chowkidar on duty.

NOTE:-

Sweepers and cleaners are allowed to enter the rooms in the discharge of their duties but the work should be done under the supervision of a chowkidar of the conservancy and watching staff.

Precautions against fire:-

The Secretariat buildings have not been insured against fire. The Assistant Secretary of each department is responsible for ensuring the due observance of the following rules relating to precautions against fire:-

The Assistant Section Officer or Section Officer who leaves a room last shall see that all the lights and fans therein are switched off and hand it over formally to the chowkidar. The Attenders who attend on officers shall attend to this duty so far as the officers rooms are concerned.

None but safety matches shall be used in the office. No inflammable material should be allowed inside the building. Sealing of papers should be done with utmost care under the supervision of the Assistant Section Officer.

No naked lights shall be used in the office. All candles or wicks must be protected by glass.

Waste paper should not be allowed to accumulate in large quantities.

Buckets shall be kept always filled with water or sand. Fire buckets and all other receptacles containing water, should be emptied out on the ground (not down a drain) three times a week, i.e., on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and should be kept empty until they are dry, when they should be refilled.

Old furniture shall not be left lying about but shall be disposed at once or sent into the storeroom.

Smoking in office rooms, record rooms and within Secretariat premises is strictly prohibited.

Minimax fire extinguishers are also fixed to the walls throughout the Secretariat.

On the discovery of fire at night, the chowkidar on duty in the buildings shall immediately communicate the fact by EPABX Tel. No. 235/9 or 23450097 to Secretariat Fire Station or Tel. No. 101 BSNL or Guard Room Tel. No. 23451738.

The GA (SB) Department shall see that the fire pumps and the buckets in the Secretariat buildings are kept clean and ready for use and that the “Minimax” extinguishers are not empty. It should be ensured that the water in the fire-buckets is renewed three times a week.

The officer in charge of Fire Station in Secretariat shall train the entire Conservancy and Watching Staff in the handling and working of the fire pumps and shall for this purpose hold fire drills once a month. Every time a drill is held, the names of those who attend the drill should be entered in a bound register which should be submitted to the Assistant Secretary of the General Administration Department, for perusal. It is also necessary that the ministerial and last grade staff of the departments of the Secretariat should be familiar with the use of the ‘Minimax’ fire extinguishers. Departments should arrange with the officer in charge of Fire Station in Secretariat for the necessary instructions to be given to their staff in their use.

The officer in charge of Fire Station in Secretariat shall also instruct the staff in the use of the telephone.

All arrangements for precaution against fire including the drills should be got checked up once a quarter by the Fire Service Officer, Hyderabad or his deputy and his advice duly considered.

The Deputy Secretary/ Joint Secretary/ Additional Secretary (General), General Administration Department shall exercise overall supervision and shall, in particular, see to the enforcement of the monthly drills mentioned in clause (11) above.

Rules to be observed on outbreak of fire:-

The following rules shall be observed on the outbreak of fire in the Secretariat buildings.-

Fire caused by ignited oil should be at once smothered by means of earth. For this purpose one of the buckets in each stand is kept filled with sand.

Immediately on the alarm being raised, every man is to report to the post to which he is assigned and start taking steps-to extinguish the fire/prevent the spread of fire. .

All movements should be carried out with the greatest possible silence and rapidity, and special care must be taken that there is no crowding in passages and staircases.

As a draught of air will tend to increase the fire, all doors and windows which if is not necessary to use for ingress or egress should be closed.

All inflammable materials near the fire should be collected and carried to a place of safety.

NOTE:-

Placards containing “Rules to be observed as precautions against fire in public offices” and “Rules to be observed on the outbreak of fire in public buildings” are hung up near the guard room of the Secretariat buildings.

The electric installations in the Secretariat buildings are in charge of the Executive Engineer (General) to whom communications regarding supply, renewal and repair of fans and lights should be addressed. Estimates submitted by him will be countersigned by the Secretary in General Administration Department. The installations are periodically tested by the electrician at the Secretariat buildings and defects are immediately rectified by him. Replacement of bulbs of lights and similar petty works will on requisition by departments be attended to by the staff in immediate charge of the installation.

Use of electric lights, fans and lift:-

(a) Particular care should be taken in the use of lights and fans. They should be used only when absolutely necessary. Whenever an officer or a member of the staff for whom lights and fans are provided leaves his seat, fans and lights should be switched off. Any neglect of this duty on the part of the office establishment is punishable.

Conservancy and watching staff:-

‘The conservancy and watching establishment consists of the following: -

Multipurpose Health Supervisor

Head Chowkidars

Chowkidars

Jamedar Sweepers

Sweepers

Jamedar Scavengers

Scavengers

Farrashes

Laskar

Control:-

The staff is under the control of the Assistant Secretary (SB), General Administration Department. The Multipurpose Health Supervisor supervises their work and is responsible for their discipline.

Watching and conservancy:-

Chief Security Officer and Multipurpose Health Supervisor shall be present to control the staff and watch the precincts of the buildings generally. It is the duty of Head Chowkidars to see that all rooms are open by 8 a.m. and to make sure that these and the office compound are watered and attended to. In the evening he shall also ensure that all lights and fans are switched off, all doors are closed and rooms properly locked.

The Chief Security Officer, the Head Chowkidars and the Chowkidars shall be responsible for the safety of the articles, e.g. furniture etc. in the Secretariat buildings. The keys of all the rooms in the Secretariat buildings shall be in their charge day and night.

During the absence of the Chief Security Officer and the Head Chowkidars the senior most chowkidar on duty will be in charge of the watching staff.

The Multipurpose Health Supervisor will be responsible for the cleanliness of the buildings and will be in charge of the conservancy staff.

The Multipurpose Health Supervisor will be held personally responsible for keeping the premises of the Secretariat neat and tidy.

Hours of attendance:-

The Head Chowkidars and Chowkidars are posted in three batches. Each batch will be on continuous duty for 8 hours. The shift duties of the Head Chowkidars and Chowkidars are arranged every month.

The Chowkidars should be on duty at their respective duty posts wide awake and should not leave the office compound when on duty. The Head Chowkidar on duty should assist the Chief Security Officer as and when required by him. He should also "see that the watching and conservancy staff does not neglect its duties.

The duty hours of the Multipurpose Health Supervisor, Scavengers and sweepers will be as follows:-

Multipurpose Health Supervisor - 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Scavengers — 7.30 a.m. to 12 noon and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Sweepers — 7.30 a.m. to 12 noon and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Uniform:-

The Head Chowkidars and the Chowkidars shall wear the uniform prescribed for them while they are on duty. The uniform will be supplied at Government expense and they will be held responsible for the articles of clothing supplied to them.

Duties:-

The Chowkidars should see that nothing leaves office without a pass signed by an officer not below the rank of Section Officer. No article accompanying a gazetted officer of the Secretariat, however, requires a pass. Receipts, slips accompanying the letters and packages sent out from the Secretariat office shall be accepted as a pass.

The Chowkidars on duty should also see that no stranger is allowed to enter the office room without permission. Moneylenders, hawkers and beggars should on no account be allowed to gain entrance in to the premises or hang about the premises. They should be warded off. Unauthorised persons should not be allowed to have access to the Secret sections.

In order to ensure that the Chowkidars on duty do not leave their duty posts a beat book will be provided for each chowkidar wherein he should whenever he leaves the duty post during duty hours enter time of leaving the duty post and time of return and purpose of leaving. The Chief Security Officer and Head Chowkidars should enter their remarks in the beat-book when they go on their rounds of inspection and when they have no remarks should initial in the beat-books in token of their having inspected the duty post.

