FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

GOVERNMENT OF PUNJAB
I

PUNJAB CIVIL SECRETARIAT

MANUAL
OF
, OFFICE PROCEDURE

August 17th, 1994

DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS

 •

PREFACE

The Secretariat Instructions of the Government of Punjab were last

revised and printed in 1957 with a preface dated the 17th June, 1957 of
Shri Nakul Sen, the then Chief Secretary to Government, Punjab. No
substantial revision in either practice or procedure took place till 1975
when attempts were made, by the Administrative Reforms Branch, to
conform in certain aspects to the practice prevalent in the Central
Secretariat of the Government of India.

This compilation is the outcome of a comprehensive review of the

Secretariat Instructions. · It draws substantially on the Central Secretariat
Manual of Office Procedure (9th Edition October, 1982) but departs from
the same, where necessary, to conform to the practice and procedure
prevalent in the Punjab Civil Secretariat.

It is pertinent to mention that while the 1957 Edition of the

Secretariat Instructions envisaged that the Assistant Secretary to Govern-
ment, Punjab, as Head of Office, would assists the Chief Secretary to
Government, Punjab, as Head of Department as well ·as Administrative
Secretary of the Punjab Civil Secretariat, and that the Superintendents and
Assistants would be directly and primarily responsible for observance of
the Instructions. Today the responsibility largely devolves on the Joint
Secretary, Secretariat Administration and the Administrative Secretaries-
both in theory and practice.

Suggestions, if any, for making corrections and improvements may

be forwarded to the Department of Personnel and Administrative
Reforms (in Administrative Reforms Branch).

S.R. BUNGER
(IAS)
Dated, Chandigarh : Secretary to Government, Punjab,
17th August, 1994 Department of Administrative Reforms.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Para No. Page No.
Chapter

CHAPTER ' I
Introduction 1 1·-5

CHAPTER II
Machinery of Government 2-6 7-8

CHAPTER Ill
Receipt, Registration and Distribution of Dak .. 7 - 10 9-12

CHAPTER IV
Receipts, Diarisation and Submission .. 11 ~115 13-16

CHAPTER V
Action on Receipts .. 16 ......:..38 17-29

CHAPTER VI
Forms and Procedure of Communication · .. 39 - 82 31-53

CHAPTER VII
Drafting of Communications .. 83-85 55-57

CHAP.YER VIII
Issue of Drafts .. 86 :....106 59-72
. \ .
CHAPTER IX t
Filing System .. 107 -112 73--75

CHAPTER X
Indexing and Recording .. 113-148 n.:.....93

c'.) CHAPTER XI
· Security of Official Information and
Documents .. 149-153 95-96

CH,\PTER XII
Checks on Delays 154-162 97 _;_ 105

CHAPTER XIII
Inspections .. 163-168 107--109

CHAPTER XIV
Miscellaneous .. 169-175 111 """"'." 114
, APPENDICS
1-56 115-194
 1111

SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS

CHAP IR I
lnlrod udk,n

1. Special meanings :- Special meanings to be attached to some

of the terms used in the manual are given below :-
'Appendix to correspondence' in relation to a file means
(1)
lengthy endosures to a communication (Whether receipt or issue) on the
file, indusion of which in the correspondence portion is likely to obstru
ct
smooth reading of the correspondence or make the correspondence
portion unyieldy.

(2) 'Appendix to notes' in relation to a file means a lengthy

n
summary or statement containing detailed information concerning certai
of which in
aspects of the-question discussed on the file, incorporation
the main note is•likely to obscure the main point or make the main note
un~ rily lengthy.
'Branch Officer' in relation to a section/branch means the
(3)
officer who takes the work directly from the section/branch.
'Case ' ·means a curre nt file or a receipt toget her with other
(4)
related papers, if any.

(SJ · 'Circulating Branch' means a unit charged with the responsibi-

the
lity of receiving, registering and distributing dak meant for all
like
depar tment s of. the Punjab Cwil Secretariat and includes functionaries
Resident Assistant
(6) 'dassified dak' means dak bearing a scrutiny of a diary.
(7) 'Com e bade case' means a case received back for furthe r
the
action such as re-examination or prepa ring a draft or a summ ary of
case.
'Corr espon dence portio n' in relation to a file means the
(8)
portion conta ining 'recei pts and office copy of issue perta ining to
the_file,
ded
indud ing self conta ined depar tmen tal notes but excluding those recor
on the notes portion of the file itse.lf._
(9) ' Curre nt file' means a fife, action on which has not been
completed.
 2
Chap. I
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS . - - - - - - - - - -
I . · . ed by the Circulating
(10) 'CIR No' means the serial nudmdbebr a:~•g~ode fette r
identifying
Branch to dak in the dak register prec e e Y e
the register. . · mmun·ication such as
f rt enta
en lconote f'II e, wh',ch ,s ·
• typed o wrstt
· 'Dak' includes every
(11)
letter, telegram, savingram inter ep~ m. d ' artm ent for its
received, whet her by post or otherwise, m any ep
consideration. or a
(12) 'Dealing hand' means any functionary such as an Assistant
cases. ·
Clerk, entrusted with initial examination and notin g upon
(13) 'Department' means any of the d~partmeiits, wings
or bra~ch
Pun1ab
specified in the schedule annexed to the Government of
Allocation of Business Rules.
(14) 'Departmental Index' means an inde x of files
open ed by
g a year arran ged
different sections/branches of various depa rtme nts durin
s unde r whic h
in a single series in the alphabetical orde r of the catch word
·
they have been indexed.
d by a
(15) 'Departmental Instructions' means instructions issue
ual of Offi ce
depa rtme nt to supplement or vary the provisions of the Man
Procedure.
(~6~ _'Di_arist' '?1eans a derk within a bran ch char
ged with the
respons1b1hty mter aha, of maintaining the branch diary.
(17) 'Diarising' means registering of receipts in the bran
ch diary.

l num b . d

•
(18) 'Diary num ber' means the seriaand the erb~s• g~e dto a rece ipt
in the Branch diary followed by the year
the section, e.g. 325/81-AR. a rev,a te symb ol of

(19) 'Docketing' means makin of e~t~1. es ,n . ·

ned~ the note s port ion of a
file about the serial number assig . o eac ,tern of corre spon denc e.
. .. '
pt (FR)' means. an y s~bs eque nt rece ipt.
. (20} Fresh recei ional infor m f on a case
wh,ch brmgs in addit the pape r
under co~sideration. a ,on to. a,d the disposal of

. (21) 'File' means a collection f papers on a specific subject matt ers

?
assigned a file number and co . •g
parts :- ns,stmg of one or more of ,th e fo II owm

(a) Correspondence.
(b) Notes

\
 Chap. I 3 1
IO~N~--
_:.:_INT~R~O~D~U~CT~
_______
___
-------
spondence;
(c) Appendix to corre
.
(d) Appendix to notes
(22) 'Final disp osal' in re Iaf ion to ~ ca~e under consideration meanse
completion of all ac tion th cessary, in th
f re o7 cu lmmatmg, wh er e neich e original
issue of final or a otr dma rep y to the party from wh th
de rs
communication em na e .
lJ t) ~ title under
2 3 ng ' in re latio n to a f;le means indicating its a view to
( _ ) 'Indexi al order with
a
ca tc ~w ~r ds ar ra nged in their alphabetic
f Pf:> ~opn 1 atmg m the event of need.
~t e
1 ac, 1,tate ,ts oc
of a
ea ns a ca rd or a pa pe r slip displaying the title
fl d(24 ) 'Index slip' m wed by a reference to its file number.
1 e un er a catchword, follo
.
e' m ea ns a co m m un ication issued in a case
(25) 'Issu
th e un it re sp on sib le for fair typing of
ea ns
. (26) 'fs~ue Branch' ·m addressees 1 and includes functionaries like
ch to th e
drafts an d th ei r despat
Resident Assistant.
es all sta ge s of ac tio n after the approval of
clud n to th e
(27) 'Issue of draft' in of th e signed communicatio
de sp at ch g pad
a dr af t en di ng with , comparing, aJtaching enclosures, preparin
ad dr es se e e.g. fair ty
ping registers
g co ve rs , m ak in g en tries in th e despatch
in
fo r si gn at ur e, pr ep ar cessary.
m es se ng er bo ok s, affixing stamps, where ne
an d standard
bo ok ' m ea ns a re cord, maintained in r
(28) 'M es se ng er
of no n- po st al co m munications and thei
de sp at ch
fo rm of particulars of
se e.
re ce ip t by th e ad dr es r, Chief
ea ns a no te re co rd ed by th e Governo
(29) 'M in ut ~' m
r.
M in is te r or a Ministe
m ar ks re co rd ed on z case to facilitate its
e re
(30) . 'N ot e' m ea ns th pr ev io us pa pe rs , a st at em en t or
an
es a Pr ec is of ing th e
di sp os al , an d in cl ud qu iri ng de ci si on , suggestions regard
tio ns re
analysis of th e qu es eo n.
se of ac tio n an d fin al or de rs passed th er
co ur
e po rti on
io n' in re la tio n to a file m ea ns th
(31) 'Notes po rt se.
ai ni ng no te s or m in ut es re co rd ed on a ca
co nt specific
al da k' m ea ns po st al da k for w hi ch no
(32) 'O rd in ar y po st ap hs Offices.
en t is ob ta in ed by th e Posts an d Te le gr
·ac kn ow le dg em
 1
4
ChaP I
• SECRETARIAT INST u o 1 0 N S
R

. si
. C)' means a receiption a case,
(33) 'Paper unde de ration (PU of the case.
the consideration of ~ co~ the subject m
which at te r .
e till a dis osed
w ill remain the sam case is fa nally b ~
Note : - PUC in .
a case subsequently re ceived which may ~mg, m
, of. All othe r paper~ t aid th
e PUC w1
·n be 'Fresh Receipts .
additional informat ion o
, . . . . . , . . l~tion . , ·. ·means and includ
es
. (34) 'Personal St to a fu nc tio na ry
Secretary/Private Se af f in ~e rson al a he r Ass istant ,
cr et Assistant,. Ste~ogrs
Clerk or any other cl ar y, :e ll ~s pe rsonal
erical staff ~p-po1'nted to assist him a
section of a Minister. , , .'. ·.,
I.
' .
- . . ication despatched
(35) 'Postal Com
mumcat1on , means a commun
.

by post and includes . ,. _, ..

_telegram .,- . , . ' . .
_(36) 'Postai d-~F - . .
'means . all dak ' re~eived '. . through Posts -d
1

Telegraphs Offic~s~ an
'- : ·~ ,~ ,.
·1 : , • '
. .· _(37) 'Receipt
s' means . d~k afte .t h been : received by
concerned section
or br
~ ' •, as th e
anch .office~. '\ ·-~
· Y1 )
. , (38) .'Rec~rd C -~
l~rk' means a clerk
alia, for typing and in a section r~spon
maintainir:'g in~ sl
sible, in~er'
aspects of rec~rding ips and for., look m
wo_r~. _') -~·-. ~ ,.,~- · _ -. g a~ er routme
1
,,,
1 ••
(39) · 'Resident A
-~ ~-
ssistant' means an A
hou·rs who perform ssistant ()~ duty o
during such hours. s the functions of th~ circula~in~ an ~tside Off_ice
.· · ::, · · ---.-- ·· · ; d issue s~ct1on
· 1 •• · ·
•
· (40) 'Recording'
the issue considered m ea ns the process of cl
thereon has been co osing file after acti
like completing refe mpleted, and includ on on- all
re es operations
changing th~ file co nces, removing routine papers, revisi
ver and stitching the ng th e file title,
file.
(41) 'Reference 1 _ .
folder' in relation
folder c~ntaining to a particular
a~range~ m a chronocopi_es of relevant rules, orders subject means a
. logical order. · , instructions et
--~'....·
-_~•►.:;
- ~ ·· , . c.
·.- (42) . 'Routine . ·not · ·
ephemeral importan e' -. ~eans . ·a note
discussion or a note ce recorded outside th e ~f t· ·
on a point of fl
1
a em poraryd value o r
faciliate consideratio
n of the case by hs_e 0nd ~, e.g. a rec~r of casual ·
ch aff importan
.. 1g er o ryseer s. · ce 1mtended to
(43) 'Running sum
summary of the fact mar~ : of: facts' i, ,
·
si·gns·f·scant developm
s of th e case upd t d fn_ -: . , . ·
en re la ti on to a ca se
• _ ts as andwh a eh rom ti me to ti·m m ea n s a
en t ey take pl ace. e to in co rp o ra te
, _
 Chap. I
l
5 1
INTRODUCTION

(44) 'Branch' means the basic Work unit within a department,

responsible for attending to items of work allotted to it. It is generally
headed by a section Officer/Superintendent and includes "Celf" "Unit"
and other like terms. '
_(45) 'Sectional note' means a note recorded on only one of the
many issues raised in the PUC.
I

(46) 'Section Officer/Superintendent' me~ns an officer supervising

a section/branch andincfudes functionaries like an assistant-in-charge.
(47) 'Security grading' means security marking 'Confidential' 'Secret'
or 'Top Secret'.

(48)_ 'Standing guard file' on a subject means a compilation

consisting of the following three parts :-
(a) a running summary of the principles and policy relating to the
subject with number and date of relevant decisions or orders
· quoted in margin against each;
(b) copies of the decisions or orders referred to, arranged in
chronological order; and
(c) model forms of communications to be used at different stages.
(49) 'Standing note' in relation to a subject means a continuing
note explaining, among other things, the history and development of the
policy and procedure, designed to serve as :-
(a) a complete background material for review of the existing
policy or pocedure; -
(b) a brief note for preparing replies to Assembly questions or
notes for supplementaries thereto; and

(c) induction or training material.

(50) 'Standard process sheet' means a standard skeleton note

development for a repetitive item of the work, indicating predetermined
points of check or aspects to be noted upon.

(51) 'Urgent dak' means dak marked 'immediate' or 'priority' and

includes telegrams, savingram, wireless messages and telex messages. ■
 CHAP TR II
Mac:hlnert of Government
2·
vests in theThe
G
Gover ner •- Th
· .
e executive power of the State formally
through officer~:~~or _a nd may. be. exercised by him either directly or ·
ordinate to h,m, in accordance with the Constitution.
3
th Govern· The Coun cil of Minist er. - (1) In the exercise of his functions
th e Ch' f o. r _is
· ai'd e d d . ~ by
an advise a Council of Ministers headed by
e .'e M1~1ster. In actual practice, the executive author ity vests in the
Council of Ministers . .
(2) The Council of Ministers generally consists of three
of Ministers, namely :- categories
(a) Ministers of Cabinet Rank;
(b) Ministers of State; and
(c) DE:puty Ministers.
. . (3) The Council of Ministers is responsible for shapin
g the overall
policies of the Government. In discharging its responsibilities, it somet
functions throu gh its Committees. imes

4. Trans action of Gove rnmen t Business : - (1) Among the rules

frame d by the Gove rnor for the conve nient transaction of the busine
ss of
the Gove rn~en t, under Article 166 (3) of the Constitution are :-
(a) The Gove rnme nt of Punjab, Allocation of Business Rules; and
(b) Rules of Business of the Gove rnmen t of Punjab.
(2) The Allocation of Business Rules al'locate the business of the
Gove rnme nt amon g its differ ent depar tment s which are assign~d
to the
charg e of the Minis ters by the Gove rnor on the advice of the
Chief
Minis ter. In relati on to the busin ess allott ed·to a Minister, these rules
also
perm it the assoc iation of anoth er Minister .o r Deputy Minister to
perfo rm
such funct ions as may be specifically assigned to him.
(3) The Rules of Business seek to defin e the authority, responsibilit
y
and oblig ation s of each depar tmen t in ·the matte r of disposal of
business
allott ed to it. Whil e provi ding· that the business allott ed to a depar
tmen t
will be dispo sed of by, or unde r the direc tion of, the Minister-in-Charge,
these rules also speci fy : - ·
(a) cases or classe s of cases to be subm itted to the Gove~nor
the
Chie f Mini ster, the Coun cil of Minis ters or its Comm1tees for
prior appro val; and
'
(b) the circu mstan ces in which the depa rt~en t primarily concernhed
with the busin ess unde r dispo sal will have to consu lt ot er