Closing of the office:-

The Chowkidars should take charge of the Officer rooms and the office rooms as soon as the officers and the members of the staff leave the office. They should see that all doors and windows are properly secured, that electric fans and lights are switched off and that no stranger is in the office. The keys of the rooms should then be deposited in the guardroom. The key of the Central Record Branch which will be handed over to the Chowkidar in a sealed cover should also be deposited in the guard room and returned the next day.

Night Watch:-

Chowkidars should see that no one enters the premises after these are secured for the night. Should an Assistant Section Officer have occasion to attend Office after the rooms have been locked, he should go to the guardroom and arrange to have the required room opened; on leaving he should intimate the fact to the Chowkidar in-charge. Staff of one department shall not be permitted to have access to the office of another department.

From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Chowkidars will be divided into 4 groups for night duty, each group being stationed at an appropriate place. Four of the Chowkidars one from each group shall watch and patrol the Secretariat Premises, for two hours in shifts.

The Head Chowkidar or the senior most Chowkidar of the party on duty will be in-charge of the shifts. He will also be responsible for the safety of the buildings during nights.

Parking areas:-

The vehicles including bicycles should be parked at the earmarked parking areas only.

Tiffin rooms:-

The tiffin rooms provided for the Secretariat staff are kept open from 11

a.m. to 3.30 p.m. on all working days. They are exclusively reserved for the use of the ministerial staff between 1-30 p.m. and 2-30 p.m. and the menials are prohibited from using them during these hours. The Multipurpose Health Supervisor is responsible for rooms being kept clean and tidy.

Members of the Secretariat establishment should not take tiffin in any part of the Secretariat buildings except in the tiffin rooms which are specially provided for the purpose. It is the duty of Assistant Secretaries to enforce this instruction strictly.

Motor sheds:-

Motor sheds intended for the use of Ministers and officers are under the administrative control of the General Administration (SB) Department. Whenever garages are vacated, departments will give early information to the General Administration Department so that steps may be taken to have them locked and reserved for the use of Ministers and officers who may require them.

Waste paper:-

Every working day before 10 a.m. the waste paper of the previous day shall, under the supervision of the Multipurpose Health Supervisor or a Head Chowkidar, be collected and sent to the waste paper room, the key of which shall be maintained by the Multipurpose Health Supervisor.

Multipurpose health Supervisor or a Head Chowkidar should ensure that no file or paper which is not treated as waste paper gets mixed up and goes into waste paper room.

The Multipurpose Health Supervisor shall inform the concerned Assistant Section Officer of the Chief Secretariat whenever the waste paper room is three-fourths full. The Assistant Section Officer will then give three clear day’s notice to the contractor.

All papers taken over by the contractor shall be weighed in the presence of the concerned Assistant Section Officer who will note down the weighments on a separate note sheet and obtain the signature of the contractor or his clerk on it and attach it to the run on file on the subject. After weighment, the contractor shall make payment of the total cost of the paper at the agreed price and take delivery of the paper. The amount received towards the sale proceeds shall be deposited by the Assistant Section Officer into the Government account and the challan shall be added to the file on the subject.

CHAPTER — XX OFFICE HOURS, LEAVE ETC.

Office hours:- The office hours are from 10-30 a.m. to 5-00 p.m.

Attendance of staff:-

The Section Officer and the staff must be in their seats and start work not later than the prescribed hour of attendance. They will however be allowed a grace time of ten minutes when there is real need like missing the bus because of lack of accommodation in the bus.

Staying after office hours:-

Staff and Section Officers are not expected to stay in office after office hours unless specifically required by the officers. Where such presence is required, previous intimation will be given by the officers. It is hoped that this will not encourage the staff to turn out work which is not up to the standard expected of them or to fall in arrears. When staff and Section Officers submit special files to officers late in the evening, they should not leave office unless and until those files are received back or unless the explicit permission of the officers to leave office is obtained. Staying in office after 6.30 p.m. should generally be avoided in order to minimize current consumption charges.

Staff to leave office only with the permission of the Section Officer on the last working day before holidays:-

On the last working day previous to two or more consecutive holidays (including a Sunday) the staff should not leave the office without the permission of the Section Officer of the section or branch concerned.

Record Assistants and Attenders:-Hours of attendance:-

Record Assistants and Attenders should attend office half-an hour earlier than the hours prescribed for the staff. They should not leave office without the permission of the Section Officer under whom they work. Attenders attached to officers should remain in office until the officers have left. The turn Attenders will leave office only after the office is closed for the day.

Hours of work and night duty of Attenders working at residences of Ministers:-

(a) The following are the hours of work for Attenders working at the residences of Ministers:-

Day.. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Night.. 8 p.m to 8 a.m. next day

Attenders should be on night duty for a week at a time in turn. At the end of the week they will go off duty at 8 a.m. next morning and come on duty (day duty) at 8 a.m. next morning i.e., they will get one day off. The day Attender whose turn it is for night duty will go off duty at 8 p.m. and come for night duty at 8 p.m. next evening. Any day of the week may be selected as the day of change.

Personal Assistants of Ministers either personally or through the Jamedars will see that the above hours are observed.

Late Attendance:-

Regularity and punctuality in attendance will be taken into consideration not only in sanctioning leave but also in judging one’s diligence. Section Officers, Assistant Section Officers, Assistants and Typist-cum-Assistants who may desire to attend office late on any particular day on account of anticipated causes must obtain the previous permission of the Assistant Secretary or Under Secretary; in the case of Record Assistants, Attenders and menial servants the permission of the Section Officer in charge of the establishment section.. The grant of such permission should be noted in-the abstract of late attendance or the daily abstract book. Persons who attend office late without the permission aforesaid shall immediately on reaching the office report the exact time of their arrival and the cause of the late attendance to the Section Officer or Assistant Section Officer who is in charge of the attendance register.

Note:- A member of the staff will be permitted to attend office late for valid reasons, normally for three times in a month provided the period of absence does not exceed one hour including the grace time of ten minutes. For every three subsequent occasions of the late attendance or less, during the month, one day’s casual leave will be deducted from the casual leave account. The deduction shall be made from time to time during the calendar year for the late attendance without permission.

Penalty for late attendance:-

Forfeiture of a day’s casual leave will ordinarily be the penalty for three days late attendance without permission. If in any case the casual leave has already been exhausted the amount of casual leave which has to be forfeited should either be debited to the compensatory leave account if the delinquent has such leave to his credit in the current year or carried forward and debited to the next year’s casual leave account. If the late attendance is habitual the officer in charge of the establishment will award such punishment as he considers necessary in the interest of discipline.

Any day on which a member of the establishment attends office one hour after commencement of office hours with or without permission will be treated as half a day’s casual leave. Attendance after 2-00 p.m. will be treated as full day’s casual leave.

Members of staff not to leave office during working hours:-

A member of the office establishment shall not leave the office premises during working hours without the permission of the Section Officer of his section or branch. Members of the staff will be permitted, for valid reasons, to leave office early, as in the case of late attendance. The period of absence in this case also should not exceed one hour. The members of the staff may leave office with the specific prior permission of the competent authority. However, to avoid the tendency in the members of the staff from leaving office merely submitting applications for permission to leave office early without waiting to see whether the permission has been granted or not, such an act of leaving office will be treated as late attendance without permission for purpose of deduction from casual leave account in addition to imposition of any penalty.

Attendance register:-

Two attendance registers shall be maintained, if necessary, one for Section Officers, Assistant Section Officers, Assistants, Typist cum Assistants, Telephone Operators, Stenos etc., and the other for Record Assistants and Attenders. The register shall be initialled by each Section Officer, Assistant Section Officer, Typist-cum-Assistant, Assistant, Telephone operator, Steno, Record Assistant and Attender etc., immediately on arrival at the office. An Assistant Section Officer of the establishment section of each department will close the attendance register, and the attendance register or an abstract of late attendance, according to the practice prevailing in each department, will be submitted to the officer authorised for this purpose exactly after ten minutes from the commencement of the working hours of the office. In departments where the attendance register itself is submitted, a cross will be marked against any blank space for the current day. Members of the establishment who arrive late should either initial below that cross and note the time of arrival or sign their names in a separate register maintained for the purpose, in the presence of a gazetted officer. The establishment section Assistant Section Officer/Assistant will scrutinise that register at 3-00 p.m. and make entries ‘late’ or ‘absent’ in red ink against the names of persons concerned in the attendance register and obtain the officer’s initials. Any department may, instead of following either of these courses, make its own arrangements for checking latecomers. Any erasure or over-writing of the entries by any member of the establishment will be severely dealt with. In departments where the “abstract of late attendance” is in force, members of the establishment arriving late will intimate the time of their arrival and the cause of late attendance to the Section Officer, or the Assistant Section Officer, who is incharge of the attendance register.

Applications for late permission or for casual leave should be submitted along with the attendance register or the abstract of late attendance, as the case may be, at the prescribed hour.

Lunch Interval:-

The time allowed for lunch is thirty (30) minutes between 1-00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. and shall be availed by Section Officers, Assistant Section Officers, Assistants, Typist-cum- Assistants, Record Assistants and Attenders in convenient batches.

Lunch not to be carried into office rooms by servants or restaurant employees:-

Members of the staff should not take their lunch at their seats or in any part of the office rooms. Nor are private servants or employees of restaurants permitted to carry lunch into office rooms except in the case of gazetted officers. It is the duty of the Assistant Secretary in a department to see that these instructions are strictly followed.

Turn during working days:-

(a) The Evening turn arrangements should be made between 4-00 p.m. to 6-00 p.m. in all departments of Secretariat.

All internal arrangements should be made for sending all out-going letters, etc., to the despatch branch by 5-00 p.m. except in rare cases of extreme urgency. In all such cases, the Section Officers concerned should give prior intimation to the turn Assistant Section Officer to wait or make their own arrangements for despatch work; and

Only the minimum number of Attenders required should be employed.

Holidays:- The office is closed on Sundays and other holidays.

The following rules regulate the observance of holidays in public offices including holidays notified under the Negotiable Instruments Act:

All Public Offices are closed on days notified as holidays under the Negotiable Instruments

Act.

The grant of every holiday is subject to the condition that arrangements will be made for the despatch of emergent business.

A Government servant who is called on to attend office on a holiday may be granted another day in its place when opportunity offers. If possible, a Government servant of the religious persuasion which observes a particular feast, fast or festival for which a holiday is declared by Government should not be called upon to work on that day.

Holiday turns and permission to leave headquarters:-

During holidays one Section Officer, one Typist-cum-Assistant and one Attender will attend office by turn according to the lists approved by the Assistant Secretary or the Under Secretary. Punctuality in attendance on turn days is as much necessary as on working days.

No Section Officer or any member of the staff shall leave the head quarters during holidays without obtaining permission of the Assistant Secretary or Under Secretary as the case may be. The Record Assistants and the Class-IV employees will obtain similar permission from the Section Officer incharge of the establishment section.

Any Secretariat subordinate before leaving the head quarters shall leave his new address with the establishment section.

Holidays - submission of papers to officers:-

As a general rule, no papers should be submitted to the officers on Sundays and other holidays except tappals and really urgent papers. The Section Officers of sections must exercise utmost discretion in submitting papers on such days.

When an urgent file is sent to the residence of an officer, the turn Section Officer should wait in office till it is received back to take necessary further action thereon.

Compensatory Holidays:-

The following are the conditions under which a Government servant who is called on to attend office on a public authorised holiday may be granted another holiday in its place when opportunity offers.

Such holidays may not be taken by any Government servant without the previous permission of the authority who is competent to grant him casual leave.

Holiday Turn duty shall be allotted equitably among all employees. As far as possible, no employee shall be allowed to enjoy less than four holidays including second Saturday, Sunday, and compensatory holidays in a month.

It will be within the discretion of the head of an office to call on the subordinate affected to take such compensatory holidays on any date within one Calendar year, which the head of office finds convenient. He may, however, allow such of the subordinates as have earned compensatory leave during the month of December by attending turn duty on holidays to avail themselves of the compensatory leave during January of the succeeding year.

Such holidays may be combined with casual leave or other authorised holidays provided that the total period of absence from duty shall not exceed 10 days.

A Government Servant touring on public authorised holidays in connection with performance of his duties is not eligible for compensatory holidays in lieu of the holidays on which he performs journey.

Leave:- (1) Applications for leave or for extension of leave by members of the office establishment should be sent so as to reach the Assistant Secretary in the department concerned seven days before the date of commencement of the leave applied for, or expiry of the original leave granted, as the case may be, failing which the applications will be liable to be rejected unless special reasons for the delay in submission are given.

Note:- All applications for leave should be either typewritten or written in ink and should contain the leave address of the applicant.

Procedure in dealing with leave applications:-

Applications from the Section Officers, Assistant Section Officers, Assistants, Typist and Typist-cum- Assistants, Senior and Junior Stenographers etc., and such other Ministerial staff, for leave other than casual leave are submitted for orders to the Deputy Secretary through the Assistant Secretary in the case of the General Administration Department and to the Secretary in the case of the other departments.

Applications from Record Assistants, Attenders, Sweepers, Scavengers and Chowkidars serving in the office are submitted to the Assistant Secretary through the Establishment Section.

Applications from Personal Assistants to the Ministers should be sent to the General Administration Department after obtaining the orders of the Ministers for issuing necessary orders.

Applications from the Class-IV staff attached to the Ministers are submitted through the Personal Assistants concerned who will obtain the orders of the Minister before submitting to the Assistant Secretary, General Administration Department.

The concerned establishment sections should submit the leave applications for orders after noting the eligibility of leave to the applicant.

Medical Leave:-

When an applicant desires to be sent before a Medical Officer and in any case where, in the opinion of the Assistant or Deputy Secretary, a Medical Officer should be consulted as to the state of an applicant’s health, a memorandum is prepared by the Establishment section and submitted with the application to the Assistant or Deputy Secretary.

An application for leave or an extension of leave on medical certificate must be accompanied by a certificate from the applicant’s medical attendant. If a second medical opinion is considered necessary, the applicant will be sent for medical examination to the medical officer.

Communication of orders on leave application:-

Orders passed on applications for leave are communicated to the applicants by office orders. A copy of the order sanctioning the leave will be communicated to the claims section of the department.

Casual Leave:-

The rules regarding the grant of casual leave (ordinary and special) will be found in Annexure-VII to the Fundamental Rules and Subsidiary Rules of the Andhra Pradesh Government.

Address during casual leave:-

Applications for casual leave submitted from the residences of the applicants should contain their residential address. If they propose to leave the headquarters during the leave period, the new address should also be given.

Conditions for grant of casual leave:-

Casual leave will not be granted on vague and general grounds as for “urgent private affairs” or for “for a certain - ceremony”. The purpose for which the leave is required must be stated definitely, but staff members should abstain from giving unsavoury particulars of medical nature.

Ordinarily, applications for casual leave on account of anticipated causes should be made at least three days prior to the date from which casual leave is required. Absence in anticipation of sanction will only be condoned if the necessity for the leave could not have been foreseen. In such cases, the nature of sudden emergency must be definitely stated. Persons disregarding this rule will do so at their own risk.