7
I

Chap. II 8 4-6
MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT

departments concerned and secure their concurrence before

taking final decisions.
5. Department :- (1) A departme~t. is_ responsible for th_e
formulation of the policies of Government w1thm its sp~ere of responsi-
bility and also for the execution and review of those policies.
(2) For the efficient disposal of business allotted to it, a department
can be divided into wings/branches.
(3) A department is normally headed by a Secretary to the
Government of Punjab who acts as the administrative- head of t_he
department and principal adviser to the Minister on all matters of policy
and administration within the department.
(4) A Branch is generally the lowest organisational uni~ in a
department with . a well-defined area of work. It normally consists of
Assistants and Clerks supervised by.a Superintendent. Initial handling of
cases (including noting and drafting) is generaHy done by Assistants who
are c!lso known as the dealing hands.
(5) while the above represents the commonly adopted pattern ·of
organisation of a department, there are ~ertain variations, the most
~ notable among them being the officer-oriented-system. In this system the
work of the department at the ·1owest level is organised into distinct
functional units, each manned by · an officer of appropriate rank who
handles the cases himself _and is provided adequate stenographic/cle,·;ca:
assistance.
6. HOD (Head of Department and subordinate offices) : - (1)
Where the execution of the policies of the Government requires
decentralisation of executive action and/or direction, a department may
have under it executive agencies called offices of Heads of Departments ·
and subordinate offices.
(2) Head of Departments are-generally responsible for providing
executive direction required in ·the implementation of the policies laid
down by the department to which they are attached. They also serve as
repository of technical information and advise the department on
technical aspe~s of questions dealt with by them.
(3) Subordinate offices generally, function as field establishments
-or as agencies responsible for the detailed execution of the policies of
Government. They function under the direction of Head of Department
o~ where the valume of exec~tive directi_on · involved is not considerable,
direct unde~ a depar~ment. In t_he latter case, they asf ist the departments
concerned m handling technical matters in their respective field of
specialisation. ■
 CHAPTER \11
Receipt, Reghtration and Distribution of Dak
7. Receipt of dak :- (1) During office hours:
(a)
dak addressed to Ministers/Officers by name will be received
by them or their personal staff·,
(~)
t~e re~aining dak of a department, wiil be received by the
Circulating Branch.
(2) Outside office hours, dak will be received :-
(a)
:iiiiii by Jhe addresses themselves at their residences if marked

"'"" 'Immediate' and addressed by name; and

(b) in other cases, by the Resident Assistant.
Acknow~dgement of Dak :- (1) The receipt of dak, except
8.
ordinary postal dak, will be acknowledged by the recipient signing his
name in fun and in ink with name and designation below in block letters.
The date of receipt should also be indicated below the signature.
(2) Where the recipient has to acknowledge a large volume of
receits, he should indent with the Under Secretary (General) for~, rubber
stamp containing his signatures, name and designation.
(3) Dak should invariably be scruitnised and marked by the
lncharge of Circulatfng Branch himself and the Assistants.
9. Registration of dak : - (1) All covers, excepting those bearing a
security grading, w!II be opened by the Circulating Branch.
(2) _On opening the dak, the Circulating Branch will check the
enclosures and make a note of any found missing.
(3) Urgent dak will be separated from other dak and dealt with
first.

Note : - Urgent dak includes all communications received from Courts

and Parliament/ Assembly Questions even if these are not
marked Urgent.
(4) All opened dak, as well as the ~overs_ of unopene_d Classified
dak, will be diarised and date stamped as per specimen below .-

Punjab Civil Secretariat Chandigarh

Received on

C.B. No. - - - - - - - - - - - , - - - -
Branch Diary No. - - - - - - - - - -

9
r

9-10
Chap. Ill 10

SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS
d O
ut branch-wise. To
(5) Th'e entire dak will then. be _so~e I habetical index of
facilitate this, the Circulating Branch w,11 mamtam an a P
the subjects dealt within each branch. . d b th
. f d 'k ·11 be registere Y e
(6) The following categories · o a .~• ·-
Circulating Branch in the dak register (Append~x I) · .
. nd telex/teJeprmter
(a) telegrams, savingrams, wireless messages a
messages;
(b) regi_stered postal dak;
(c) inter-departmental references;
(d) unopened inner co~ers contai~ing classified dak; and
·· · . · • d Members of the
- (e) · letters from Members of Par1,ament an · ·
Legislature. .
(7) All references from the Government of India, communicati_ons
from Courts and ParUament/Assembly questions etc. will be entered m a
Register in Form Appendix II and sent to the addressee immediately.
. · . (8) . The Circulating Branch wiU maintain one or more dak registers
as may be found convenient. The dak · registers will be in ~se fo~ the·
period of one calendar year only. In no case, however, w,11 a single
register be operated upon by two or more clerks. Where more than one
dak register is ··maintained each register will be identified with an
alphabetical code letter 'A', 'B', 'C'_and so on .
.(9) The Circulating Branch number assigned to the dak in the
appropriate place in the stamp affixed on it will be entered in the dak
register.
· , 10. Distribution of dak : - (1) The Circulating Branch will prepare
an invoice (Appendix Ill) separately for each branch to which the dak is to
be distributed. The dak, alongwith the invoice will be sent to the branch
concerned. The invoice, duly acknowledged by the diarist with signature,
date, name and designation below, will · then be returned to the
Circulating Branch, whe_re it will be filed branch-wise and date-wise.
(2) When a fresh receipt including afile is received in one Branch
·of a Department, and that Branch feels that it shoufd be dealt with by
another Branch of the same Department and such a receipt is sought to be
transferred to the latter, the Superintendent of the Branch in which the
fresh receipt is originally received should not return the same to the·
Circulating . Branch but should personally take the receipt to the
Superintendent of the Branch in which, in his opinion, it should be dealt
with: If _the Superintendent of the. latter Branch does not accept the
receipt, 1t should be brought to the notice of both the Branch Officers,
 Chap. 111 11
•
10
l
RECEIPT, REGISTRATION AND DISTRIBUTION

who may take a view in the matter. If the two Branch Officers are unable
to reconcile the differences, the matter should be referred to the senior-
most J?in~ Secretary or the Deputy Secretary/incharge of the Branches,
who will either settle the matter, or obtain the orders of the Administrative
Secretary, if necessary.
. The entire exercise should not take more than one day under any
~ircumstances. In particular:, lengthy notes giving reasons why the receipt

r
is npt .to be dealt within a particular Branch are to be avoided by all
concerned.
(3) The above procedure will apply mutatis mutandis to the dak
meant for Ministers/Officers which is acknow(edged by their personal staff.
(4) The Circulating Branch number on the receipt (see para 9(4)
above) will be entered below the diary number as a cross-reference. The
officer incharge of the Circulating Branch should make random checks to
s~e~ that corresponding_diary numbers have been given to all receipts
acknowledged as per Invoice.
(5) Urgent dak will be distributed as and when received. Other dak
will be distrib!,Jte~ twice a day at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Such part of the ordinary
da~· as is r~ceiv~d too late to be included in the last daily round, will bekept
re~ay for distributipn at 11 a.m. th~ next day. The officer incharge--of the
circulating Branch will ensure that, as far as possible, sorting registration and
invoicing ....of dak. :Js. ,,.completed on. the day of its receipt.
) -. -

. ·-:- lmpp~~nt and urgent ~ak whkh un?.er the orders of an officer not
below the,., rank .of Branch Officer cannot wait till the opening of office on
the next working day for despatch 'should be sent to the Resident Assistant
for onward transmission. However if such officer is not available, the
8ranch, Offic~r may. send papers _~o the Resident Assistant for onward
transmission and obtain ex-post-facto approval. . . ,.
.
, (6) : :The Resident Assistant, befor_e sending the papers at the
residence of the addressee will ensure on telephone that he is in station.
In case he is not in station, the papers may be sent to the officer
immediatei9 subordinate to the addressee, failing which, the instructions
of the sending officer, may be obtained, and failing that of the Under
SecretarY,-(G eneral) or Chief Sec~etary, as the circumstanc es may warrant.
f7)The JoJnt Secretary, Secretariat Administrat ion will ensure that
the Resident Assitant prepares a_roster of stenographe rs/typists/du plicating
machine operators avail~ble on specific holidays so that Governmen t work
can be attended to in case of urgency.
(8) Resident Assistant - This is not a whole-time post but an
Assistant who holds it, is granted a ' special pay of Rs . . 200/- p.m. for
performing the duties of Resident Assistant in addition to his own. Besides
the special pay, he is allowed the facility of rent free accommod ation, plus

•
 10
12
rRuc r10N S
Chap. Ill ETARIAT INS . An Assistant, who
SECR ain limitations. iat is appointed as
subject to certof the Secretar to do so, to deal
free electricity and ;a;e; f the workin:le, if called up~~n. He is provi
has a good knowle tghat he may be ~mmediate ~tten ded
.
Resident Ass itant so iring urge nt or ·denc • e.
with any matter requ hone at his res• . duties :-
'th staff car and telep f m the following ffice hours and on
w, He is required to per. or I ting Branc h . after ith o 'IMM EDIATE' d
~n
To visit the (lrcu ~ all dak files w equir ing immediate
(a) d
holidays an examind ne
see t a
h t those r
rned at their res1·dence.
'URGENT' labels a the officers concbe bastas or envelopes
.
attention ~r e sent to
houfd be put I~ . t dak ags, b d
Such dak fifes s ,, "Immediatoe,,, as thekcase may .. ,
e, an a
k d "Urgent or . h peon- boo . .
mar. e bt •ned for them '" t e ~nt to him or into the
receipt o a1 m~ and urgent _le~~ers s e Resident Assistant
(b) To issue_ all :re~~~ after office houfrs.t r;ps at his disposal for
Circulating ra 00 worth o s a · • h th
should have at least Rs.d2maintain a ·reg_ister ~h~w•~g _ow e
this purpose. He sh?~I . .: - - . . , , . .. . .
· · stamps have been utilized. - 'nten ded for · the C1v1I
·.
(c) . To take deliv ery of all . teleg
. h therams •
special deliv . - . t cf
ery
. . Secretariat in accor~ance ~Lt . d to deal with thos ems requ
ru. ~on
mng
-.- . sued to the Telegraph off ice a_~ . . ' . . . . . . .
IS · · - .
· · imm.ediate atten!ion: . - { . ff e hour /r~-quiring immediate
(d) To de~f with any case ou:~n~e~~e-nt or the Assista.nt · of t~e
th _
atten tion wh_ e n ~ s_
up . . ble It is · of. '
c
· · h cerned 1s not ava1 1a • , . oius e, the . duty of
Branc co_n . . the ,Assistant conc erne d to ~nform. t he
··te:i~~~:r~~~~s~t:i":n°:riting before he/sh~ lealies office that
he/she ex.pects·such and _s_u_~h case after_ office h~ur s or<:>~ the
succeeding day, if it happens to be a holiday._· _ . .
(e) To receive telephone calls made at h!s residenc~ and to _t
action,·where necessary. · ak~
· ·
. ; -Reside~t Assista~-t i~-not exp.ected to be constantly _a t hand
. He can_
go out in the evening to friends or for pupose~ of relaxation but he
should
not be absent from his residence for more than two and ·a half
hour s at a
time and that only on ra.re occasions early in the even ing. Whe n
he is out,
he should leave an intelligent peon at the hous e who is acqu ainte
d .with
his movements and who knows how to use the telep hone . While
away, he
. should make it a point of phoning from · the near est telep hone
to his
house to ascertain whether any calls have com e thro ugh for
him or
whether any telegrams . or Urgent or Immediate . dak files ·have
received neces been
sitating his hurrying bac~. :_ .
. , .. . _ , · .
: For th_is purpose tw~ peons are detailed·for duty every day before
and after office hours. . · · , ■
 CHAITTR IV
Receipt, Dlarisatlon and Submission
. 11. Perusal and marking of receipts :- (1) The Diarist will submit all
receipts to the Suprintendent, who will :-
(a) go through the receipts;
(b) mark mis-sent ·receipts to the Branch concern ed;
,, (c) separate urgent and important letters which, either under the
1
• • d~partmental instructions or in his discretion, should be seen
by higher officers before they are processed; arrange to have
copies of such letters made after registration (when spare
copies have not been received); submit the copy as 'Fresh
Receipt' and take action at once-on the original. The fact that
this is being done should ·always be indicated in the copy being
submitt ed as 'Fresh Receipt';
~

(d) mark to himself such of the remaining receipts as are of a

difficult nature or present any special feature5 requiring its
personal attentio n;
• J I -1-J

(e) mark other receipts to the dealing hands concern ed, and
where necessary, indicate urgency grading and give directions
regarding line of action;
(f) keep a note in his diary of important receipts ·requiring prompt
action or disposal by a specified date; and . .
(g) Submit the case to the officer who last noted on it, if it is one
returne d by another departm ent.
(2) All cases receive d back -from· officers will route through the
Superin tendent even if they have been submitted direct to the Officers by
the Assistant under paragra ph 30 or the departmenfal instructions in force.
The Superin tendent should mark those cases where further action is
require d as "Come back" cases to the Diarist who will enter the file
numbe r in the section diary. · . '
(3) On• each occasio n when fresh receipts,. or cases, pass through
the Diarist, he should mark in the diary,.the person to whom and the date
on which, they have been sent. Immedi ate and Urgent cases should be
sent withou t delay direct to the officers concern ed. In order that the diary
,)'
should be an up-to-d ate record of the movem ent of cases, Superin -
tenden ts and Assistants are responsible to see that all cases are passed on
from one to another in the office through the Diarist.

13
 Ch ap. IV 14
12 .
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS ~-

· . .. f tec eip ts in bra nch es :- (1) Eac

12. D,ansms_ 0 d" IV) This diary is a gen era lhchr bra nch Will
onolog·
maintain a branch _d,~ry <_APPse;f ~ve r~ des crip tion rec eiv ed in a bran'~
register of communication . 1 I
Entries in the diary should be consecutiv b d . ''·
e y num ere . .
. (2) Th D
. . t. will . dia rise in the bra nch diary all rec eip ts except
the followinge bef,an s
ore they are subm1. tte_d to .th ff
. e o ,ce rs. c~n cer ned or
distributed among the dealing ha nds :-
, , ·: (.-a ) ·rece,p • ·t wh··,ch ~ a class, are ade qua tely
s ,
register specially devised for the ( tak en Icarhe of by a
_PU rp~
. which are ent ere d in tele pho ne b,11 reg se ~-,8 · .te ep one bills
ister),.- . :::
~b) - ano nym ous and pse udo nym ou~ ~~m
,'.n~
instructions have bee n rec ord ed _by off nications on_ which no ·
ice rs and _~h, ch should
· be des troy ed; _. -, · ;: · ·. ' ·
• •
-
4..

(c) identical copies of repr~~entation~; ·sav e _the o ne

• '

.{ ..\ ~
~
.. re~eived first;
~

.
(d) · p~s t c~~ ies of telegra-~ s unless ; the _en dor sem
message in add itio n to tha t con tain ed ent contains a
m the tele gra ms ;
(e) pet ty con ting ent vou che rs suc h as tho se rela
or ove rtim e , claims of ·the staff,'r cla ting to nig ht duty
ims for coo lie hire or
- con vey anc e hire, chits asking for a~i cle_
etc ; s of furnit!-'re stationery
.. · ·r ..... ," ·
. . (f)' .o utli ne acknowledger_nents; .
·. ' (g) .casual leave applica~ions;

(h) cop ies of . mis cel lan eou s circ ula

rs, off ice me mo ran da extracts
etc. circulated by any section for gen era l app lica tion
lists, not ice of holiday~, tou r pro gra mm , tele pho ne
es etc ; , ·:·
(i) age nda · pap ers rela ting to Ass em
bly· bus ine ss on wh ich no
action is called for in the bra nch ; and
: , I ~ •
•

(j) any oth er typ e of receipts wh ich

und er dep artm ent al instructions
. are not req uir ed to be dia rise d. .
.·
, . - . , (3) i~te r dep artm ent al . note~~
- _. -de mi--~ ffid al ~-o -m mu nic ation~,
· tele gra ms or any oth er cat ego ry of
rec eip ts sou ght to be dis ting uis hed
from the ~est, sho uld be ent ere d in the
Branch dia ry in red ink .
(4) Papers ref erte d to ano the r dep
tim e the y are _received bac k. For tho art me nt will be dia rise d each
se ref err ed und er dia ry num ber s,
~owever~ pre vio us and late r ent ries
in the dia ry will be lin ked by giving
·

.
- ,a
 Ch~p. IV
15
11-14
RECEIPT, DIARISATION ANO SUBMISSION

the earlier and the later dia

ry numbers against each ent
(5) If a receipt is dia . d ry.
the date it bears, the entry r rise d~fter a lapse of more than 15 d f
. I d. d. k egar mg date .in coIumn 3 of the diaryayswillrom
encirc e m re m . be
(6) After stamping the d . .
the diarist should enter the b esighnat~on of the branch on each receipt
ranc diary num ber and date within the
stamp space. Th e stamp .should h
it .does not overlap any matt' owever, be affixed in such a manner that
er a1h" ready wn·uen on the paper. Loose
enc Iosures e.g. maps, plans et
should be kept sepe·rate but a c. tw ~ch cannot be properly tagged on
to diary No ......... ~ . 'date no e s ould be made on them, enclosures
identify them clearly. Plans a~d · · · · · · · · ·, so that it may be possible to
to avoid their getting torn. _., . maps should be pl_aced in a strong cover
. . . (7) . On each ~ccasion wh' ; f .. .h . . . . .
· the Diarist, he should
_ mark in th e~. res receipts, or cases, pass through
on which they have been s e iary ~e p~rson to whom and the date
day, in the Branch Diar it e~t. The 0 •?n st will total up at the end of the
th
the branch, retained b/th:e f e _receipts mark~d to var~ous Assistants in
5
at their own level. ;,1 . ': . _upe~1.nt~ndent or higher officers for disposal
... ·- , ~. ;

. • (8) The Su~e~inte·nctent will see that all daily receipts are pro~erly
d scrutm1se
· · and
d1ansed d . diary daily to see th at ·t
the ·
1 ·1s b emg properIy
mamtame an append his dated initials in token of scrutiny.