Record Assistants and Attenders applying for casual leave on account of temporary indisposition may, if necessary, be required to produce medical certificate or hospital tickets.

Statement of Casual Leave and late Attendance:-

An abstract statement showing casual leave taken and late attendance will be exhibited in the last column of the attendance register or in a separate register by the Section Officer or Assistant Section Officer who is incharge of the attendance register according to the practice obtaining in each department and submitted to the Assistant Secretary in the first week of every month.

Casual leave to Personal Assistants attached to Ministers:-

Personal Assistants attached to Ministers will obtain the permission of the Minister concerned for casual leave, provided that the leave is admissible. As soon as permission is granted, the persons concerned shall before leaving headquarters report the fact to the Assistant Secretary, General Administration Department. If a person avails himself in the above circumstances of casual leave when it is not admissible he will do so at his own risk and ordinarily will be treated as absent on leave on loss of pay.

Examination leave:-

In the case of examination leave the application shall be supported by a copy of the hall ticket.

Absence due to infectious disease:-

Whenever a case of cholera, small- pox or other infectious disease occurs at the dwelling of any member of the office establishment, he must report the fact at once to the Section Officer or Assistant Section Officer who is in charge of the attendance register by a verbal message and not in writing (as the written report might convey infection) and must stay away from duty until further orders. The latter will report such cases to the Assistant or Deputy Secretary, as the case may be, and obtain his orders. Disregard of this rule will be severely dealt with as imperilling the health of other members of the staff.

GAZETTED OFFICERS

Attendance:-

(i) Additional Secretaries, Joint Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries and the Section ‘Officers should attend office at 10-30 A.M. on all working days.

Casual Leave:-

If any Assistant Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Joint Secretary or Additional Secretary takes casual leave, he will report to the Secretary as the case may be. When a Secretary to Government avails himself of casual leave, he will inform the Chief Secretary, giving the reason for the absence, and intimate the arrangements, made for the discharge of the current work of the department.

Report of departure from headquarters:-

If an Assistant Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Joint Secretary or Additional Secretary wants to leave the headquarters of Government, he will obtain the previous permission of the Secretary as the case may be. When a Secretary leaves the headquarters of the Government, the Minister concerned, the Chief Secretary and the Secretary to the Governor will be informed of the period of such absence, and the name of the officer who will be incharge of the current work of the department during the Secretary’s absence.

The Chief Secretary:-

Where the Chief Secretary avails himself of casual leave or leaves the headquarters of the Government, the Chief Minister and the Secretary to Governor will be informed as to who will be incharge of his duties.

General Discipline:-

Punctuality and General behaviour:-

Heads of Sections must set an example to others by themselves attending office punctually. While in office all members of the establishment must behave in a quiet and dignified manner and give due respect to their superior officers and Ministers, they must address other members of the establishment courteously. It is most important that the Secretariat should present an appearance of business like activity and that there is no slackness in this respect. Members of the staff should not waste their time either in the restaurants or in loitering or gossiping along the corridors of the Secretariat Buildings. They must try to maintain perfect silence, and if they have occasion to talk they must do so in a low voice so as not to disturb others.

Guarding against leakage of official information:-

Members of the establishment must remember that they are subject to the provisions of the Indian Official Secrets Act and are precluded from divulging to outsiders or to other members of the establishment any information (whether expressly marked confidential or not) that may have come to their knowledge in their official capacity. It should be borne in mind that what they come to know of in the office is confidential and is not to be mentioned outside the office or to strangers or anyone other than those to whom it is necessary that they should communicate with about such matters in the ordinary official course. All members of the establishment must be constantly on their guard against leakage of any official information whatsoever. If any member of the establishment is approached by any one not officially entitled to do so either inside or outside the office in regard to any matter which is or will be dealt with in the Secretariat or for any official information in the Secretariat, he should refuse to see him, but refer him politely to the Secretary, Additional Secretary/Deputy Secretary or the Assistant Secretary and, if the person persists, he should be warned that the fact of his visit will be reported to the Secretary and a report should be made accordingly at the very earliest opportunity. Failure to observe these instructions will render the defaulter liable to punishment. When private parties (including members of the Legislature) approach the gazetted officers in the Secretariat for information about matters pending in the Secretariat, the reply should invariably be that the “matter is still under consideration” and no indication should be given of the exact stage of the file. Important files, even if they are not confidential should be circulated only in closed covers. Special care should be taken to see that Assistants and Record Attenders, who carry files, do not attempt to peruse them.

Guarding against leakage of confidential and Secret information:-

A stenographer’s used note book should be made over to the Assistant Secretary of the concerned department when a fresh one is taken. The Assistant Secretary will destroy these notebooks after the expiry of three months from the date of the last entry in each book.

Nothing should be placed in the waste paper basket or otherwise discarded which is of a confidential or secret nature.

Prohibition against revealing information to the press:-

Members of the establishment shall not have any dealings with the Press or reporters or correspondents. They run a great risk of severe disciplinary action being taken against them if they are reasonably suspected (not necessarily proved) of communicating official information of any kind to the Press, to reporters or correspondents or to members of the public.

Prohibition from seeing outsiders in office:-

Members of the establishment are also prohibited from seeing outsiders in the office rooms. They must not accept any presents or remuneration from any visitor, party or other person nor lay themselves under obligation to such persons in any other way.

Tidiness and cleanliness of the office:-

A waste paper box or basket must be kept within a convenient distance of every member of the staff. Waste paper must be thrown into this and not thrown about on the floor. Stationery and records must be put away tidily in the Assistant Section Officer’s almirah and not left lying on tables and on the tops of almirahs exposed to dust. All rubbish and obsolete forms of publications must be cleared away and not left to litter the office. The office and officers’ rooms must be properly swept and dusted daily. The staff should keep their tables and side racks clean and the papers neatly arranged.

Use of liveries and badges etc by inferior servants:-

(a) All Attenders and Record Assistants attached to Ministers and officers of the Secretariat shall wear the livery and badge supplied to them while on duty. Other inferior servants should, while on duty, wear the badge supplied to them. Omission to follow the instructions will not be excused.

(b) Government Servants are not bound by any restrictions in the manner of dress and are at perfect liberty to wear while on duty whatever dress they like, provided it is in conformity with the ideas of decency current in the society.

Miscellaneous instructions:-

Taking of papers outside the office:

No Section Officer or Assistant Section Officer shall take office papers to his house or elsewhere out of the office without the express permission of the Assistant Secretary or the Deputy Secretary being obtained in each case.

Transfer or leave - handing over of papers and keys - arrangements for urgent work:-

During casual leave:-

When an Assistant Section Officer/Assistant absents himself on casual leave he must handover or send with his casual leave application, any office keys in his custody to the Section Officer and inform the latter about any paper which must be attended to during his absence. The Section Officer should give specific instructions to the other Assistant Section Officers in his section to attend to any items of work which need not or should not await the return of the Assistant Section Officer on casual leave (e.g. registering of currents, action on urgent papers, issue of urgent reminders, sending of files in circulation etc.)

When a Section Officer absents himself on casual leave he shall hand over or arrange to send any office keys in his custody to the Assistant Secretary. He shall also leave instructions with or send a note to the Assistant Section Officer in the Section about any urgent matter to be attended to during his absence on leave.

Leave other than casual leave or transfer:-

When an Assistant Section Officer or Section Officer goes on leave other than casual leave the relieving Assistant Section Officer or Section Officer must verify all the papers handed over to him with the personal register and see that every paper shown in the register as pending in the section is handed over to him. Office keys and confidential keys, if any, should also be handed over. A list of papers and other records handed over shall be prepared in duplicate signed both by the relieving and the relieved officer, and a copy shall be kept by each of them.

The relieved officer shall transmit to the relieving officer all instructions verbally given to him from time to time by the officers under whom he worked or any confidential papers given to him for custody.

The same procedure must be observed when Assistant Section Officers or Section Officers leave the office on transfer, Foreign Service, deputation, training etc.

The above provisions will apply mutatis mutandis to Typist-cum-Assistant and Junior Stenographers/Senior Stenographers.

Transfer of papers between Assistant Section Officers:-

No Assistant Section Officer shall place papers or cause papers to be placed on another Assistant Section Officer’s table without the knowledge of the latter.

Service of summons in office by bailiffs:-

Summons on persons employed in the Secretariat are permitted to be served personally by court bailiffs but the latter should first approach the Assistant Secretary of the department concerned, who will arrange for the service of the summons in such manner as is convenient.

Maintenance of reference books in Section:-

The reference and other Publications supplied to a section shall be preserved with care. The Typist-cum-Assistant of the Section or an Assistant Section Officer nominated for that purpose by the Section Officer shall maintain a list of books, each book being given the number allotted to it in the list of books kept in the rooms of the gazetted officer’ in the Secretariat. The books shall be arranged in serial order and any book taken out for reference should be replaced in its proper place immediately after use. Unless all copies of reference books in the department are corrected by an Assistant Section Officer of the establishment Section specially allotted for the work, it is the duty of the Typist-cum-Assistant or the Assistant Section Officer mentioned above, to see that all correction slips are pasted immediately. A note book showing the lists of correction slips received and the number pasted should be submitted to the Section Officer on the first of every month. Section Officers and Assistant Section Officers should realise that going about to procure from other Section or the Library reference books supplied to the section involves avoidable waste of time and hampers work. They should also realise that reference books, if kept uncorrected, might lead to wrong disposal of papers.

Knowledge of office procedure:-

Every Assistant, Typist-Cum-Assistant, Assistant Section Officer and Section Officer of the Secretariat establishment shall make himself thoroughly conversant with the rules contained in this Manual. The plea of ignorance will never be accepted as an excuse for disobeying them. The Section Officer of each section must see that every Assistant Section Officer in his section knows and understands the rules and that the copies of the Manual supplied to the section are corrected up-to- date. A new Assistant Section Officer joining the office must acquaint himself with the rules in the Manual. After the expiry of a month from the date of his joining the office, the Section Officer concerned shall test his knowledge and if he is found wanting, he may be given another month’s time. If the Assistant Section Officer has not acquired a reasonable degree of acquaintance with the rules in the Manual even at the end of that period, the Section Officer may submit a report to the Assistant Secretary, or the Under Secretary, as the case may be.

The Section Officer will be held personally responsible for the proper and intelligent observance of the rules in the Manual by all in his section or branch.

It is the duty of the Assistant Secretary/Under Secretary or Deputy/Joint/ Additional Secretary to see that all members of the staff under him have a thorough knowledge of the Manual and that they carefully observe its provisions.

CHAPTER – XXI: OFFICE MANAGEMENT

Every year during the first week of March, the O.P. section of each department should have the service books verified by each member and take necessary action for rectification of any defects noticed.

Office correspondence:-

The office business is transacted and all correspondence on the subjects is carried on in the name and on the responsibility of the Special Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary. Communications relating to office matters take the form of letter, memorandum or office order or unofficial reference. The letter form is usually adopted for correspondence with superior or co- ordinate authorities and well known public bodies and firms and is sent by the Under Secretary or the Assistant Secretary. It should contain the expression “I am directed”. Communications to subordinates and applicants for employment in the office take the form of memorandum or office order. Fair Copies of draft Memorandum and office orders passed by the Assistant Secretary or Under Secretary should clearly show that they are issued “By Order”. When they are attested by a Section Officer, the name of the Assistant Secretary or the Under Secretary as the case may be should be typed before the words “By Order” Communications to other Secretariat departments may be by unofficial note.

Office papers:-

The Office Procedure section will attend to office procedure under the direction of the Assistant Secretary. That section will maintain in manuscript a table of contents of all office orders and keeps them in its custody after they are docketed and stitched. Papers of permanent interest alone will be given an office disposal number. Papers of ephemeral interest such as circulars issued for the guidance of the office, turn lists, applications for casual leave etc., will be separately filed and destroyed after the end of the year succeeding that to which they relate, subject to the orders of the Assistant or Deputy Secretary.

Periodical returns:-

All returns relating to office matters should be submitted by the Office Procedure section to the Deputy or Assistant Secretary on the due dates. The periodical register should be submitted once in a fortnight.

Addresses of officers and staff:-

The Office Procedure section shall maintain a list of the addresses of officers and staff corrected up to date. The staff should intimate changes in their address to the Office Procedure section.

The Office Procedure Section is responsible for the collection of the property statements from the members before the 15th January in each year and submission to the Assistant Secretary or Under Secretary, as the case may be, for inspection.

Office purchases:-

Articles required for office use will be bought by the Office Procedure section and kept in its charge under lock and key. Particulars regarding their purchase and distribution will be noted in a register maintained for the purpose and submitted every month to the Assistant Secretary for inspection. The section should see that soap and other articles required by officers - are promptly supplied.

Stationery and forms required for Ministers should be obtained by their Personal Assistants on separate indents prepared by them and passed by the Assistant Secretary of the General Administration Department.

All indents should be prepared with the utmost care and officers should scrutinise them carefully in order to see that unnecessary and excessive supplies are not demanded.

Custody of date stamps and self-registering Stamps:-

The date stamps of officers are in their custody and the self-registering current number stamp in the custody of IOC section.

Books in Officer’s rooms:-

Books of reference kept in the officers’ rooms should be numbered serially. Lists of such books and maps in the officers’ rooms shall be kept in the rooms and the books and ready reference files maintained up-to-date. This duty will be performed by the steno-typist attached to the officer concerned. The Steno Typist should visit the room or rooms daily and see that the books are arranged in their proper order and none is missing. When a book is removed from an officer’s room for pasting correction slips, either the officers should be informed of the removal or a slip must be left in the place of the book stating the purpose for which it has been removed. The same procedure will apply to the removal of books in Officers’ houses.

Printing of establishment lists:-

The establishment list will be revised by the Office Procedure section half-yearly or annually according to the practice that obtains in each department under the orders of the Assistant Secretary. Copies of the list will be placed in the officers’ ready reference files and also distributed to Section Officers.

Circulation of Gazette:-

The ‘Gazette of India’:—

The Secretariat Library circulates copies of the Gazette of India to the Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary and other officers and Section Officers in the General Administration Department. Circulation of the Gazette to the officers and Section Officers in other departments is done by the departments concerned. Each department arranges for the republication in the Andhra Pradesh Gazette, if necessary, of any notifications appearing in the Gazette of India with which it is concerned. It is the duty of Section Officers to mark notifications for the re- publication in the Andhra Pradesh Gazette.

Andhra Pradesh Gazette:-

The Andhra Pradesh Gazette is received by all departments and Ministers. Each department circulates the copy received by it to its officers and Section officers. It is the duty of Section Officers to satisfy themselves that all notifications with which they are concerned have been correctly published.

Copies of Acts received from press:-

Whenever copies of Acts are received from the Commissioner, Government Printing Press, they should be scrutinised and the amending Acts sorted out and the amendments incorporated in the copies of the original Acts in the rooms of officers and in sections, including spare copies to the department. In the case of new enactments, they should be filed together between loose boards as each new Act is received and at the end of the year, they should be bound together and supplied to all officers and sections who may require them. To facilitate easy reference, a table of contents should also be prepared for each such annual volume.