_13. Diarising of receipts received by officers :-The personal staff

of 0~1cers of the _rank ~f Und_er Secretary and above will diarise receipts
, received by their officers m the respective personal section diary
(Appendix V). .

14. Allocation of disputed receipts : - If a fresh-receipt including a

file is received in a branch, and that branch feels that it should be dealt
with in another branch or another Department and such a receipt should
be transferred to the latter, the Superintendent of the branch in which the
receipt is originally received should take it personally to the Superin-
tendent of the branch to which it is sought to be transferred. If the latter
does not accept the receipt, the matter should be brought to the notice of
the Coordination branch. When a diarised receipt is transferred from one
branch to another the Diarist of the transferring branch should obtain an
acknowledgement in. the section diary from the receiving_ branch D~a~ist.
The former should then enter the new diary number agamst the ongmal
entry in the diary. :The Diarist of the receiving branch will sim_ilarly note
the transferred diary number in his branch diary.
 15
Chap. IV . 16
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS

. · d"ately after registration,

1s, Movement of receipts : - (1) Imme 1. . t in the following
all the receipts should .be distributed by the o,aris
manner:-
.
(a) those marked to branch o ff"1c1a
. 1 h Id be sent to them
s s ou
without delay;
(b) those marked to officers should be divided into two lots one,
those received from -the Government of India, ~nd two, the
rest.
(2) Receipts submitted to officers will move in pads conspid.1~>'usly
1
labelled as 'Receipt Pad'. Their movemetlt and perusal will receive prompt
attention. - ·
..
(3) Fresh receipts transferred to officers outside the Secretariat tl>
be dealt-with by them in the first instance should be entered in the
branch/Personal Section Diary: and then ' 'marked off as transferred. This
entry should
.
be made in ink and should have the date added to it.
.

. (4) The. Superintendent will keep a careful watch on any hold-up

_m t~e mo~ement of receipts. The Diarist -will bring to his notice any
receipts which are not received back from officers within 24 hours. ■

~
 CHAPTER V
16. With a ,.· Action
I on Receipts
e_v~ I .1e w
s of disposal and t~ imp ·
rov e effi
-
Civil Secretariat the . q~icken the pac cien ..
. ' . institution of Record e of dc_y, minimise delays, cut-short
17- Ac tion by th I< ISPosal of cases in the Punjab
. eeper has been abolished.
e As sis tan t·- Th
(1) go throu h
rest; . e Assistant will :-
g the receipts and
seperate urgent receipts from the
(2) enter the receipts in the
. '
(3) deal with th
Assistants Dairy (Appendix VI) ;
e urgent receipts first .
. (4) , check enclosure
to obtain it ; . '
s and , if any is found missing, indica
te action
(5) see wh er any oth
aspect of a receipeth t and •t er
.
bra nch is
, so send c · con· cerned with any Part or
branc h for necessary action 1
,. , opies or re1evant extracts to that
(6) bring the receipt on to
..
a new file op en ed get a fil ba curr~nt ftle if. one -already exists or
column ·4 of the A;sistant' eDn_um get
s airy; er assigned and indicate file number in
(7) file papers in accordance with
para 28.
(8) assign the receip
terms of paras 33(1) and 33(2).t serial number(s) and page number(s) in
. · (9) d~cket the receipt and.
file remarks, 1f any, made by an off repro~uce ~n, the notes portion of the
icer on the receipt;
,, (10) with the help of file registe
standing guard files, reference fol r(s), indices, precedent books
ders etc. locate and collect other file
papers, if any, referred to in the rec s o;
eipt, or having a bearing ~n the issu
raised the re in ; es
.
(11) wh en a single reference is
quoJed in a fresh receipt, and that
ref ere nc e is in an oth er file, prepar
e a copy of that reference and put
with the fresh receipt ; up

· (12) bring the matter to the n~tice

wh en he is un ab le to trace a specif of th~ bra~ch S~pe~intendent
ic reference either m the indices etc
in the bra nc h diaries ; . or

(13) identify an d examine the issu

es involved in the .case and record
a no te, - vide paras 19, 22 and 23.

17
 Chap. V 1 7 -1 8
18
SECRETARIAT INST
RUCTIONS

(14) arrange and referenc . the case properly

e papers m , vide paras
29,33-34;
(15) where necess . dicating the urgenc rading
ary, attach a labeI m yg
appropiate to the case
;
(16) put up the ca • -h1'gher officer; an
se to the appropria te . d
(17) indicate the . ,
date of submission in 1 5 of th e Assistant s
Diary. co umn ·
The Assistant should ... . 1. th e initial back
note th e followin spec1f1cally mentio
g three heads befo
re
n d~ ·th l1arratingrgou nd
case
facts and o p in io n procee mg W I
:-
(a) Previous Pepers
,
(b) Precedents,
(c) Policy/Rules/Instruct
ions. .
The Assistant should
days. However, th e not ke~p any fr
receipts bearing 'Urg esh receipt for more th an six
are to be disposed of ent' or 'immediate'
within three days an gra~ings et c·.,
d th e sa ~ e day resp
18. (1) ~ction by ect,ve\y ;
Su pe ri nt en de nt :~ lh
~ Superintendent w
(a) scrutinise th e no i\\ : -
te of th e dea\ing hand
;
(b) finally dispose_ ,re ,I
..

~f rout~ne cases ; . - . ...

(c) take intermedia

te routine action ;
(d) record, w he re
necessary, a no te se
or suggestidns ; tting ou t his ow n co
' m m en ts
(e) submit th e case -
to th e appropriate of
ficer ; and
(f) indicate th e \eve
\ of disposal i.n th e.
margin.
(2) What constitut
action" in terms of es "r ou ti ne cases"
(b) and (c) above w or "i nt er m ed ia te
ill ro ut in e
in its departmental be specified by ea ch
instructions. de pa rt m en t
(3) · In co m pl et e ca
ses may be su bm
Su pe ri nt en de nt of it te d w it ho ut no te
a Branch may brin s. 'The
for or de rs at any st g up or su bm it an
age with or w it ho ut in co m p\ et e case
information or pr ec no te s if th e office
ed en ts to en ab le th has insufUcient
first instance, or , fo e case to be de a\ t
r any ot he r· reason w ith fu\\y in th e
s, are do ub tf u\ ab ou
t th e na tu re of
 Chap. v 19 1 8 -2 0
S
ACTION O N R-ECEIPT

h• h . n of this
th e notes be or prepa t'~n ,c . w,1 1 be required. The adoptio ot
co ur se is tte r th ;~ w
de lay rn g of ca se s to which the office cann
e
co nt rib ute anyth"mg useful.
a
Br an ch : - W he n the line of action onen
n by has be
re ce · 1~. Ex~minatiois based on clear pr ec ed en t or practice or
. d" rpt rs ob vr ou s or
ffrcer, an d a communication has to issue, br a draft
rc at ed by h · h O anch
wrnill b a •~ er
an y el ab or at e no te . In ot he r cases, the
. e P~t up w ithout
w 'h 1e pu ttr ng up a case, w ill :-
en to
al l th e sta te m en ts, so far as they ar e op
(1) se e w he th er
c h ee k, ar e co rr ec t;
ation,
es , m is- sta te m en ts, missing data or inform
(2) point ou t mist ak
if an y;
y
he re ne ce ss ar y, to th e statutory or customar
(3) dr aw at te nt io n,
w ;
ur e an d po in t ou t th e relevant la w an d rules
pr oc ed e
nt da ta or in fo rm ation available in th
• (4) furnish ot he
r re le va
y ;
de pa rt m en t, if an
early th e
~s tio ns fo r c~ ns id er ation an d bring ou t cl
(5) st at e th e qu
sion ;
po in ts re qu iri ng deci
(6! dr aw at te nt io n
to pr ec ed en ts ;
nt da ta an d informat
ion ; an d
(7) evaluate re le va
le , al te rn at iv e co ur se s of action for consi-
possib
(8) su gg es t, w he re
de ra tio n. e
ed fo r or de rs it sh ou ld no t co nt ai n m or
itt
W he n a ca se is su bm e Su pe ri nt en de nt is no t ab le to
ac ce pt
th e br an ch . If th
th an on e no te fr om
he sh ou ld re -w rit e it.
th e Assistant's no te , ts ar e
of fic er s :- O ff ic ers to w ho m re ce ip
er
20. A ct io n by hi gh
submitted will :-
,
go th ro ug h the re ceipts and initial th em
(a )
ith ou t
w hi ch th ey ·m ay like to di sp os e of w
ts
(b) re m ov e re ce ip or to su bm it to hi gh er o~ ic
er s ;
th e br an ch
assistance fr om )
be rs of th e re ce ip ts re m ov ed (vide (b
nu m
(c) enter the diary I)
ent Slip (A pp en di x VI
above) on the Movem
n to be
gi ve di re ct io ns re ga rd in g line of ac tio
y,
(d) where ne ce ss ar
ts ; an d
taken on ot he r re ce ip

- ..d
 Chap.V 20
[T ARIAT IN
SECR SlRUCllONS
~ - - -re_t_u her with mov
rn the receipts \"
(e) . ten d
to :~:on in term ement s 1p, ,'f any, to th
supenn e nt for s of para 11
(d) and 11(~
above.
ep proced
21. D arture from .norm~ 1n o ure of Rules : - In e
ther than triv very
whereda mao;or r or min · r ,nfracti
o boe m ' h ia\, of the e cas
rules is sough \\ x
Proce u. res
. n h t to sureadthe it s a be the respon 'b'\istineg
m
the dec1s10 aking aut tyf to en o ri at (eason s , ' ity of
warranting, su d parture rom the rules or p s dare set out in writing
ch a e
of fa c ts . roce. ures. •
22· Running summary\ : - 1 o facilita
obviate repea d apitu . a running te conside
te rec aeuon, summary of ration and to
pared an fi\e in a f . facts wi\\ b
pr:ry case indwp\ace~ ?n t~d t that suseparate o lder \abe lle d ..
ev h ic 1
h ,t ~ev, ch a summa as ~uch in'I;;

1•ts speedy disposa \• This sumemnary w\\\ a\so includerythwould contribute to

other de-partm ts consu d . the matter e advice or v
en lte m\t bu t not op,m . . iews of
officers within o n s f . d '
h developm a department. should be kept to- d t o mh 1vidual
ents take plac u p- a e, w ene"e
furt er e. r
23, Guideline t' · - (1)
s for no •;:~ld A\\ notes s
to the point;
. L e ng th Y bn
n o rma\\y concluhould be concise and
· out dearly otbe~ de
brmgm
Paragragphs of h ut nesfly· the points for c~nsid with a paragra-ph
notes s ld be seria\\y numh d eration or de
cision.
· h · b t'ou ere .
'2)
' T deevrecrona ,m reproduction of extracts fr
the paper un sideration, fre . om or parap .
pondence or n sh rece t, o harasing of
otes o n the same fi\e ordinariip r any , ot her
ly should no p a rt o f corres-
( ) When
3 passing orders t be attempte
. ·· o r . d.
h '
confme ,s note to the actu m aking sugge
reiterating the al points he stions, an o
g ro
to the· \ine of und already cov~re d m . . h p ro poses to m tiice_r wi\\
actions sugge t e pr~vm · ake without
sted m the p u s n If h
append his sig
nature. receding no otehs. . e agrees
te, e w,\\ m
(4) Any ~ffic erely
mary of fact is er, w h o has
avai\ab\e wi\\, in to note upon a fi\e on wh
to the appropri d ic
ate part of the rawing attention to the fa h a running sum-
summary with cts of the case
(5) Un\ess a ru out repeating , refer
n n ing sutm in h is ow n note.
or the \ast note
on the file itse ary of facts is already av
mary wi\\ be p
ut up with eve \f serves that purpose, a ai\ab\e on the fi\e
mary wi\\ bring ry c se\f-c
out briefly bu ase, submitted to the Min ontained sum-
pressed on the tc is
subject by oth \ear\y re\evant facts, _inc\u ter. Such a sum-
and the point o e r: d
r Points on wh departments, if any, cons ing the view ex-
ich the orders u\ted in the
of the Ministe ma
• lG) \f ap
parent errors r are sought. tter
p~mted out o or mis-state
r
~ ou\d bet takenif an opinion expressed them ents in a c
ase
anguage ree fr to couch the ob re in has to b e have to be
om persona\ re servations in co criticis
' marks. urteous and ed, care
temperate
Chap. V 21 23-25
ACTION ON RECEIP'TS

(7) When a paper under consideration raised several major ~ints,

which require detailed examination and respective orders, each point (or
group of related points) will be noted upon separately in se~ional n~tes.
Such notes will each begin with a list of major point(s) dealt with therem.

(8) Notes and orders will normally be recorded on note sheets.

(9) The dealing hand will append his full signatures with date on
the left hand side below his note. The Superintendent and higher officers
will append their full signatures with respective dates on the right hand
side of the notes.

24. Modifica tion of n9tes or orders :- (1) Senior Officers should

not require any modification in, or replacement of, the notes recorded by
their· juniors once they have been submitted to them. Instead, the higher
·officers shpuld record their own notes ·giving their views on the subject,
where necessary correcting or modifying the facts given in earlier notes. ·
In any case, the replacement or modification of the notes which have
already been recorded on a file when the file has been further noted
upon by others, should not be permitted. ·
• I
' (2) Where a final decision already commun icated to a party is .
found later on to have been given on a mistaken ground or wrong facts or
wrong interpretation of rules due to misunderstanding and it is propose d
to withdraw that decision suchwithir~walmay have· also·legal implications.
In all such cases; in addition to consulting the Departm ent of legislative
.Affairs, wherever necessary, such a withdrawal should be permitte d only
after ,he approval ·of an officer higher than the one who took the orighial
decision , has been obtained and reasons for the_reversal or modification
-of the earlier decision have been duly recorded on the file.
•
• • 4 • •• -·.

. . 25. , Noting on
files receiv~d ,from other departments : -· (1) If the
·referen ce seeks the . opinion~ ' ruling or concurr ence of the receiving
departm ent and requires detailed ex~mination such examina tion·
normally be done separately through routine notes and only the· final
will
result will be recorde d on the file by the officer respons ible for
commen ting upon · the referenc e. ·1he officer to whom such a note is
submitt ed will either accept that note or record a note of his own. In the
former case, he may direct that the note in question or a specifie d portion
thereof may be reprodu ced on the main file for commun ication to the
departm ent concern ed. In the latter he will record a suitable note on the
main file itself. In either case a copy of the note recorde d on the main file
will be kept o_n ~he routine notes for retentio n in the receivin g
departm ent before the file is returned to the originat ing departm ent.
 22 25-27-A
Chap. V NS
------~S~EC=R~ET~A:R::I A:T:_:l~N::,_ST:R~U=CT=I 0 ·: :~:~:---
=-:
- 1open SubJ·ectwise files each year in which
(2) The depar!me
nt wilt The interdepartment~ I not~ recorded on
such routine note~ ~1II _be kd: ~rtment will bear subJect file number to
the file of the originating :eir retrieval for future reference.
facilitate filing of papers and t . ·
uires information of a factual nature
(3) Where the reference re~dent or practice, the dealing hand in
or other action based on c ear p~:con the file straightway.
the receiving department may no . .
f1I is recorded by an officer after obtaining
. (4) Where a noter,~ a t~e fact that the views expressed therein
the orders of a higher 0 icer hould be specifically mentioned.
have the approval of the 1atter s
. . To facilitate' processing of cases, each
26.. Aids tol procedssm~i~tain ~he following records for important
Branch will deve op an .m
subjects dealt- with by it :-
.(1) Standing guard files;

. (2) Standing note ; · ·

(3)Precendent book ;
(4) Standard Pro~ess sheets (for repetitive items of work only); and
(5) ~efe~ence folde~s containing copies of circulars etc.