Vehicles:-

(a)

(i) Initial supply:-

The supply of a bicycle or Motor Cycle or Car or any other Vehicle shall be made only with the sanction of the Government.

(ii) Repairs:-

Repairs to bicycles may be executed departmentally under the order of the Assistant Secretary. When however, the cost of repair is, in the opinion of the Assistant Secretary, not likely to be remunerative, the machine may be condemned with the approval of the Secretary of the department concerned and a new one purchased instead.

Repairs to Motor Cycles, Cars and other Vehicles may be got done in the PWD workshop.

A register shall be opened showing the number of the machine, the date of supply, its original cost and the date and nature of all repairs carried out with the cost of such repairs. In the first week of each month the register should be submitted to the Assistant Secretary who will satisfy himself that the expenditure on repairs has not been excessive and initial the register in token of verification.

Typewriters, Computers and other copying machines:-

The supply and repair of typewriters, computers and duplicators are regulated by the rules in Stationery. Manual Volume I and the instructions issued from time to time.

A register of such machines in use in the department showing the Typist-cum- Assistant or Computer Operator in charge of each machine and the repairs executed at various times shall be maintained and periodically submitted to the Assistant Secretary for inspection. The Typist-cum- Assistant entrusted with machines will be held responsible for any damage caused to them through negligence or carelessness. When a Typist-cum-Assistant takes over a machine from another, he should examine it carefully and if he finds any damage he should note them down on the machine card and get the Assistant Secretary’s initials. If he does not do so, it will be assumed that. he took the machine in good condition and that he is responsible for any damage that may subsequently be brought to notice. People who are not qualified must not be permitted to handle the machines.

Inventory of Office furniture and other stores:-

Office furniture:-

Each individual department should maintain permanent register showing each article of furniture in the office separately. Each article should be marked with a number which will be its permanent number in the register.

Other office stores:-

A separate register will be maintained for other office stores by the Office Procedure section. One page should be reserved for each kind or class of article.

New articles purchased or supplied during the year should be duly brought into account; those condemned or otherwise disposed of should be written off or adjusted in the registers.

Stock checking should be done in June of each year by the Assistant Section Officer of the department concerned specified for the purpose and a report of check submitted to the Assistant Secretary.

If any article is damaged or missing definite orders should be passed as to whether it should be repaired, replaced or written off.

Liveries:-

Attenders, Chowkidars, Drivers, Motor Cycle Messengers, Daffadars etc., are supplied with dress according to the scale specified in Appendix — VII.

Sale of unserviceable articles:-

Unserviceable articles such as broken furniture, record boxes, thattis, etc., should be auctioned annually under the Assistant Secretary’s orders. The amount realised should be immediately credited to Government and the bank receipt submitted to the Assistance Secretary for perusal. As soon as the auction is over, the fact of sale of each article will be noted in the stock register which will be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for initialling the entries.

Attenders are required to do the office duties given to them by the staff in the section.

The Attender in charge of the Council Chamber shall see that it is kept tidy and that stationery etc., are placed on the table in the proper places before the meeting of the Council of Ministers begins and shall wait at the room until the meeting is over. At other times, he shall wait upon the Chief Secretary.

Supply of stationery to Officers:-

The Attenders attached to the officers’ rooms should get such stationery and forms as are required from the Office Procedure section and place them in the officers’ rooms.

Attenders:-

Attenders will be under the immediate control of the Section Officer in charge of the Office Procedure section who is responsible for their proper distribution among sections and officers. They are required to do the duties allotted to them by Section Officers and Assistant Section Officers, Typist-cum-Assistants and by officers to whom they are attached. The ministerial staff should not use Attenders for their private work. .

Attenders should sit only on stools and they shall not use chairs or benches. They should not shout or spit or smoke in the corridors, or gossip with other Attenders and should conduct themselves in a quiet and orderly manner. They should not enter into conversation with any visitors, but should politely guide them to the concerned gazetted officer. Whenever an officer, either of his department or of any other department, passes in front of them, they should stand as a sign courtesy. Attenders disobeying these instructions are liable to be punished severely.

The Section Officer dealing with establishment in each Department should translate these instructions into the vernacular of the Attenders, give them copies and obtain their acknowledgements so that the plea of ignorance may not be raised by the Attender when found fault with.

Record Assistant will exercise supervision over the Attenders. He will attend office punctually and see that the Attenders are detailed for the duties assigned to them. He shall ensure that the Attenders attached to officers keep their clothing tidy and periodically washed and that while on duty they appear neatly dressed. He should also see that Attenders working in the office wear their badges.

CHAPTER —XXII MISCELLANEOUS

Press cuttings:-

The duty of perusing and marking cuttings from the important Newspapers and periodicals published in the State is undertaken by the Commissioner/Director of Information and Public Relations and for this purpose he will subscribe for such newspapers and periodicals as required by the Government from time to time.

Cuttings of articles which appear to be of a character requiring preventive or punitive action are dealt with by the Home Department. Cuttings for action or information on other subjects are sent by the Commissioner/Director of Information and Public Relations to the concerned departments of the Secretariat. On receipt of cuttings containing criticism on Government’s action or policy, the departments of the Secretariat should consider immediately whether a rejoinder/clarification is called for and if so to send promptly a rejoinder/ clarification to the Commissioner/Director of Information and Public Relations who will arrange for and watch its publication. The rejoinder/ clarification should be sent as far as possible, within three days of the appearance of the criticism. All correspondence should be dealt with promptly and marked as “special”.

Certain cuttings are circulated direct to the Governor and Ministers also by the Commissioner/Director of Information and Public Relations.

Release of information to the Press:-

In addition to the rejoinders/clarifications referred to in the preceding paragraph, the Chief Minister may also hold periodical Press Conferences and any information that has to. be released to the Press will be conveyed by him at these conferences. The departments of the Secretariat should send important news items intended for release to the Press to the Commissioner/Director of Information and Public Relations who will take further action in the matter.

Administration Reports:-

The practice of publishing State Administration Reports for the State as whole has been dispensed with from the year 2001-2002. However, each department shall compulsorily bring out an Annual Report on the same lines, copies of which shall be sent to the Legislature Library before the commencement of the Budget session every year for the information of members. If State Level compilation is required for any purpose a summary of the department Annual Reports can be brought out and this work will be carried out by the Planning Department.

Publicity - Procedure:-

There is a difference between the amount of publicity given to a Press communiqué and a Press Note. The difference between them is broadly one of importance but the following considerations also enter into it. In a Press Note the Government take a passive or defensive attitude or reply to criticism or explain or give facts and figures to amplify or expound their declared policy; whereas in a Press Communique the Government take an active aggressive attitude or respond to a given situation or express dynamic action or demonstrate how they discharge their responsibility.

It is unnecessary to publish all Press communiques in the Andhra Pradesh Gazette as they get sufficient publicity from the Press, but such publications may be arranged by the administrative department of the Secretariat concerned, if necessary.

All matters for publication in. the press should be marked either “Press Communiques” or “Press Notes”. The following system should be adopted.

Press Communiques and Press Notes:-

The departments of the Secretariat should arrange to send Press Communiques and Press Notes to the Commissioner/Director of Information and Public Relations for release to the Newspapers, news agencies, etc.,

Press Releases:-

Press releases are issued by the Commissioner/Director of Information and Public Relations based on orders passed by the Government. . For this purpose a Publicity Cell is functioning in the Secretariat with a Joint Director, three Public Relations Officers and three script writers under the control of the Commissioner/Director of Information and Public Relations. The Publicity Cell is the liaison agency between Government and media. Dissemination of information at the earliest opportunity enables the Government to project its image. To achieve this objective, all the departments of Secretariat have to supply to Publicity Cell information which has news value when it is hot and enable the Information and Public Relations Department to disseminate information to public. All the departments of Secretariat have to nominate a Liaison Officer and ensure quick and timely flow of the said information to the Cell and also to intimate dates, timings, review and other meetings and functions to the Joint Director of the Secretariat Publicity Cell. They have also to send latest copies of notes on demand, and two copies of each G.O., Govt. Memo, notes, reviews, progress reports, etc. and also clarifications and rejoinders on incorrect news to the Publicity Cell.

The Joint Director of the Secretariat Publicity Cell will contact all the departments every day and plan out an action programme for the day. The Public Relations Officers will be incharge of gathering information from the officers of the concerned departments and organise necessary translations into various languages for preparing handouts for the use of the pressmen. The Publicity Cell will also be in charge of working out the publicity campaigns for every department for the entire year.

The Commissioner/Director of Information and Public Relations will attend to all general matters connected with Government publicity which cannot properly be allotted to any particular department. If they desire that a particular matter put up by them for publicity should receive special attention of the Press they should so indicate it in the copy sent to the Commissioner/Director of Information and Public Relations who will carry out the intention of the departments concerned as far as is practicable.

Newspapers to which Press Communiques and Press Notes are distributed are apt to ignore them if they are too long or complicated. In order to secure maximum publicity, the departments of Secretariat have to prepare brief summaries for the use of newspapers ‘of long or complicated Press Communiques and Press Notes issued by them and forward them to the Commissioner/Director of Information and Public Relations along with the Press communiqués and Press Notes for distribution to the Newspapers and other media. .

Release of Government Advertisements:-

When it is found necessary to publish an advertisement, the advertising department concerned shall release their classified advertisements / Notifications / Tender Notifications etc., directly to the Press without routing through the media of Commissioner/Director, Information and Public Relations while following the guidelines for observing economy in space management. All such notifications shall be issued to all Registered Newspapers on rotation basis. The advertisement bills of various newspapers will be settled by the department/Corporations etc., on receipt of certified bills from the newspapers. It will be the responsibility of the advertising departments to settle the advertisement charges to the respective newspapers after duly receiving the certified bills from the newspapers.

Tours of Ministers:-

When a Minister decides to go on tour, it is the duty of his Personal Assistant to communicate to departments of the Secretariat copies of the tour programme and also the orders of the Minister concerned as to circulation of papers during his absence from headquarters. These copies will be circulated at once to the officers and then filed by the circulation Assistant for ready reference.

The following procedure should be followed for the control of expenditure incurred on tours of Ministers:

The General Administration Department should maintain a progressive account of the expenditure incurred on the tours of Ministers and their staff.

Immediately after a tour is decided upon by a Minister, his Personal Assistant should furnish a copy of the tour programme to the concerned section in General Administration Department and also the Finance (CCS.II) Department.

Immediately after the tour is over, the Personal Assistant should furnish a rough estimate of the expenses incurred by the Minister and his staff to the concerned section in General Administration Department and also the Finance (CCS.II) Department.

In the first week of every month or as soon thereafter as possible the account referred to in sub-paragraph (a) should be submitted by the Section Officer of the Finance (CCS.II) Department and by the concerned section in General Administration Department to the Assistant Secretary and to Chief Secretary with a summary statement and after their approval, copies of the statement should be submitted simultaneously to each Minister. This will keep the Ministers informed of how the expenditure stands ‘against the grant and what balance is available for their further tours.

The Personal Assistant to a Minister should maintain a record of all tour programmes of the Minister neatly arranged date-wise and send it at the end of each year to the Central Record Branch properly docketed.

Presents to Last Grade Servants:-

The practice of last grade employees in the Secretariat collecting subscriptions and donations from officers and staff of the Secretariat on such occasions as festivals is prohibited.

Attenders etc., are strictly prohibited from soliciting tips from visitors and others and any one found to be doing so is liable to be severely dealt with.

It is the duty of the Section Officer incharge of the Office Procedure Section to intimate this rule to last grade servants on their first appointment.

Use of file boards:-

As file boards in different colors and tapes are not being supplied, while submitting ‘Urgent’, ‘Special’, ‘Immediate’ and ‘Legislative’ files a slip indicating the nature of the file in bold letters in red ink should be affixed to the flap of the file board.

The Section Officer of each Section will decide in what category each case is to be classified for purposes of submission to officers of the department or reference to other departments.

No case should be marked “Special” before circulation to the Governor or a Minister without an order in writing on the file by a Secretary or any other gazetted officer ordering the circulation of the file.

“Special” files should be sent to the residences of Ministers only in circumstances which are exceptional. Full justification should be noted on the file by the Secretary personally, if he considers it essential to obtain orders at once, and he should mark not only the date but the time at which he passes such a file to a Minister.

As regards other officers, special files should not be sent to their residences after office hours unless the nature of the case is such that it must be dealt with at once and orders issued the same day or before 10-00 A.M. the next day.

The file board with a ‘Special’ slip affixed on the flap indicates that the case is of such special urgency that the officer or Minister concerned ought to lay aside everything else and deal with it at whatever time of day or night it may reach him. Such file should be sent through a special Attender with instructions to wait till the officer to whom it is addressed has dealt with it, and if it is marked to more than one officer or Minister, to take it to them all in turn without any delay whatever. If the Minister’s Personal Assistant is on duty, he will take the case at once to the Minister and will draw his attention to the fact that the Attender is waiting for it and the Personal Assistant should return the case to the Attender as soon as the Minister has noted on it.

File board with ‘Legislative’ slip:

File board with ‘Legislative’ slip on its flap should be used:-

For a case relating to a question to be asked in the Legislative Assembly.

For a case relating to a resolution to be moved i in the Legislative Assembly or for the reduction of budget grant, before it is moved.

For a case relating to a resolution in the Legislative Assembly after it has been successful in the ballot and before it is moved.

For a case where the Government of India require information for answering questions in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha.

A case relating to a question or resolution in the Legislative Assembly shall be dealt with in the same manner “Ordinary”, “Urgent” or “Special” as in other cases at other times, i.e., after the question has been answered or before a resolution of the class mentioned in clause (c) has been successful in the ballot or after the discussion of a resolution in the Legislative Assembly has closed.

Economy in use of Stationery:-

(i) All members of the establishment should use Government stationery as economically as possible.

Section Officers will be held responsible for seeing that this is observed.

After tappals are opened, the IOC Assistant should see that the empty brown envelops are sent to the Despatch Assistant for use.

Whenever lengthy communications are to be sent to a head of the department for remarks, the references should wherever possible be sent to him in original for resubmission along with his remarks.

Telegrams, telephone messages or demi officials should not be pasted on another paper. Slips sent down by officers need not be pasted on a clean sheet of paper, unless they are so important as to form part of a main file.

Newspaper cuttings should generally be pasted on the printed forms or on printing paper, but never on ruled paper.

Record Assistants or Assistants who send put-away papers to Central Record Branch should before doing so remove the flags, paper fasteners and gem clips from them. Spare unused note sheets and current and note file sheets on which entries of back papers, etc., are not made, should also be removed.

Full sheets should not be used for copying brief drafts. Enclosures should ‘be copied on the same paper as the draft. Embossed forms should not be used for fair- copying office orders and unofficial notes and notifications to be sent to the Commissioner, Government Printing Press, for publication in the Gazette. Manifolding, impression and stencil papers and typewriter ribbons and carbon sheets should be used economically. As the first few copies of cyclostyled forms are generally not very clear, these copies should be taken on old forms or any paper which has already been printed or written on. Postal articles and telegrams should not be affixed with stamps in excess of the amount required under postal rules.