_ ZJ. ~ral discussions :~. (1) All points e~erging from discussions
betw~en · two 'or more officers of the same department and the
conclusions reached will be recorded on the relevant file by the officer
auth~ris!ng action. · _ , -
· · ·(2) All discussions/instructions/decisions which th~ officer record- "
ing them considers to be important enough for the purpose, should be
got confirmed by all those who have participated in or are responsible for
them. This is particularly desirable in cases where the policy of the Govt. is
not clear or where some important departure from the prescribed policy
is involved or where two or more levels differ on significant issues or the
decision itself, though agreed upon by all concerned, is an important one.
. . '
· · 27 A.. Oral instructions by higher officers ·:- (1) Oral instructions
should. not, as far as possible, be ·given by senior officers to their
su~o~dmates. Where an officer" is giving direction for taking action in any
· cas~ m respect of matters on which he or his subordinate has powers to
decide, he shall ordinarily do so in writing. If, however, the circumstances
of .t~e case are such that there is no time for giving the instructions in .
writi_ng he should follow it up by a written Confirmation as early as
possible.
 Ch ap . V
23
ACTION ON RECEIPTS
T/ -A -3 0

(2). An Officer
the exercise of powerssha ll, in the rf
confer ed
when he is acting under inst; P\.
ct~n
ormance of his official du tie , or
in
case, he shall obtain the direct~ •m . act in his best ;udgement except
carrying ou t the instructions and iono~
sms of an official surw-rior . In the
w ·r1 latter
obtain written confirmation h r~ ~g wherever,..-practicable befor
e
possible. If the officer giving thofwthere ! is n~! possible to do so, he shall
1

bu t on e higher to him in the h~ . st e d.1rect~ons as soon thereafter as

the notice of his immediate sup '" ructions is not his immediate superior
SJ ier~rchy • he shall bring such instru
en or as early as possible. ctions to
/ 28. Oral ord ers on behalf
member of the personal staff of of . .
behalf of the Ministe 't . . a Minister :- (1) Whenever
st a
immediately thereaft r•,f' sha ~" ' er com_municates an ora\ ord er on
ou be con
. d th ff er· • however• the confirm firm
ed by him in writing
ation in writing is not
re_ce,~e . e O
icer to whom the instructions
hav e be communicated
wil l mv
. . . . anably ge. t the co . nfirm. ation of th M' · t en
1 1
1~ t atmg any action.
This confirmation shoeuld be mis er ·m wn·tm
· g L.-
~
fore•
himself and no t by a member made by the Minister
of the personal staff.
(2) If an officer receives ora
the ord ers are in . accordanc l instructions from the Minister
e with the n'orms, .rules, reg and
pro ce du res , the y sh 9u ld be ulations or
br o~ ht to the notice of the
Secretary, for information an Administrative
d
Minister post, facto if conside getting the oral orders confirmed by the
red necessary.
(3) If an officer receives ora
l instructions from. the Minis
the ord ers are no t in ac co rda ter an d
nc e with the norms, rules, reg
pr oc ed ur e he sh ou ld see k fur ulations or
ther de ar orders from the Ad
Secretary ab ou t the line of act mi nistrative
ion to be taken stating dearly
instructions are no t in acco tha t the ora\
rdance with the rules, regula
pr oc ed ur e. Such ve rba l ord ers tions, norms or
sh ou ld no t be compiled with
wi tho ut ge tti ng the m confirm in any case,
ed in writing by the co nc ern ed
; Minister.
29. Co nfi rm ati on of oral ins
tructions :- (1) If an office
co nfi rm ati on of an ora l ins tru r see ks
cti on given by his su pe rio r, the
co nfi rm it in wr iti ng wh en ev \at ter sh ou \d
er su ch confirmation is sought.
(2) Re ce ipt of co mm un ica
tio ns from iunior officers
co nfi rm ati on of ora l ins tru cti see kin g
on s sh ou ld be ac kn ow \ed ge
off ice rs or the ir pe rso na l sta d by the sen ior
ff, or the pe rso na l staff of the
ca se may be . Minister, as th e

30. Ch an ne l of ·s ub mi ssi on :-
Unless 'o the rw ise pr ov ide d for
th e de pa rtm en tal ins tru cti in
on s an d su bie ct to_ No te ~-
ab ov e, ea ch ca se will trave ~low par_a 17{15)
l up to the ap pr op na te dec\Slon
thr ou gh all int erm ed iat e lev ma km g \eve\
els in the hie rar ch y :
 30-33
Chap. V 24

SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS

more than 3 levels

Provided .that no case shall trave I t h roug h
inclusive of the Assistant up to the decision maki_ng level :
Provided further that all cases directly submitted by Ahssi~tan;s to t_he
Branch Officer should · go back to the Assistant throug t ~ upferihn-
. f b -· g to the fnotice o tht e
tendent. The Superintendent will be ree to rm
.
Branch Officer . . or fl aw m
any omm1ss1on . t he su bmission o cases .or f e
decision taken and thus give the Branch Officer an opportunity or
reconsideration.
31. Direct submission of cases by Senior Assi~tan~s : - Every
Assistant in a branch who has more than ei_ght years service m the g~ade
including at least six months in that branch shall be required to_ submit all
his cases direct to the Branch Officer.However, in appropriate cases,
Assistants with less than eight years service in the grade may also be
permitted to submit cases direct to the Branch Officer.
All the cases directly submitted by Assistants to the Bran_ch Officer
should as a rule, go back to the Assistants_through the Superintendent.
The Supe rintendent will, however, be free to bring to the notice of the-
Branch Officer any omission or flaws in the submission of cases or the
decisions taken and thus give an opportun_ity to the Branch Officer to
reconsider the matter.
32. Examination and processing of cases in which two or more
authoritie~ are consulted : - Where two or more State Governments,
departments or other authorities are simultaneously consulted the exami-
nation and where necessary, tabulation of the replies will ordinarily be
started as soon as replies begin to arrive and not held over till the receipt
of all the replies or the expiry of the target date.
33. Filing of papers : - (1) Papers required to be filed will he
pune,hed_ on the left hand corner and tagged on to the appropriate part of
!:)
the file, viz, notes, correspondence, appendix to notes and appendix to
corr~spondence, in chronological order, from left to right, the latest being
at the bottom.

(2) Normally, each part of the file will be placed in a separate file
cover. Where, ~ow~ver, '~otes' and 'correspondence' are not bulky both
may be pla~ed ,~ a smglef,le cover by tagging the correspondence portion
on to the right side of the cover and the notes portion on to the left side
of the same cover. Similarly both the appendix to notes and append' t0
correspondence may be filed in a single file cover, if they are not bulk~~
(3) R<:>u!ine receipts and issues (e.g. reminders acknowl" d _
ments) fano routfne notes will not be allowed to clutter ~p the ff eT~e
will be placed below the file in a separate cover and destroy ~ e. hey
have served their purpose. w en t ey
 Ch ap . V 2S
A CT10N 0 N RECE 1pts ll - JS
--------
(4) Wh en eit her th ,
ndote s' or the ,
file bec om es bul ky (say , ex~ee s 100 corres
th
'V o I um e I' . Fur er pap ers Pag es) -1 . 11 P<)ndence ·
che upo "di on of i
ic~ n _the sub je~; 'YY.'1 be stit eu :~ marked
vol um e of the sam e file, Wh w,11 be ma rke d ~ • I be add
Vol u me II' and so on the new
34. Ar ran gem ent of p
. ape rs in ·
the f I a _case :- Th
be arranged bY the Assistant in o low ing ord e e Pap ers in ac .
r fro m top dow nw adse w,11
(1) reference books ,.
ar s : -

(2)notes po rtio n of th .
considera n ;
tio e current file endin g Wit h the not e fo r
.

(3) run nin g summary of fact . I

(4) draft for approval, if any ;.

(5) co rre spo nd en ce po rtio n f h with the

est rec eip t or iss ue, as the cas e mayobet_, e current file ending
Lat .
d
(6) ap pe nd ix to no tes an d cor re spa n enc e · I

ing no te f
(7) sta nd ing gu ard file, sta nd or re ere nce folder, if any ;
err ed to e
. (8) oth er pa pe rs, if any , ref ies or d .g. extract~ of notes or
s cop
co rre spo nd en ce fro m oth er file bei
O
~g er1s, redsolutihons, gaz ettes,
ch ron olo gic al ord er, the lat est t e top ;
arr ang ed in . P ace on
.
(9! · rec ord ed files, if any , arr an ge d m chr on olo ical ord er, the
; an d g
latest bemg pla ce d on the top
and ·
(_10) rou tin e notes and papers arranged in chronological order,
~ ··
l
placed ,n a seperate co ve r.

. Re fer en cin g : - Every page in each part of the file (viz. notes
.35 correspondence)
correspondence, appendix to notes, add appendix to
utive ly nu mb ered in sep era te series, in ink. Blank
will , be consec
numbered.
intervening pages, if any, will not be
Ea ch ite m of co rre sp on de nc e., in a file, whether receipt or
(2)
ass ign ed · a ser ial nu mb er which will be displayed
issue, will be r of its first page. _ ,..
y in red ink on the rig ht top co rne
prominentl
pe rs flagg ed the
"P.U.C." or "~ .R_. " th
. (3) In ref eri ng to th e pa
mb ers wi ll be qu ot ed inv ariab ly in the margin. O er
relevant -page nu
nt file will be ref err ed to by the ir page numbers only.
papers in a curre
 w111 oe tlagged with alphabetical slips for quic . k 1dentmcauu11. ~"'Y u11e
alphabetical slip will be attached to a recor?ed file . ilation. If two
or more papers contained in the same file or comp or c~i"1Iton are to be
referred to they should be identified by the relevant •page a b .
addition to the alphabetical slip e.g. 'A'/23(n), 'A' /17(c) and num ers m
so on.
(5) To facilitate the -identification of reference
in othe r files after the removal of slips the number oftothe pa~ers crnta i~ed
will be quot ed invariably in the body of the note and thefile re erre to
num ber, toge ther with the alphabatical slip attached relevant _page
indicated in the margin. Similarly, the num ber and there to, will be
notifications and resolutions and in the case of acts, rules date , of or~e r,
their brief title toge ther wiih th~ num ber of the relev and regu lations
ant secti on, rule,
paragraph or clause, referred to will be quot ed in the body
while the alphabeticaJ slips used, will be indicated in the '!f the note s,
margm.
(6) Rules or othe r compilations refer red to
in a case need not be
put up if copi es there of .are expe cted to be available
with the offic er to
who m the case is being submitted. The fact of such
com pilat ions not
having been put up will be indicated in the margin of the
note s in penc il.
(7) The refer ence · slips will be pinn ed neatly
on the insid e of the
pape rs soug ht to be flagged, when a ·num ber of pape
rs put up in a case
are to be flagg ed, the slips will be spre ad over the entir
e widt h of the file
so tht ever y slip is easily visible.
36. Link ing of files : - (1) If the issues raised in
two or more
curr ent #Hes are so inter -con nect ed that they must be
deal t with toge ther
simu ltane ousl y the relev ant files will be linke d in the
man ner indic ated in
(2) belo w. Such linking may also be reso rted to if a pape
r on one curr ent
file is requ ired for refer ence in deal ing with anot her
curr ent file unle ss a
copy of the pape r can be conv enie ntly plac ed on the
first file.
(2) Whe n files are to be linke d, strin gs of the file
boar d of the
lowe r file (but not its flaps) will be tied · roun d the uppe
r file and thos e of
the file ~oar d or flap of the uppe r file tied unde r-ne
ath it in a bow out of
the way, so that each file is intac t with all its conn
ecte d pape rs prop erly
arra nged on its file boar d or flap. ·
(3) On rece ipt back after com pteti on of actio n, the
linke d files will
be imm edia tely, delin ked after takin g relev ant extra
cts and plac ing them
on the linke d files, whe re nece ssary .

37. If, in any case subm itted to the Gov erno r Min ister
a note has
been draw n up, the Bran ch Offi cer or othe r offic
er first deal ing with , the
 •
Chap. V 27 37-38
ACTION ON RECEIPTS

~ase should either, accept that note or if he is unable to do so should put

it aside and write his own note. When the officer agrees with the
Preceding note or recommendation, he will append his signature and
nothing more. Marginal notes to emphasize special points may, however,
be made. In all cases in which note have become lengthy, the Secretary
submitting the cases should summarised them as brief as possible so as to
prese.nt the final note in thE:_ most compact f9rm for suitable orders.

f
38. Use of urgency gradings:- (1) Priority Slips:-

To .ensure that cases ol urgent nature do not get delayed through

over-sight, priority slip_s should be affixed on them.
The different types of priority slips are :-
(a) 'Immediate' or 'Top Priority' slips are to be used only in cases
of extraordinary urgency requiring instant attention by the·
person to whom they are addressed, whether by day or night.
Files so slipped should be delivered to.the person adctressed at
once. "Top Priority" slips should be used in very rare cases
where it is considered· necessary to distinguish them from
, "Immediate" cases. ·

(b) 'Urgent' slips to be used on cases requiring attention without

delay, and

(c) , 'Early~.slips to .be used to .mark cases which, although need not
necessarily be dealt with·at once, should be_given priority over
ordinary work. ·

When a slip is placed on a case the fact should be noted .with pencil
in the margin of the note, thus, ~

Top Priority
Immediate

Urge,:it

Early

Slip affixed.

It should be carefully noted by all officials through whose hands

fresh receipts pass, including diarists, that in the case of letters not marked
'Urgent' or 'immediate', it is their duty to supply the necessary priority
slip, where required.
 38
Chap.V 28
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS
er or box : - When an
(2) Markin g on outside of a closed c~v rnor · a Minister or to
th
urgent or immediate case is submitted to e ov~t or immediate slip as
any other officer in a closed cover or box, an u!je of the cover or_ box as
the case may be, should be placed on the outs• e
well as on the case inside. , · '
· · · Id that the different 'priority
(3) Alf officers and offiC:ials sh?~ ~ee nd other documents• and
slips are properly made use of on offici~I ~•le a 'd d as their profuce
st
that the misuse of _these slips ar~ ~•ct Y av~• ~i~rity slip should not
employment tends to defeat the o~Ject m view: p hich it was used
. be retained on a file after t_he particular .occasion for w . on a file,
has passed Superintendents and Assistants, before pass•r:idg · 5 · t '
marked with a slip to a Secretary, Deputy•Secret ary, or fun her etcret~ry
· 1 tion or t e re en 10n_
t'f'
should, therefore, consider whether there 1s JUS ,ca
or removal of _slip. . . . ._ . _.. ,
(4) . N~thin~ sho~id .be:. ;,.,ritten .on a priority slip· :-_To ~bviate
0

• -

· delay in taking prompt action on, urgent and important letters which are
required to be sent up _as 'Fresh Receipts', Suprin tenden t shoul d arran_ge
to have a copy of the letter .made af~er r~gistratio~ (wher,e spare co~,e~
have not been received) and should submit the copy _as ~- ~resh_ Receipt
and take action at once on the original. The fact "that this 1s bemg done
should always be indicated. _
-: . . (5) Jm",,,ediat~- communications . for iss~e :- ~he~ ~ co-mmun i-
cation is marked to be issued the same day, the Super intend ent/Assistant
should satisfy himself that it has actually· issued 1and shoul d not leave the
office until it has b~en despatched. Such a comm unicat ion if too late to be ·
· posted in the Post Office, should be sent to the ~ailway Mail .Servic e for
posting there and the late fee paid, if necessary. If it is too late to post it
even at the Railway Mail · Service, and the next day is · a holida y, the ,
Super intend ent/Assistant should personally entrus t this work to either thi
Resident Assis!ant or t~e Ass1stant on duty · on the holida y . or himself
attend the office for this purpo se. All such cases which have not been
despa tched the same day, shoul d be broug ht to the notice of the Joint
Secretary, Secretariat Administration. ·-

T~ese instructions also apply to the despa tch of imme diate files to
local officer. 1

(6) In order to check up h d I

printe d label in the follow in f where e ays actual ly occur , a sh~rt
file submitted :- . . ~ ~rm ould be ~ut up on the flap of every
5
' I .,. . .
__Calend~r _o f dates of disposal ·of a case : - . .- .