The Section ‘Officer, Central Records Branch, should see that tags are removed from records when they are stitched and returned to the department for re-issue.

Section Officers should every month see to the return of old flat-file boards (i.e. unusable ones without flaps or tape) to the Stores.

The rules in the Stationery Manual and the general orders regarding Stationery and printing should be scrupulously followed.

Economy in expenditure on contingencies:-

The Assistant Secretary of each department should take personal interest and ensure that the expenditure on contingencies is reduced to the minimum, consistent with the ‘efficiency of Public Administration.

Rules regarding grant of copies of official documents:-

The following procedure shall be observed in dealing with applications for the supply of copies ‘of official documents in the Secretariat to private persons.

A court fee label of Rs.5.00 should be fixed to an application or petition presented to any office for a copy or translation of any judgement, or any proceeding of, or order passed by, such office or of document on record in such office.

Application for search:-

A person requiring a search to be made among the records in the Secretariat of the Government of Andhra Pradesh for the purpose of obtaining of a copy of, or extracts from, a document shall submit an application for the purpose in writing to the Secretary to the administrative department concerned. Unless the document applied for belongs to the calendar year, it should be accompanied with search fees prescribed from time to time in the shape of court fee stamps, which will not be refunded in any case, whether the document is found or not or whether copies are eventually granted or not.

A receipt signed by the Assistant Secretary or Under Secretary of the department concerned shall be furnished to every person depositing a search fee.

A separate application need not be presented in respect of each document of which copy is required.

Enclosures or annexures to letters, accounts or other documents form part of the documents to which they appertain, and are not reckoned for purpose of search as separate documents.

For all papers filed together and forming a single record only one search fee need be paid. Search fees shall not be levied on applications for the return of documents.

A search shall not be commenced until the applicant pays the prescribed search fee.

The applicant should specify in his application the date of the document of which copies are required or the year or period to which the document relates and search will be confined to the year or period specified.

If the applicant is not able to specify the date of the document or the year or period to which the document relates, he should be asked to state the period over which he requires the search to be conducted and to pay search fees at the prescribed rates. If the document is found without a search having to be conducted over the full period specified by the applicant, a proportionate refund of the search fees collected shall be made.

Search for the documents etc., and grant of copies:

A search shall be made for the documents applied for in the Central Record Branch. If it is not found, a certificate to that effect should be furnished to the applicant. If the document is found, the applicant will not automatically be entitled to a copy or extract.

In the case of maps or plans, a reasonable fee in cash should be collected. When the copy stamped papers etc., are received, copies will be prepared expeditiously in the administrative department of the Secretariat or, if necessary, as in the case of maps of plans by special arrangements made for the purpose by the department concerned. The copies will be certified as true copies by the Assistant or Under Secretary or the Deputy Secretary of the department concerned.

If, as a result of the document having been typed or copied too closely, some of the sheets of copy stamped paper received from the applicant remain unused, they will be sent to the M.R.O., Hyderabad.

In cases (a) where the number of copy stamped papers supplied by applicants is in excess of requirements, (b) where an insufficient number of stamps is filed, but the parties fail to supply the additional number of stamps within a given period and (c) where stamps are filed for copies of records which are not available in the office, the stamped papers should be returned to the parties concerned in the manner prescribed in sub-paragraph (6).

Members of the Parliament and of the A.P. Legislature who, during the. period of office, require copies of documents for their use as Legislators will be exempt from the payment of all fees etc. for this purpose and, if Government decide to let them have such copies, will be entitled to have them furnished on plain paper.

Government will decide in each case whether or not copies of the documents can be granted and this will depend on the contents of the documents itself, the general principles being that no copy will be granted of any document, official or demi-official, which is either of a confidential character or, in the opinion of Government, of a nature which renders the grant of a copy injurious to the public interest. If Government decide not to grant copies, the applicant will be informed accordingly. If, however, they decide to grant the copies and they are available in print they will be supplied on the payment of the cost of printing them, the amount being ascertained from the Commissioner, Government Printing Press, Hyderabad.

When copies are not available in print, the applicant will be asked to send the requisite number of copy stamped papers: and/or court-fee stamps and/or cash, on the scale prescribed.

When owing to temporary shortage of copy stamp papers, an applicant is not able to furnish the requisite number of such papers, copies may be granted on plain paper affixed with proper court-fee ‘labels. The following procedure should be observed:

The white paper to be used should be of a durable quality and of foolscap size.

The required quantity of white paper as well as the requisite court-fee labels should be furnished by the parties themselves.

Both the sides of the white paper should be used for transcribing copies.

A list of certified copies ready for delivery shall be pasted on the notice board of the Secretariat and shall remain thereon for one week. The list should be prepared and should state the number of the copy application and the name of the person to whom the copies are to be delivered. The list should be affixed to the notice board immediately after the office reopens the following day. After expiry of the period, the list should be taken down and the copies remaining unclaimed, if any, should be sent to the applicant by post “Service unpaid” in the manner prescribed in sub-paragraph (6).

Applicants for copies of documents should not be asked to pay in advance the cost of despatch in the shape of ordinary postage stamps. Despatch under such stamps constitutes an irregularity under the postal rules. Certified copies of documents as well as any unused stamped papers should be sent in envelope superscribed “Certified Copies-Service unpaid” or “Copy stamped Papers-Service unpaid” or “Certified copies and copy stamp Papers-Service unpaid” as the case may be.

In the event of any envelope being returned undelivered the postage should be paid by the department concerned from its office contingencies. The cover and its contents should then be retained for two weeks so that if the addressee appears and applies for the copies in person, they may be handed over to him after recovering the cost of the postage paid from contingencies. If he does not so appear, the certified copies should be destroyed and a note of such destruction made in the remarks column of the application register against the item concerned. The unused copy stamp papers if any should then be sent to the M.R.O., Hyderabad.

Production of documents in Civil Courts:

The procedure laid down in Board’s Standing Orders No. 174 should be followed in regard to the Production of documents called for by Civil Courts. Where a rule Nisi is issued by the High Court in a petition for a Writ, the records should be sent to the Law Officer concerned appearing on behalf of Government who will produce them in Court after scrutinising the documents and deciding as to which record should be produced in Court. The Registrar, High Court, should simultaneously be informed that the documents will be produced through the Law Officer concerned.

Service Associations recognised by Government:

A list of Service Associations recognised by the Government of Andhra Pradesh is given in Appendix-VIII.

Government have established several communication facilities like Fax, Telex, AP SWAN and computers network facilities like internet and intranet facilities in different departments of Secretariat to make available latest facilities.

NICNET terminals are available in the offices of the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and General Administration Department, Finance Department, Planning Department, Panchayati Ray & Rural Development Department, Revenue Department and Commissioner of Relief.

All departments of Secretariat have to send messages intended for District Collectors and Government of India to the NICNET Centre on the Ground Floor of ‘C’ Block for transmission. The NIC will accept such messages from all the departments of Secretariat.

The objective of establishing these facilities is to cater to the common requirements of all the Secretariat Departments. As can be readily seen, it will be duplication of expenditure if each department has to once again provide the same facilities. Public interest will be better served by minimising the expenditure and by putting to maximum use the available facilities.

A.P. Technology Services Limited:-

In pursuance of the policy to introduce the use of Computers in Government departments for improving the quality and timeliness of data required to enable quicker decision making and thereby improve the overall efficiency of the departments, an organisation under the name and style “ANDHRA PRADESH TECHNOLOGY SERVICES LIMITED” has been established.

A unit of ANDHRA PRADESH TECHNOLOGY SERVICES LIMITED is functioning within the Secretariat premises which can be made use of by all the Departments of Secretariat.