(af · Date of receip t of,P -U c· ,·nth

. e. . ··_
• · • 5ecreta r,at.
 Chap. v
29
-
38
--- ;~= ~~ ~- A: CT ~IO ~N
~O ~N ~R ~E C~ E~ IP T~
(b) Date of recipt of rev S~ --- --- -
· .
Department. p tous papers, if any, from the Record
(c) Date of Dispos I b h
a Yt e Assistant.
(d) Date on which ·th b
' as een dealt with by the Superin
(e) Date on which it h b tendent.
Deputy Secretary. as een deaI .
t with by Under Secretary/
(f) Date on which it has been dea
lth with by the Secretary.
(g) Timbe dt~ken in case of a bac
5u or mate office. k reference to the Branch or
.
(h) Time taken by F.D./L.R.
(i) Remarks, if any.
0) Period allowed for disposal of a ref
orence :
.· A Superintendent, Assistant
immediate case on the day it is /dealing Clerk should dispose of an
disposed of within _three days by received. An urgent case should be
an
two days by others. An ordinary ref Assistant/dealing Clerk and within
six days by an Assistant/dealing Cle erence should be disposed of within
rk and within three days by others. The
officials at the time of marking
fresh receipts to other officials sho
initial an d date the marking. uld
.· · ■

•
 CHAPTER VI
Forms an d Proced
uwe of C om m un ic
39. Fo rm s of at io n
W rit te n C om m . . . Th di
written communicat um ca t,o n . - ff
. e be ler en tEa
forms of
has a use and, in so ion th at may be used are d_ escnbedS ~ 'e n of ch form
me cases a phraseol
forms are given in A ogy of its ow n. pe th es e
pendix VIII. e
_
40 . Le tte r : - (1)
Union Governmen This form is use d f nd in g w
Commission Heads t, ot he r State Governm~n or co rr es ~; b Public ith th
Servicee
ts , th
statutory authoritiesof at ta ch ed an~ su ~r dh m at e :f f1~ Pun) ub lic en te rp ri se s,
ce s,~~tary officers
members of th e Pu , pu bl ic bo di es , h1g ran m g m , an d
blic generally.
( 2) The le tte r form is us ed w .
written in th e first he n de ta ile d in st ru
pe rs on to h . · ct io ns ar e se nt. lth~s
Secretary or R is t e o ff ,c er .p nm a rily ad dr es se d or
· ex ce pt th os e ofeg trar. · C om m un
a ro ut in e na tu re , ic at io ns for th e G ov . f to ,s
er nm en t O I d.
th e Ministry co nc er ar e always ad dr es se n _,a t
to th e G ov er nm ne d an d no t to th e D ep ut y or U ndd to th e Se cr et ar y 0
G ov er nm en ts an d en t of India, Army C om m an de er Se cr et ar y. le tt er s
rs
th ey will go ou t w Admin1strators, sh ou ld be is su ed byan d ot he r S~ate
co nt ra ry .' All le tteit ho ut an y en do rs em en t, un th em se lv es , ,.e.,
rs ad dr es se d to th le ss sp ec ia lly or ~e re ~ to th
ex ec pt io n of th os e
no te d be lo w sh ou e G ov er nm en t of l~ d, a, w it h the
th e ra nk of U nd er ld be si gn ed by an e
S ec re ta ry :- qff1cer no t be lo w
(a) co m m un ic at io ·
ns de al in g w ith m at
(b) ca se s of sp ec ia te rs of ro ut in e;
l ur ge nc y, so as to
. (3) A le tt er be gi sa ve ti m e.
may be aJ 'p ro pr ia ns w it h th e sa l4 ta ti on 'Sir (s)'
te , an d en ds w it h
th e w or ds , "Y ou rs or 'D ea r Si r (s)' as
(4) Official le tt er fa it hf ul ly ".
co nv ey th e vi ew s s em an at in g fr ~m a de pa rt m
of or de rs of th e St en t an d pu rp or ti ng
ex pr es se d to ha ve at e G ov er nm en t to
be en_w ri tt en un de m us t sp ec if ic ~\ \y
, "' r th e di re ct io ns of be
41. O ff ic e M e m G ov er nm en t.
in g w it h ot he r o ra n d u m :- (1) T hi s fo rm is us
de pa rt m en ts or ed fo r co rr es po nd
co nv ey in g in fo rm in ca ll in g fo r in -
at io n (n ot am ou nt fo rm at io n fr om or
em pl oy ee s, an d in g to an or de r of
in re pl yi ng to G ov er nm en t) to
co rr es po nd in g w pe ti ti on s. It m ay it s
it h at ta ch ed an d al so b e 4s ed
th ir d pe rs on an d ·s ub or di na te of fi in
be ar s no sa lu ta ti ce s. It is w ri tt en
de si gn at io n of th on of su bs cr ip ti on ex in th e
e of fi ce r si gn in g ce pt , th e na m e an
sh ou ld be ta ke n to it. W ri ti ng _in th d
se e th at pr on ou ns e th ir d pe rs on ,
ar e no t li ab le to ca re
(2) T he Se cr et ar b e m is -i nt er pr et
y in o n e de pa rt m ed .
G ?v er nm en t to a en t sh ou ld no t is
Se cr et ar y in an ot su e th e or de rs of
w it h hi m se lf , th e he r de pa rt m en t,
m ou th pi ec e of G as th e la tt er is , eq ua
ov er nm en ,. A cc ll y,
or di ng ly , in ad dr
es si ng
31
 41-43
32
Chap. VI
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS
randum is used :-
any other Secretary , the office Memo h . future ........ .
"ntimate t at '"
"The undersigned is directed to I By
Order
,,
Secreatry to Govern ment
: . lly ·used for
This form is genera .
1 nts of other departm ents
4~. Inter-departmental Note:- ( )
obtaining the advice, vie~s conc~r~en~e or ~~;:e:is ting rules instructi ons,
on a proposal or in seeking clanf1cat1on oh consulting its attached .and
etc. It may also be used by a depart~ ent w en . . versa.
Subordinate offices located at Chandigarh and v,ce .
.· , ' . h be recorde d on a file
' (2) . Jhe inter-departmental note may e1t er m of an indepen dent
th hould not
referre~ to another department or may take e ford
self-contained note. Secretariat files and connect e notes hs not ~
howeve;, be sent to officers and Heads of Departm ents, W O are '
part of the Secretariat.
The Financial Commissioners and the Legal Remem brancer , who
are also Heads of Departments, are a part of the Secretariat.
43. Trans~ission of office or' departmental notes to another office
or departm ent:- (1) Notes written in one departm ent or office and sent
to another department or office should not be sent out of the departm ent
or office of receipt, if they contain a,iy remarks to which it is possible that
any exception may be taken. If there is any doubt as to the propriet y of
referring notes to another department or office, the orders of a Secretar y
or of the Head of the office, ·should be taken. ·
·(2) Where general . consent has been given t~ the referenc e of
notes to an, office out side the ·secretariat, such consent shall not be
construed to apply to cases -in which the papers are marked "Confid ential"
.
and in no ...instance to cases ·- '

(a) in which the o_fficer to whom the notes are referred is

1

~ersonally -affected, or in which his official conduct is under c on 5,'d'era _

t1on; or

., (b) in ~hich emoluments or aliowances of any subordi nate of the

officer to whom the notes are referred are discussed; or
(c) in which the Minister incharge of another de .. .
which the officer consulted is subordinat h p~rtmen t to
_ opinion. · · · e as expresse d an

(3) C.a~e to be taken in sendin . · ·

reference is lo be made, the Superin ten:e~ut pap~rs and notes. When
select the papers which are to accom an t or Assistant concern ed shall
below the slip devised for the p·ui:pose. p y the referenc e and tie them
 Chap. VI
33
43-4 6
FORMS ANO PROCEDURE OF COMM UNICA TION
(4) A challan (list) of the
duplicate by the Diarist and papers to be sent should be prepared in
sep~rate note, and the du ,~:e copy sent ~ith the file, memorandum or
6
reminder should be fixed th te cop~ retained on the file. A date for a
received to the refer enc/ _eh~upermten_dent or Assistant. If no reply is
reminder, the papers sho ,;•~ '" a fortnight of the issue of the first
branch concerned. He s~oulde ~ut up to the Under Secretary, in the
ascertain the cause of th d eith er take the Secretary's orders or
should check the papers :ithe
have been returned.
?·
I
When a cas~ is returned, the Diarist
t e challan entries to see that the papers
(5) Files and notes in f'
be sent to the Ac mance and Accounts references may also
countant General but · h f h
references care should be taken that' paper:vaend m tt e ch~s~h of sue
reason ought not t0 b f n no es w ,c , or any
e orwarded,
refere•nces to the Accountant Generalareshremov
, ed and, wherever possible,
Id be ma d b
d
contame memorandum without sendingou e y means of a se If-
the file.
_ . 44· Specta ·~· · ·
cat,on of pomts on which reference is made :- In cases
of mter~depa,:tmental ref~r~mce, t~e ·department or office of origin should
state, with as_ much prec1s1on as possible, the specific point or points in
res~ect to which reference is made; and the department referred to should
avoid un-necessary repetition in its notes of anything suficiently stated in
the n~t~s of the depart~ent or office of origin. When matters are referred
for opm1on, the orders of the Branch Officer should be taken as to the date
to ~.e fixed for submission of opinions. The Superintendent,should put up
the case for orders on that date, whether the opinions have been received
or not aod as a General ru_le belated OP,inions should not be.awaited.
· 45. References to the Legal Remembrancer are regulated by the Law
Department Manual. Cases. referred to him for his opinion.or advice should
f'l definitely s~te the points on which his opinion or advice·is required.
46. Submission of drah notifications to the Legal Remembrancer :-
Under the Rules of Business, draft of Statutory rules notifications or order
s
have to be referred to the Legislative Department for opinion as to wheth
er
they are strictly within the powers conferred by the Legislature and
in
proper form as regards wording and arrangement. It is not the duty of the
Legal Remembrancer, under the rules to scrutinize draft notifications, etc.,
for ordinary errors or omissions. The Administrative Department should see
that no draft is sent to the Legal Remembrancer for scrutiny until the office
r
sending it has put it into what he considers should be its final form, so far
as
possible, and has corrected all patent errors in language, grammar, spellin
g,
etc., not only in the preamble, but·references contained in the draft, e.g.,
to
previous notifications. The officer forwarding a draft tE> the Legal
Remembrancer should also draw the Legal Remembrancer's attent
ion
specifically to the points on which advice is required.
I

47-49
Chap. VI 34
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS
· · - Whenever references
... 47. Opinions of the Legal Remem~rancer ·rders or for information,
are submitted to the Government of PunJab fo~ ; mbrancer has been
in a~y case if'! which the opi~i?n of the L~ga .e~e be sent with such
obtained, a copy of that opinion should mvariab Y II as· to other
papers. .This order applies to references to the Law as we
Department of the Government of Punjab. d
~
th O ff,. suite · -
48 Method of dealing with references in e ,ci co; rtm~nt
In every file referred by one department or office to anot er depa h Id
or office, the notes written in the department or office referre t~ s oub
(when this is desirablet be on separate sheets from the notes writtend
the referring department -and the conclusion only should be recor ~
J
unden th_e signature of the officer to whom the reference was mad~. T e
Department referred to may, if necessary, keep a copy of the notes m the
fil~ of -t~e initiating department ·with so much of the references as may be
necessary to elucidate the subject.
49. Method ·of dealing with references received from Non-
Secretariat Organisations (N.S. O. 'S.) in the Secretariat : - (1) Heads of
departments-and other attached and subordinate offices at Chandigarh,
which _deal directly -~ith the Secretariat without the intervention of an
~ttached offic;~ -m~y adopt the following procedure of communication in
all cases other than :- r

Establishment and personnel cases of Class-I Officers (cases of

promotion, confirmation, pension, pay fixation, increment,
seniority, disciplinary action, etc.), where action is primarily to
be initiated at Government level; ·
Appeals, review petitions and memorials which lie to Govern-
ment under the .relevant Service Rules, in respect of orders
passed by the Non-Secretariat Organisation;
Cases where action is to be initiated and completed at
Gover~ment level (this includes cases relating to, various
Committees references from the Government of India and
other State Governments, etc.,);
Case~ relating to Budget, Plan and Non-Plan Sche d
creation of posts; · mes an
Framing of enactments and rules thereunder amendm t
thereto, implementation, etc.; , en s
Asse~bly/Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha Questions and
relating to their Committees includin -. . matters
statements/compliance reports etc tot per~od!cald returns/
Committees; and · ' ., e su mitte to such
Cases involving co-ordination . h
Secretariat Organisation. wit more than one Non-
I . '
49
Chap. VI 35
CO MM UN ICA TIO N
FORMS AN D PROCEDURE OF
en
No te: - This procedure will not
be adoped in correspondence betwethe
autonomous bod ies , und er
a statutory, corporate or other par tment.
control of an Administr ativ e De

(2) The Non-Secretariat Org

anisation is required to send i\s
als in dup lica te in the form of a fully referenced note containing all
propos other copy of the note with orders
relevant facts and precedents. The the Secretariat Office for record
and
passed thereon can be kept in
reference.
of
(3) Cases received in the Sec
retariat Office under the system
and at no
with directly by the officers
correspondence are to be dealt the picture.
stage the Office _should come into
be
(4) With the exception of rea
lly immediate cases which should
fth
files should be sent in on e lot alongw
sen t by special messenger, all the reach the
r-wise in duplicate so as to
challans pre par ed branch office off ice closes. The Non-Secretariat
Secretariat . on e ho ur bef ore the
also
s sent up in a register which should
Organisations should ent er the file h a register will indicate at a glc1nce
en a file is rec eiv ed bac k. Suc
, '·. sho w wh Secretariat Offi'ce and the Secretary
can
·· wh idl files, if any, are stuck in the uld be received in the Secret at ari
ed ab ou t the m. Th e file s sho
be rem ind copy
Secretary, who would return on e
Office by the personal staff to the
the peo n bringing the files.
of the challan, duly r~ceipted to
the
(5) · The per son al staff of the
Secretary shall mark the sam e to
the work distribution list, wh o
pu ty/ Un de r Sec ret ary , as per
Joi nt/ De he is
ld. dea l wit h the file s im me dia tely, passing final orders; wh ere
--shou the m to
the m to the Secretary or mark
aut ho ris ed to do so, or submit . If the Joi nt/ De pu ty/ Un der
ers , e.g ., ' Fin anc e De par tm ent
oth er qu art s
eel s tha t mo re inf orm ati on is req uir ed or tha t certain point
Se cre tar y,l of
cla rifi caf ion , he sho uld sen d back the file to the Head
ne ed · Head of
con tac t, wh ere necessary, the
De pa rtm en t with his qu eri es or
De pa rtm en t on the tel ep ho ne .
fth e file s sen t to the Se cre tar iat un de r this pro ced ure sho uld
(6) · All :-
pas ted on the fla pp er of the file
hav e the following pri nte d slip
nch)
pa rtm en t _ _ _ _ _ _ Bra
(- -- -- "- "- -- -- -- -- -- De

Su bj ec t:-

Po int of Re fer en ce

will rem ind the Br anc h Of fic er tha t the file is to be

This slip
off ice .
dis po sed of. by him an d is no t to be pas sed on to the
r

Chap. VI 36 49
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS

(7) The personal staff to the Secretary 5 hou Id keep a record of the
files received in the following form :-
Date __ __ __ (in red ink).

Number (if any) Point of Action taken Date of return

and subject of reference (with date) to Non-Secre-
the file received i.e. submitted tariat Organi-
from the (Note : to Secretary sation and
Number and date marked to 9ther whether with
of the noting Department or queries (and
on the file may sent back to nature thereof)
also be given Non-Secretariat
here in. brackets) Organisation.

1 2 3 4 ·

On return from the Secretariat also, the files should go to the Non-
Secretariat Organisation in one lot, directly from the Secretari
at Office
(and NOT through Despatch section) along with a challan in _dupl
icate.
(8) It -shall be a violation of this procedure and a defa
ult on the
part of the Joint/Deputy/Under Secretary to send a file to the
branch.
Seeking assistance of the office is prohibited as more often than
not this
practice degenerates into routine and is c~use of delay~ besides
being a~-
unwarranted burden -on the. office. No shadow files, will be
maintained
.nor will there be any question of follow-up action by the Secretari
at.
(9) Files submitted by the Non-Secretariat Organisation shou
ld be
free from the following defects :-

(a) Absence of self contained notes explaining fully the poin

ts at
issue with all relevent papers.
(b) In bad shape, not properly arranged and referenced and
poHcy
papers and precedents not added. ·
Chap. VI
,
37 49
FORMS AND PROCEDURE OF COMMUNICATION
(10) To remedy these d f
should be called e ects, the Non-Secretariat Organisation
comprehensive self~C:~ai~ ensure t~at the files are submitted with
flagged or otherwise k :d notes with all the relevant references duly
made to wade throu1rb~II; s~.ra t the officers in the Secretariat are not
relevant portions It . g . y ' es or scan reference books to spot the
cases should be . dd,sdnot n~cessary that original are policy files or precedent
, . a e , particularly when these likely to be required
for referenc e m other I ·11 d .
de . . cases. t w1 o, 1f only relevant extract or policy
Th cisio7s and 0rd ers passed in previous identical/similar cases are added
va~fi~~ :va~hceNa nd authen_ticity of t_he extracts submitted should ~
Y e on-Secretariat Organisation.
the d ~e~urn~ng th e !iles to the Non-Secretariat Organisation forg remov ing
. e 1c1enc1es and,m completeness therein, instead of drawin upon the
~ssistance of the _Secret~riat office-.,to surmount the same, will itself by and
Y.. have !he de~1rable impact on the Non-Secretariat Organisations and
brmg their performance to the requisite standard.
(1 1 ) The offices of Non-Secretariat Organisation should maintain files
on particularised subjects and not on omnibus subjects. The latter is often the
~use of many papers requiring to the put up in a single file at one time.
•._,
Many a paper can be dealt with and disposed of without file and can be
receipt is o(' ;
p~a~ th~reon later when it is received back. Where the fresh
an •'!'mediate nature and ~nno t be disposed of without the file or where it
warrants r~i:1sideration of the proposals alr~ady made on the tile, the Non-
Secretariat Organisation should get ~ack the file from the .Secretariat Office.
(12)' The files originating in the ~cretariat and sent to the office of
the Non-Secretariat Organisation be dealt with accord(ng to the procedure
laid down above mlitatis mutandis.
In particular, t~ Head of the Non-Secretariat Organisation should
deal personally with the cases referred to them, and return them without
any avoidable delay. .
(13) When replying to a reference from the Non-Setret~riat
Organisation, the Secretariat may either (i).issae an official order ret~rn!ng
there with the papers and notes of the Non-Secretariat Orgamsat10n
s
making the reference, or (ii) Return the file with its remarks or the order
if
of Government. In the latter case, the Non-Secretariat 0Jganisation will,
the case is ttpe, draft the offical orders, which will vary in form :-
(a) When · no official letter from Government is needed and the
views of the Non-Secretariat Organisation are accepted and,
involve no matter of importance the Non-Secretariat Organisa-
tion will issue offical orders at once;
(b) In other cases it will draft a letter either_(i) from itself to Govern-
.,
ment in the Administrative Department tn such form as merely to
.
 ~ 19 -5 4
38
Chap. VI
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIO
~S

e a brief san cti on ing rep ly, or a brief covering le~er if

requir the Gc;,vernment of India; or
the matter has to be reported to rity as may be necessary; or
(ii) from itself to such other
autho
from the Go ve rnm en t in the Administrative Department
(iii)
t Organisation itself, or such
addressed to the Non-Secretaria y require.
other authority as the orders ma
d (iii), the file sha ll be ret urn ed to the Secretariat with a
· ,n cases (ii) an s in case (ii) or for issue of the
official
draft for concurrence or remark
I · letter in case (iii) ati on : -
off ici al ord er passed ah er co ns ult

I SO. Co mm un ica tio n of an official

e res ult of every co nsu lta tio n will usually be embodied int or de r will
Th , the Department issuing tha
order. When an order is issued it by an official en do rse me nt or Inter-
· simultaneously send copies of oth er de pa rtm en t which too k part in the
departmental reference to every and which is not addressed the reb y. A
er
- discussion leading up the ord margin of the draft to the eff ec t tha t the
remark should be added on the rtmental consultation. A similar label
pa
order has issued after inter-de issuing.
sh~uld be affixed,to the fair let ter
en do rse me nts to
ota tio n of Fin an ce D~ pa rtm en t ~d vic e in
are issued by administrative
. _;- . S1 . . Qu
t :-:- W hen san cti on_ing let ter
are
tha t de pa rtm en ance Department, an d co pie s
th the Fin
Secretaries after consultation wi nis trative branches sh ou ld qu ot
e the
to tha t de pa rtm en t, ad mi
_endorsed da te on the
ance De pa rtm en t int er- de pa rtmental advice nu mb er an d ich is
Fin
in its ab sen ce, · the Fin an ce Department diary nu mb er wh
subject, or files.
·
stamped on· the administrative '

ns ult ati on
'

Pro po sal s to the Go ve rnmen~ of India ma de aft er co be see n

. 52. ssa ry,
ould, wh ere co ns ide red ne ce
with h_e~ds of _Departments sh ent co nc ern ed , aft er th e pro
posals
ally by t~e He ads of De pa rtm
un-off1c1 me nt sh ou ld
e be en sub m, tte ~ !o the Go vernment of India. · (en do rse
hav unication). .
not appear on the ongmal comm
II I

Ini tia tin g off~ce to be inf orm ed ; W he n a ref ere

nc e is ma de to
th . G 53. ed from .
e~ ~: :n ~: f ln~ ,a for ord ers _ on a co m_m un ica tio n rec eiv
an :th ~;
~~ r:a ;:~
1
; . •~ req uir ed , tha t off ice sh ou ld be . _
informed, unless th ::• co ntr ary , tha t ref ere nc e to the
ia has be en m ad : he
Government of Ind
.. ·· ..
54. Telegram :-( 1) This f for co mm un ica tin g wi th ou t-
station parties in ma tte rs de m m ~ rs us ed
be a·s bri ef as an "b
•n,g pr om pt att en ti~ n. Th e· tex t of the
telegram should poss, e. -
. ..
(2) There are six gradin ~
f r us e in State
g o, . ur ge ncty ,au' tho ris ed fo
ram s, viz, 'SV H' Ex.pr ess 'M
Teleg os t mm ed · or
'I d· , an d Ordin ,
ary Th f •a e, Op er ati on Im me dia te'
. mme rat e
h;se gr ad ing s is reg ula ted by
the
by the Di rec t~r ate ~G ~~ e~ alt
rules issued ant
I

I ·....._ _. ',
0
Posts an d Te leg rap hs . Relev 1
I
!

;..
 -Chap. VI
:f 39
54
FORMS AND PROCEDU~E OF COMMUNICATION
extracts
S from th ese ru 1es are contained · A.
tate relegrams should be sent in , m . ppendix-lX. As a general rule,
nature of the urgency demand h' hOrdmary' dass, except where the
. ' s a 1g er urgency gradir11.
(3) Telegrams should normally be followed b
:~k;:.~~~;ei~ .
con~irmation. Post copies should invariaJy : "..,.":':.~;
a er t e message has been copied on to-the telegraph form
and actually sent to the Telegraph Office. On no account should be the
despatch of the message· to the Telegraph Office be delayed for the
purpose of making out the post copy.
. (4) State Telegrams of (Immediate' .and 'Ordinary' priority indi-
cations shou!d be signed by officers not below the rank of Superinten-
dents ~nd Private Secr~taries. Telegrams of higher priorities are ordinarily
to be signed by the officers of higher rank.
(5) All telegrams must be sent to the despatcher for issue, except in
the case of those issuing from Ministers which are despatched by their staff,
who maintain separate stamp registers. The despatcher will carefully calculate
what amount is to be paid for their transmission and then affix the necessary _
service stamps by way of payment, and keep the receipts as his vouchers. He
will maintain a · separate despatch register for telegrams. The telegram
number will be the serial number in the register with the addition of the
index letter of the department or branch from which the telegram issued.
The system of numbering telegrams in the same way as letters is not
only inconvenient but expensive.
. (6) In affixing stamps to telegrams, care should be taken to use the
smallest number possible. If any officer is compelled to send a telegram ~t
a time when he is temporarily without service stamps, he should pay for it
in cash and the receipt granted to him will then state the value of the
telegrams, but will not bear on it the word 'State'. The value of ~he
tele ram may subsequently be recovered from Government, the officer
con~erned submitting as his voucher the receipt ~f the telegram, together
. with a certificate signed by the Head of the office th~t the telegram was
sent on State service~ and that cash payment was unavoidable.

(7) Drafting of Telegrams :- State t~?:;:~=:~!:::.:t~;

extreme precision is important: be ex~es:ehich can obviously be fil\ed in
and mere auxiliary or conne~avedw;~ spractite of 1nduding in the telrt o!
by the receiver, should be om•tt~ . _e of all the officers to whom the
•
State mult1p1e te1egra
ms the des1gnat1ons
.
. •
be resorted to, save an except1ona
\
telegram has been repeated as not to Care should be taken that
special reasons. · h ame
circumstances an d for. . which a ·letter would serve t e s .
telegrams are not sent m ca~s inOfficers should regard it as part ~lt~~•r
purpose equally well. Cont~o ;"!nneces~ry telegrams, and all aut ont1es
duty to check the despatc o .

.'
 54
,40
Chap. VI
NSTRUCTIONS
- - - - -~ -~SE~C
::R:ET~A~R:l=A~T=': · : ~
-
. telegrams,
riodical reports by should, fr~mbytim le
e to time,
:'~ i~ ~~ = :Uestion w h: ission of the rePo r th tter would
e reference
not be sufficient. The su ~r ta ~~ ~b ;l a te le sr : a~r~: :e a~ th e r~fe_
number of which is quot J h uld not be stat . .. n of a descnpt1 r~nc~
ed,. on o
number unless the tel~:r~ s s~ short that th e om•.~~•~ contractions such as
the subject would be h e ~~ s caus e confusion. _Fa:;
're', 'recd', 'para' as_wel~y ognized abbrev1at h~esignations should be
Id always
freely utilised . Register s ~=~graphic addressesbe s peouated to a nube used
where such exist, the sam ram should not m be r of
~ teleg r~
_ f ab solute necessity.
differe-nt. persons ex cept m cases o
. t be
.
sp ec
;
ial de.d against ar e · ·-
The three_points O ly guar
h n
g t e is warranted.
•
(a) giving higher urgen cy gradm
(b) undue pro I1x1 • • • messages· and
ty m '
(c) the sending of at e I w uld se rv e th e sa m e
egram hen a letter w o .
purpose. .
. .
. h ·t is desired, s hou Id be tra ns m itt ed by t
, State telegrams, whic. , •. .
wireless should be ar th e ind1cat1on_' By wireless' in th e sp ac e for spec1a . I .~-
.
instructions. •. ·-.
. .
{8) M od e of repeat
ing addresses :- A ft er h t xt of th e te le gr am ' ·
I .

·· insert as un de r: - t e e
· .
~ "~ddressed - {here en te • dd
r th e ab br ev ia te d te le gr
of th e addressee) Repe ap h~ a b~ess -
viated address or addrated -{ he re simil~rly en te r t : a :~ ;
esses of th e officers
telegram has been repeat to w om . .
ed) Ends".
Illustration :-
. .
(fext of th e telegram) sto
p~
Addressed · Deputy Co
mmissioner, Ju llu nl ur
repeated Commissioner, an d Amritsar
Ju llu nd hu r" .
(a) The despatch at th
e publ
matter connected with lea ic ex pe ns e ot te le gr am s on private
ve, pay, pr om ot io n or
_any ot he r matter of a ap po in tm en to r
private ch ar ac te r, is str
All $uch te le gr ap hi c m ictly pr oh ib ite d.
essages m us t be pa id
sending th em , unless it fo r by th e pe rs on
is perfectly cl ea r th at th
public service will be e -i ne re st s of th e
injuriously af fe ct ed if
!"essage in qu es tio n is th e pa rti cu la r
no t se nt by St at e te le gr
am .
(b)_ Su pe rin te nd en ts ar
e he ld re sp on si bl e th at
(General) is in fo rm ed th e U nd er Se cr et ar y
of th e am ou nt s to be
telegrams wh re co ve re d fo r
· of officers. ich have be en de sp at ch ed on th e pr iv at e ac
· co un t
 Ch.ap. V I
: =R:,Ms AN 0 PROceo
◄1
-- -- .. .. .: _FO 5 5 -6 1
URE OF CO M
SS. Te l MUNICATION
m en ts having te", Messa se ·- I
n ur an d i -------
•
·1·lt1es ma• Re nt
in communicatie ex fa. c1 ou nd a telex mmporta nt matters de
ng With t- st a/ sePa es ~g e instead of ~ I
J>an-
. on ni es . e ~m
ti S6 . O ffi ce O rd is form .
fo r in te er ·, - Th all y · .. _..,
d~n~b m eanntof w k rna admin'istrat,o . isnnorm u ~ for issui ng .•nstru-
,str, utio or amon g offic .
ers and • ~- 8., gr ant of
S7. 0 d se cti on s. regular leave,
is f .
sanct· ns, for,., co er : - Th orm is ge
- • m . ancial
.. ......., io
•~ ~~ g Go ve rn ':::;~ ~y o~~ed f_or _issuing fin
etc., to th e official c:
~:
. ers •nd,sciplinary cases ,
. 58. Notific·~t ,· Th' form is used.
.. o n.·- ,s
d d in no f fy· tion
f
offstat ut or y ru le s an ore e~s, appointments and , mg t~e promulga tted
h th ions of ga ze
o ,c er s, et c. , th ro ugof o~ er nment Gazett promot position of the
G az et te , th e ty pe s d: The ~om
st ru ct io m a~ter to be pu bl is he d section
th er eo f, th e in
or se nd in g th e m atternf eac ~ rtati~n on therein
es ~~ •c
an d fo r se nd in g. co pi , er eo f are indicated in A or p~x-X.
is f . ppend1
so lu tio n : - Th ic a
59. Re
s of G ov er n · m or ~ ,s used for making publ nnounce-
m en t of de ci si on rt
en t m impo a_nt matters of policy, e.g., the
y f ation
, po lic ~
• t,:-an·s po rt nationalis • ' appointment of committees t~ ;
ir y R 1 ed in
are also usually publish
c
comm1ss1ons of entequ . . es o ut ,o ns
Governme_nt G az et
iq ue /note . ,__,;, h. - rm .1s used when it is
60. Pr es s co m m un
id e publicity to a ·d
!_ ,s fo
t. A press
pr op os ed to gi ve w e formal in h ec,s,on of Goovernmen
co m m un iq ue is m
or d is
in ta ct b~ tr ac te r than a press note an r
od uc ed te on th e ot he
ex pe ct ed to be re pr rv e as a h d e press.hAe prpresesssno w h· h d'
ed to se t to t it,
ha nd is in te nd · · · an
fit.
ou ic m ay e
it, as de em e
_ d
co m pr es s._o r·e nl ar ge

.I ·
cf ·r
o f G ov er nm en t de cisions departmental •: ;
61. Publicity
at io ns D ep ar tm en t' should be uti~iz;~
R el
1 etc. : - _(1) The_ Public D ep ar tm en ts as th e sole agency for publicizing
of rtaking
Secretaries an d H_e~ds th e D ep ar tm en ta l activities an d unde
ons or ts will have
G ov er nm en t dec1s1 th e ac cr ed ite d press co rr es po nd en
. W he re as elicit any
ha vi ng ne w s va lu ~
ac ce ss to th e Min'"i
sters aiia·$ecrefaries···of m
-th e· Departments .to
un ic at io n with th e pr
ess would
ch an ne l of co m
di na ry on, any
in fo rm at io n, th e or ep ar tm en ts . W he n, for any reas
io ns D a
be th e Pu bl ic R el at ven to th e 'Press C or re sp on de nt s di re ct by
en · gi pp lie d to
in fo rm at io n ha s be er nm en t, a co py of it sh ou ld be su
ar y to G ov ar tm en ts
M in is te r or .a Se cr et ns w ith th is in tim at io n. All th e D ep
at io
the D ir ec to r o f Public
R el hich
Pu bl ic R el at io ns D e~ ar tm en t mctterial w
sh ou ld regularly su
pply to th e w1 !h th ~ Hea~s of ~h
e.
ic ity . It re st s
pu t fo r pu bl n _of material, w_h1ch
is de si re d to be up on th e s
. el ec tio
ne d to de ci de ~ta1ls of
D ep ar tm en t co nc er e sh ap e of facts an d figures, or_d
in
may be th e na tu re
t'
of da ta ,
o r ,·n th e
in th
pl an ni ng
• •
st ag e. A ft er re ce iv in g the
, h ,·n ec u to n
sc em es ex

· .-- .,, i>AS. Nogar

I
j,
-
J

61
42
Chap. VI
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS
. ·11 d 'd to which med ium or
Rela~1ons w, ec, e ~d be t ken to mould
material, the Director of Public ha uld ordinarily
media would be suitable for publicity and step
the material into shape. All material intended for
s wou
ii
the press oh. to have it
p.m. to ena e d•~ the press
reach the Director of Public Relations before 2 led and release O . I
translated into Hindi' Pun jabi or Urdu, cyclostyyth • to be of exc ept, ona
. . f h . mg . be
the same day for publ1cat1on. I t ere 1s an ra~
after 2 p.m., It
importance necessitating immediate release s over the te ep one ~
Rela tion
communicated to the Director, Public ,,,._, ~
pho ne message.
followed by a note in writing, confirming the tele
ute one of the officers
(2) The Director of Public Relations will dep
erial from each Dep art~ ent
to visit and collect the necessary publicity mat
the Department (or an off,c~r
regularly. The officer will contact the Head of
etary to Gov ernm ent and , ,f
dep uted by him for .this purpose), the Secr
The Heads of Departm~nts (or
necessary even the Niinister, for this purpose.
Secretaries to Gov ernm ent
officers dep uted by them for this purpose) and
for publicity pur pos e whe n
are expected to supply the material meant
se officers will also brin~ to
approached by the Public Relations Officers, The
ries-ete::., criticism appearing
the notice of the Heads of Departments,Secreta
bte-·tfie fatter to take suitable
in the press abo ut their Departments fo- ena
lic.
action or to give correct information to the pub
(3) The Heads of Departments sho uld
refrain from giving press
l), as they are likely to draw
interviews (unless thes e are absolutely essentia
them into unnecessary controverses.
(4) It will be the duty of the Sup erin tend
ent or the Assistant, who
a ce of the Secretary as early a
is dealing with case, to bring it to the noti
to have publicity value. The
stage as possible, that ·the case is likely
uld put up a brie f sum mar y
Sup erin tend ent or the Assistant incharge sho
Director of Public Relations
to the Secretary, which could be sen t to the -f)
for advance information, whe re possible. This
will give the Dire ctor of
best give publicity to the
Public Relations time to con side r how he may
es be und ersi rabl e to issue -
decisions of the Government. It may sometim
lic Relations, but in all cases,
advance information to the _Director of Pub
lly issue, the Dire ctor of
whe re a Com mun ique will probably eventua
re hand. The press gen eral ly
Public Relations should be informed befo
l properly with a Gov ernm ent
nee ds some background befo re they can dea
a technical mat ter. They can
com mun ique on what may be som e time
Dire ctor of Public Relations
only be prov ided with, this bac kgro und if the
he is kep t properly informed.
knows it himself, and he can not know unless
d of Dep artm ent dec ides
When the Administrative Secretary or a Hea
Public Relations, he sho uld
to sen d any doc ume nt to the Director of
ss dire ctio ns to the cou ntra ry
assume that the Director will publish it, unle
uld, ther efor e) be take n to .
are specifically con vey ed to him. Car e sho
erial sup plie d is for adv anc e
app end a note to the effect that the mat
 6 1 -6 3
C h ip . VI 43
ION
S AND PROCEDURE OF COMMUNICAT
FORM
at io n at this st h
m at er
.
ia l sh ou ld be, therefore, clearly for
informd at th ~ge, · su~ ' or (ii) 'confidential an
marke th r 'p ub lic ity
informatio te to p e: er (•) fo
in di ca tio n sh ou ld also be given if y
clea r ential.
po "; n a pres~nt • A lie d sh ou ld be treated as confid
er ia l su pp
Qn of the mat hen a Department
ve rti se m en ts ; - W
o_ f of fic ia l ad wspapers it
or . (S) _Publicat f1c1al advertisement to be inserted in ne
ion.
h of:•ce wishes an of osing with
nd _to th e D ire ct or of Public Relations enclth e nu m be r
nt
:h ;~ n~ se an in decopies of th e draft of th e advertisement gether with
as
en t as m an y se rte d, to
f
w hi ch th e ad ve rti sement is to be in ct or of Public
0
. new~~apers
in e of fic e of the D ire
for record in th ement in th e
:n a~ditional copy range for publication of th e Advertis spapers
elations, who will ar ct~d from th e approved list of new d after
sele s an
~e ~s p~ pe rs to .be e will receive th e bills of th e newspaper d forward
H
~mt~med_ by him. t their correctness, countersign them an
ou
satisfying himself ab e indenting officer concerned.
t to th
th em for paymen no t to be supplied to
private
bl ic ity pu rp os es is in
(6) Papers fo r pu of of fic ia l pa pe rs to a private person
persons :- .- As co
mmunication m ay be offered, pape
rs that
w ha t gu ar an te es s,
fact publication, no m
atter
rp os es sh ou ld , un de r no Circumstance
for publicity pu ritten approval in ea
ch case
ar e m ad e available on s w ith ou t th e w
ate pers .
be su pp li ed .to priv de pa rt m en t concerned. , •
th e
of th e Secretary in ~•
I
,t •

is us ed w he n a pa pe r has to be .
•
is fo rm
62.. : Endorsement'
::~ Th
th e. pa pe r in or ig inal or its copy is ·
to th e se nd er or ation or action. It is
also
re tu rn e~ in original fo r in fo rm
pa rt m en t or · of fic _e arded to ~
se nt to an ot he r ~e m un ic at io n js pr op os ed to be forw
us ed w he n a co py
of a· co m
it is ad dr es se d. It will no t normally be
th e on e· to which e G ov er nm en t or
th e
pa rt ie s ot he r th en es to ·o th er St at
ic at in g copi th e Punjab
us ed -i n co m m un fic er s w ho ar e no t su bo rd in at e to
G ov er nm en t of In
dia, or of
fo r su ch co m m un ic at io n sh ou ld be a
ap pr op ri at e form sanction to ex pe nd
it ur e
G ov er nm en t. T he ab G ov er nm en t's
ey in g Punj
le tt er . Letters co nv to th e A cc ou nt an t General
.Punjab.
en do rs ed
sh ou ld always be be in letter, office m em
or an du m
) C irc ul ar s m ay
63. · Circulars:- (1 .to th e re qu ir em en t of th e
case; th ey
rd in g
or en do rs em en t fo
rm , ac co
of th e sa m e na tu re on ly in be in g
ry co m m un ic at io ns
di ff er fr om or di na ts or pe rs on s. Wh~n decisions of
er al de pa rt m en ha ve to be co m m un
ic at ed
ad dr es se d to se rv ra l ap pl ic ab ili ty
de rs o f ge ne te rs which ha ve be
en th e
G ov er nm en t or or r im po rt an t m at
licy o~ ot he rm. .
on qu es ti on s of po ir y, th ey sh ou ld be in th e circular fo
on or en qu
su bj ec t of discussi en su re th at circulars
ar e no t
ou ld be ta ke n to on ly
(2) . G re at ca se sh ch qn e is se nt to th os e au th or iti es
el y, bu t th at ea s ;is
is su ed in di sc ri m in at er n . . T he di
_ st ri bu ti on li_st of circul~r
ed ia te ly co nc llo w ed m an y ca se
m its
w ho m it m ay im m is is no t. t~ be fo
en di x XI. If th cl ea r in st ru ct io ns _t
o th e
co nt ai ne d in A pp is ta nt s sh ou ld gi ve
de nt s or Ass
en ti re ly , Su pe ri nt en to w ho m th e ci rc ul ar is no t to
go .
e of fic ia ls
de sp at ch er as to th
r

63 -65
44
=-N_s _ _ _ _ _ __
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCT.10
Chap. VI
. nations of the Register of the
ames nor the des,~ ncial Commissioners, should
(3) Neither th: ~cre taries to th~ f•:a convey an order or orders
0 th be communicated
High Court, nor f of any circular whic~ 1Jr should
ressing the circular
be put in the heat~:~ it is desired thatda bc,r~~ne by add
the Registrar. In the
of Governmen~ the High court it shoul d ersement to
to the Ju~ghesco rt or by.mea ns of_ an en ldo be done by. inter-departmental
to the H1g ou • ners ,t shou
es.
case of Financial Comm1ss10 h Administrative Secretari
reference, as in the case of ot er h uld be supplied with copies of
rict and Session Judges s ~
(4) Dist h. h they are concerne .
.

all circulars wit h w ,c Head of Departments should

. I addressed to Secretaries.
(5) All c,rcu arsto Admm, . ·strative
· b d sed Th' form is used in correspondence
invariably e en or _ 1
64. Demi-official l~tter :for( 1n i~:ercbange ·or
communication of
between Governm~nt o~f,c ers the formality of the prescribed procedure.
th ter should receive
opinion or information w, o~t . d sired that a mat
It may. ~lso b~ used wh h~nd!t .d,sua Ieadd ressed. Communications to non--
ersonal attention of t e m ,v, . .. .
~fficials also can take the form of a demi-off1c1al letter.
· . · .
writ ten .
m the first person in a personal and friendly tone.
(2) It ,s
(3) Den1i-official letters are . used ·to supp
l~m~nt or explain a
1t 1s proposed so to
matter whith has been referred officially or which
ely to supplement
refer. Demi-officiakorrespondence is also used, not mer
cases whe~e sec re~
or explain, but in place of official corresponden~e in
and occasionally m
is essential, in certain classes of personal questions,
cases of great urgency to save time.
(4) Where instructions have been given in the
first instance demi-
instead of an official
officially ~or where a demi-official letter has been used
plementary official
letter because of the urgency of the case a sup
lly be very brief.
communication should be sent. The official letter may usua
(5) Where it is considered that a final reply to
a· demi-official refer-
nowledged promptly
ence ~an_ not be sent speedily, it should at least be ack
ing an interim reply
andthwithin ten days of the receipt at the out set by send
a final reply will be
to ~ eff7ct th_at !he matter is engaging attention and be specified).
sent s ,ort y, or rs likely to take some time (which should
65. Telephonic Comm · • ly routine matters
. not warranting a written com umc~ltl~ns : - (1) In pure
may communicate
with local parties over the tele;~;~:~tion, departments
. (2) In matters of extreme ur may communicate
with other parties, both loc~I and genstcy,_departments
out- ation, over the telephone. Where
necessary, such commun,· ca t·ions may
cat·ion ·'" the appropriate form. be f0 II owed b y ·a written commum·-
 Chap. VI
l
45
FORMS AND PROC 65 -6 7
EDURE OF COMMUNICATION
(3)
calls. The provisions of ara 5
p 4 also
apply to official telephonic trunk
(4) Resort to tele ho
regulated by the instru~· ne ~ru
nk calls (including STD calls) will be
Departr:nent from time to ti: ;s issu
ed by the Printing and Stationary
(5) Telephon nk If
official business onlye tru E h ~a s muSt b~ stri.ctly restric .
maintain a check re : t ac. ~rsona ted to very urgent
; and private trunk gis r m ~ ef
residential of h. f~a 1s ma e from
l Assistant and Stenographer should
form (Appendix XII) in which all offi
cial
oth er off . 1 0 the tele pho nes -both office and
~ icer should be
h. . 1 1~•a1s "'! 0 have telephones atentered. All private Secretaries and
su~ a reg• ster m respect of their telephotheir disposal should also maintain
nes.
· (6) Whenever a Jamadar or Peo
telepho~e cal! in the absence of his n is required to attend to a
.the receiver give his designation andofficer, he should invariably on lifting
not say "Hello" ·
. 66. . Correspondence with the
· subardinate offices :- (1) Departmeoffices of H~ads of Departments and
nts may correspond with offices of
Heads of Departments and subord
inate offices under the control of oth
. departments su_bject to such genera er
l instructions as the later may issue.
(2) The Administrative Secretaries
that are to be exempted from the may detail any other subjects
· · above, in 'respect of their own De pro cedure laid down in paragraph 49
partments.
Note : - The single file system
will not apply to
. ween a department and any statuto correspondence bet-
autonomous body which might be ow ry, corporate or other
ned or controlled by it.
() . 67. Inter-Departmental Consultat
ion :- (1) Inter-departmental
consultation may take the form
of. inter-departmental notes inter-
. departmental meetings or oral discuss
ions. · .,
. · (2) · In making written inter-depa
rtmental r~ferences,the following
pointsshould be observed :-
, •
. (a) lnter-d~partmental references
may
. tions of an official or officer as be .made und~r the. di rec-
may be p_rov,ded m the
Standing Orders or other department
al mstruct1ons;
b) Th points on which th~ opi
( so: gh t or which it is desired to nion of other departments is
bring to their notice should be
clearly stated;
Chap. VI 46 . 67

-- ~ ~ ~ -- := = = :: := -
. .
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS

drafts of the orders proposed to

be issued
(c) Where possible, the the Departments sought
may also be shown to to be consulted;
and
. . to consult more than
(d) When it is nhecessarlytation may be effectedone simu
department on
ltaneously by
a case sue consu I
self-cdntained inter-departmental notes un ess :-
(i) It involves copying .of a large number of documen
ts available
on the file; or .
: (ii) The need ·fo~. consulting the second departme_nt
would arise , ~
only after the views of the first have become available.
(3) · (~) Wh~n such a reference req~ires concurrence
of one or
. more Departments under the Rules of Business of the
Govern-ment of
Punjab, the following further points should be observed :-
(i) The originating Department should invariably prescribe
a time-
limit when calling for comments or concurrence from
other
Departments. .
·-· .
(ii) In case any of the Departments so consulted is
not in a position
to send its comments/concurrence within the prescribed
time-
limit. It should write back promptly, and in any case,
before
the prescribed time-limit and indicate the additional time
they
would require for furnishing their final reply. ·
(b) When such a reference does -not require such conc
urrence
und_er the Rules, the originating Department need not wait
for
the commeri1S of the other Department(s) beyond the
pres-
cribed time-limit, and it should feel free to go ahead with
scheme/proposal wit~out waiting any longer. its

(c) :he initiating Depart~ent should always feel free to

recall its
file from another Department, to which such a reference
has ·
been mad.e_ on a file, if such a course is required to be adop
ted
for ex_p~ditmg the process of decision mal<ing in the case
. Such
. ahdecision to recal_l a file should be taken at a level not
t an that lower
. of a Branch Off1cer •m t h~ ongi . .natin
. g Dep
artment.
(4) Inter-departmental m f b · -
to elicit the opinion of other de ee mgs m~y . e held whe
a decision within a limited f partments in important _case re it is necessary
s and arrive at
except under the orders of ~~e. ~o such meeting will
Secretary. In respect of such be convened
?ffic~r R_ot below the level of Deputy
· . meetings, it will be ensured that :- ·
(a) the representatives attend' h .
take decisions on beh If ;"hg t_ e meeting are officers who
a o t e1r departments; can
 Chap. VI
47
FORMS AND PRO
~-C_EDURE OF C 67 - 69
(b) an agenda . OMMUNICATION
P setting u
. repared and sen p c1early the .
meetings, allowin t al~ng With the Points for discussion .
other departmentsgt adequate time r~~~~sals for holding th•~
() o prepare thernselv fe representatives of
. c a re~ord of discussio . es or the meeting; and
meeting and . ns is prepared .
setting out ~rculated to the other d •rnmediately after the
department or ed conclusions reache~Part~ents concerned,
. action on each ep,ar!ments responsibl anf ind~cating the
. ,. . . cone usion. e or taking further
.. (5) , On occasions it
with officers of other depa~m may be necessary to have oral d' .
ents, e.g., when :- 1scuss1ons
. (a) a preliminary discussio b
ments concerned is liker t e~w~e~ the officers of the depart-
. . y o e p m_the disposal of the case;
(b) it is desirable to reach . .
proceeding further in the m:tt:;.ehmmary agreement before
. ,
'·

(c) ~:~~!~p~:merital mdeeti.ng reveals a. difference of opinion

· or more epartments; or .
. ' .
(d) it is proposed to seek only information or ad~ice of the
department to be consulted.

The result of such oral consultation should be recorded in a single

note on th~ file by the officer of the department to which the case
belongs. The note will state clearly the conclusions reached and the
reasons therefor. A copy of the note will also be sent to the departments
consulted in order that they have a record of the conclusions reached.
68. References to the Punjab Service Commission and the Punjab
Vidhan Sabha :- References to the P~njab Public Service Commission
and the Punjab Vidhan Sabha will normally be.made in the form of letters
addressed to the Secretary.
69. Correspanden~e with Members of Mambers ~f P~rliament.and
Members of the Puniab Vidhan Sabha:- (1) Commumcat1o~s rec~1ved
from the Members 'of Parliament and Members of the ~unJab V~dh~~
Sabha should be attended to pro~pt.ly. All .such comf!1umcat1ons s ou
be acknowledged immediately on tneir receipt.
. f1on from Member of Parliament or a
(2) Where ~ co~mumca ha is addressed to a Minister, a Minister
Member of the PunJab V,d~a~ Sab it should so far as practicable, be
of State or a Deputy Mim st~r, ·
acknowledged by the Minister himself.

,.
•
Chap. VI 48 69- 70 .
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS

(3). Where, however, a communication is addresse

d to the Head of
an attached or subordinate office, it should be acknowle
dged to by the
addressee himself.
(4) Thereafter the action taken in the ~att er shou
ld b~ intim_at~d
to the ~em ber, as early as possible. Final rep_hes ~hould
· one month,.but in case for some reason, action 1s dela be given within
yed beyond that
period, that reason should be intimated to the Member.
·
'· (5) In a routine, matter not involving questions of ~olic
y, the Hea~
of an attached or subordinate office, may send an appropri
ate r_eply on his
o~n . In matters involving questions of policy, however,
th~ officer should
have prior consultation with higher authorities bef~re send
. .
ing a reply. ·
(6) Normally, information sought for by a Member of
· or a Member of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, should be supp Parl,iament
lied unless it is
of such a nature that it should have been denied to him
even
on the Floor of the House, _whether on account of its conf if asked for
idential nature
or because the collection of the information involves cons
iderable labour
a·nd time in commensorate with the benefit sought
to be obtained.
However, if the Head of Department feels that he is not
in a position to
comply with the request, he $hould inform the Member
accordinagly for
information so that the latter may, if he so chooses mak
e a reference to
· the Government about the supply of the information.
(7) _Suggestions of Members should not be filed
without intimating
the·same fo them. ,
.· · · · ·· (8) ' As · far as possible, in corresponding
with Members of
· Parliament, pre-printed or cyclostyled replies should be
• • • • ••• I
avoided.
.. : (9) In official ·. communications to · Members of
'

Parliament or
Members of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, care should be
take
letters "M.P." or ''M.L.A.", respectively after the Mem n to add the
bers name. The •
sam_e procedure should be followed in recording the
proceedings of
Boards or Committees or notifying the composition of such
bodies.
(10) Vague·or evasive answers should be avoided.
70. Correspondence with other . State . Governments
and Union
: Territories :....:.. (1) Communications ·on subjects clear
ly relatable to the
business of a particular Department will normally be
addressed to the
Secretary of that Depa.rtment. -Other communications
including ·-those of
special nature or importance warrating attention at high
er levels, may he ·
addressed to the Chief Secretary or the Administrator.
. (2) Communications other than those of a purely
routine, ·e.g.
acknowledgements, will not ordinarily be addressed to
State
\ except with th~, prior approval and over the ·signature Government
I
of the branch
Chap. VI 49
FORMS AND PROCEDURE OF C 70 - 73
OMMUN1
officer. Purely routine c CATION
· d ommuni •
cations can, however be .
Superinten ent or Assistant.
71. Correspondence . h , signed by a
Organisations
• • :- Correspo nwd,tence
• I d' Foreign
w'th Governments and I
m1ss1ons m n 1a Heads of d" . 1 Foreign G nternational
and United Nations and I~ •an diplomatic misstvernments and their
channelized through the Mi~i:tryspecialized agenci~~s w1a~ldI posts abroad
normally
. of External Aff . be
airs.
. 72. Mode of Addressmg Comm .
.
eg,strars, etc. :- (1) Comm . . umcations thro h
R
Rajya Sabha, the Punjab Vidhau"'t~•;;ns meant for th/fok ~~;:r."ries,
Haryana, the Punjab Public Se n. a a, the High Court of P • a, the
high-level attention may be adJtce ~ommission requiring an u;1ab and
case may be. ' . esse to the Secretary or Regist,;~e;\~:

. (2) In addressing authorities wh .

Secre~aries of Reg~strar, care should. be~ ;nte to_ ~overnment through
authority and its mouthpiece ·and O • . a en to distinguish between the
the _former s·hould ·not be att;ibuted ~m;ons or proposals.emanating from
the infon:nation of the judges" sho:lsebl=t~er. Expre~s•?ns ~uch as "for
coming from such authorities shou.ld not b d~ed. ~1m1larly, proposals
Secretary or a Registrar. e escnbed as those of. a

. (3)° Offi~ers _of Governme~t ~h; h~ve occasion to address an of

the Judges· of b High Court or to refer· to them ·1n 0 ff"1c1a
Id the ·
1 y or
· documents
ord ers sh ou e carefu_l to ~ddress them correctly. ·
- • ~ • l .... • •~ . •

It is u~necessary an~ wrong to prefix initials t~ their surnames or to·

add any suffix such as Barrister-at-Law'.The correct mode of address is :-
"The Honourable Mr. Justice ........... -:-....... · Initials should
only be used to avoid confusion if there are two or more judges of
the same surname, .in which case initials may be prefixed to the
names of all except the Senior Judge".
73. Acknowledgements and Interim Replies:- (1) All commiini-
cations from Members of Parliament and Members of the Punjab Vidhan
Sabha, recognized asSOciations, public bodies and members of the public
generally, which cannot answer promptly will be acknowledged suitably.
If any such c;ommunication is Wrongly addressed to ii departm~n~, it ~ill .
be transferred promptly to the appropriate departmen~ under mt,,nat,on
to the party concerned. , · · .
(2) In all other cases in which delay is anticipated in sending out
thi
•final reply, an interim reply will be sent to the party concerne~ at e
earliest possible stage, indicating wherever possible, the appropriate date
by whi~h a final reply may be expected.
I
I

Chap. VI so 74 -79
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS

. :
74. Target date for replies - In a II ·impo rtant matt
. ers
. 'din which
offices of Heads of Departments, publ ic bodies 1
consulted, time -limit for replies may ordinarily be spec ~-r mdivi thua s ~re
of the specified date, orders of the appropriate autho~ity ified. On e e~p•ry
whether the parties whose replies have not been rece may be obtained
ived may be allo~ed
an extension of time or whether the matter may
be proceeded with,
without waiting for their replies.
75. Reference from the Governor. - · Special
always be observed in dealing with references from the expedition must
reply cannot be furnished without delay, orders shou Governor. If a full
ld be taken whether
an ad-interim reply should be sent.
76. Amendments to Consolidated Circulars and Book
s of References :-
When orders are received or issued which necessiti
ate the amendment of
consolidated circulars, the Manual of Office Procedur
e or any other book
of refere_nce, it is not sufficient merely to circulate the
and :then 1file the papers. The Superintendent or Assi orders in the office
stant dealing with the
case should invariably submit a draft corrigendum slip
for approval to the
Secretary or Under Secretary concerned. In the case
being required, the case should be sent to the Und of an office order
er Secretary to take
necessary action.
_77. Num beri ng_ rof Paragraphs and Referencing of Drafts
(1) Every Paragraph of a draft must be numbere :-
d and fully referenced on the
margin. Long drafts should always refer to the notes on
which they are based.
(2) .Quo tatio n of sum of mon ey : - Whenever sum
s of money are
mentioned in a draft, the amount should be note
d in both figures and
words, the words following the figures within a brac
ket, thus Rs. 10,000
(ten thousand).
78. Use of dem i-off icial correspondence :-T he first
nest use of demi-official correspondence is to supplem and commo-
ent or explain matter
which has been referred officially or which it is
proposed so to refer; ...
Secondly demi-official correspondence may properly
be used, not merely to ·
supplement or explai~, but in place of official corr
espondence in cases of
extreme secrecy, where it is necessary to run no unne
cessary risks, and in
certain classes of personal questions; and occasion
ally, in cases of great
urgency, to save time. Where it is considered that
a final reply to a demi-
official reference can not be sent speedily, it
should, at least, be
acknowledged promptly and within ten days of the
date of receipt in the
Secretariat at the out side, by sending an interim reply
to the effect that the
matter is engaging attention and a final reply will
be sent shortly, or was
likely t~ take some time, which should be specified.
79. Fixing of a Time-Limit for a Rep ly:- It a rererenc
e addressed to
an office subordinate to the State Government requ
ires a reply, a time
 I
Chap. VI 51 79- 11
ION
FORMS AND PROCEDURE OF COM MUN ICAT

~ri t ~hould ordinarily be.speciffed within whic h the reply is to be given.

the nature of the
e time allowed will obviously depend largely on err in the direction of
refer~n~e., but on the whole., it is probably bett er to
circu mstances of the
generosity and to make the period as long as the ·
case permit.
ate Local Officers : -
80. Dire ct Corr espo nden ce with Subordin
ine matters., no official
Except i~ ~se s of urgency and purely rout officers subordinate to
communication should be addressed direct. to
any such communication
!"feads of ~ep artm ents or Commissioners; when ously to the Head of the
1s made., a copy should be forwarded simultane
officer is subordinate.
Dep artm ent or Commissioner to whom the officers are not short~
e
Particular care should be taken to see that thes
ers on matters regarding
circulated. Correspondence with subordinate offic ds of Departments or
Hea
which it i~ cons ider ed unnecessary to trou ble
icial ly..
Commissioners shoul~ be cond ucte d demi-off
re from Deputy
A large num ber of references of a routine natu ioners for the
Commiss
Commissioners passes thro ugh the offices of
to reducing unnecessary
I sanc tion or ord~rs of Government. With a view
nt practice of endorsing a
wor k in Commissioners Offices., the convenie
Commissioner conc erne d
cop y of the orde rs simultaneously to the Deputy
I sh~ uld i'nvar1ably be ado pted .
81. Letters to the Accountant General., Pun
jab :- All letters
shou ld show distinctly the
add ress ed to the Accountant-General., Punjab.,
the l~tter is inte nde d, as
nam e of the sect ion in· that office, for which
shown below :~ .
To
The Acco~ntant-General Punjab.
(.... .... ~- .... .... .... .. Section).
cate the section.
·Cdmmunications received-from that office will indi
the Secretariat shou~d be
from wflich they ema nate d and the ·replies .from
addressed to the same section."
g to ord~rs and
(2) Communications · relating to or conveyin
ed to the-!tccountant-
sanctions involving financial implications, convey
R. Volume-I, s~ould be
General, Punjab as defined in rule ~8.6 of P. F.
Joint Secreta_ry, Dep~ty
sign ed by a Secretary, Additional Secretary,
are not auth ons ed t~ sign
Secretary or Under Secretary. ~µpe_rintendent~
such communications.
to the Accoun~ant-
(3) Sanction to ·re-appropriations. - All orders
priations should men tion : ·
General, Punjab conveying sanction to re-appro
of funds; and
(a) the reason which necessitiates the transfer
r 81-82-A
52
Chap. VI RUCTIONS
SECRETARIAT INST .
or secondary unit
sub-head and the primary
(b) . the • minor
affected. . ation · - The following
. tion of Communtc .
82. Forms Of Authe~t,c~ f Government orders:-
h uthent1cat1on o
are the rules for t e a · uted by or on behalf of
t made or exec
(1) All orders or instrumen s
hall be express
ed to be made or executed
the Government of the State, s
in the name of the Governor. ~ :..,,, 1
h f ation of Government Orders
(2) Under Rule 3 of the _Aat e::e~t
of the Punjab Government is
(Punjab) Rules, 1937, an order ~r ms~r~ signed by either a Secretary, an
not properly authenticate_d un ess ,t is a De uty Secretary or an Under
Additional Secretary, a Jomt Secretary, k o:these officers, this rule has
Secretary. To relieve the press~r~ or :~rorder empowering the following
been supplemented by an·ad~m 1strat d letters containing orders of the
officers to sign unimportant te egr~ms an . d artment :
Punjab Government relating to their respective ep
(a) Superintendents in the Civil Secretariat;
(b) Superintendents-in-Charge· of the office of the Director of
"" Public Instructions, Punjab;
(c) Superintendents of the offices of Financial Commissioner and
the Le$al Remembrancer; and
(d) Registrar, Punjab, P. W. D. Irrigation.
These officers should not, however, sign any communications
relating to or conveying orders and sanctions, inv~lvin~ financial
implications conveyed to the Accountant-General as defined m rule 18.6
of the Punjab Financial Rules, Volume-I.
82.A Supply of $pare Copies to the Addresse~ 1to be Indicated on
Drafts :---:i When 'letters are issued. from Government, a sufficient number ·
of spare copies should invariably be supplied to the ·otticer,addressed for
communication to subordinate offices. Non-Compliance with this instruc-
tion not only entails duplication of typing work in those offices, but is
likely to · be advanced by them as a plea for increase of office
establishment. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that the
requirements 9f · all offices in this respect should be very carefully
estimated by Superintendents and Assistants before they mark on the
drafts for issue the number of spare copies to be sent in each case. For
example, when a letter is addressed to a Commissioner, and it is obvio.us
that he will have _to cqnsult or communicate the orders to one or more
Deputy Commissioners, the requisite number of spare copies should be

I
Chap. VI 53 82-A
FORMS AND PROCEDURE OF COMMU NICATI ON

sent. The following subsidiary instructions should be observed :-

(1) The Public Works Departments, Building and Roads Branch
should be supplied with two type-written copies of letters of. the kinds
enumerated below :
(a) let__ters conveying administrative sanction to execution of
works;
(b) letters asking for certain information of the opinion of Chief
Engineer on matters in which local officers must first be
consulted;
(c) letters conveying sanction or approval to purchase, sale
dismantlement, transfer, etc. of land or buildings.
(d) letters conveying aproval or sanction to re-mission of depart-
mental charges. ·
(e) letters dealing with increases to or decreases of the budget
grants.
(f) letters.conveying sanction to pensions or other matters relating
to establishments;
(2) · In the case of the office of the Financial Commissioner four
type written copies should be supplied of communications which are
•intend ed to reach a single Deputy Commissioner (viz. 1 for the office file,
1 for Commissioner, 2 for Deputy Commissioner). An additional copy
shou·td be sent when ·any district in which there is Sub-Divisional Officer-
in-charge of an out post is concer ned.
(3) In the case of all import ant letters which are sent to the
Gover nment of India in the Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs
other-w ise than in print, a duplica te must accom pany the signed copy. ■
 CHAPTER VU
Draftln1 of C
. . 83. Procedure for dr. ornrnunlcations
in simple and straight _ f altins :- (1) No draft
.
which standard forms f
rward cases or thase w;n normally be prepared
nature for
sub"!'itted to the appropr~ communication exi: \repetitive cases may be
for signature. ate officer with fair co . · uch
· pies of th e comm unication
(2) When the line of a . .
done o~ when noting,is neces ct1on is obvious and no notin
a clear hne of action, a draft w:b but examination of the matte~ ; ~
be
=
a draft will be put up only after th:~t -up str~ight fo~ approval; ot~~ t d
~pprove~ the_hne..of·action and/ . ppropr1ate officer had indicaueni~~
t1on snou htbe. onvfi at the contents of the comm

p) Once he '1as formulated his .

to take a decision th views on a case, an officer who is
.autho nsed
made for his signa ture and·auth e~e ~n ?'ay have the fair communication
draft and, submit it to the appropo~is: ~ ishsue; o~her
1
wise, he will prepare a
· . . a e 1g er office r for approval.
(4) The officer approving the . .
initial~ there to with the date in the m is~ue t°f ah draft will append his
'" eac page of the draft. He
will also pas{ order s ·o n the f 1 • argltaneo
0

d h . I e s1mu usly whether the draft so

f h
appro ve . s _oul~ be kept on the file (alongwith the office copy O t e
commumcat1on issued in fair) or not.
· · (5) Supe rinten dents /U.nd er/ Deputy/Joint Secretaries are expected
should
. to draft _on_ all impo rtant cases sent to them for that purpose, and
easily
send to office for dr~ft only cas~s in ~hich the order for draft can be
as it
follow ed by the Assistants, or m which a note has to be· copied out'
stands, as a draft. ·

84. General instructions for drahing :- (1) A draft should carry

se
the mess age soug ht to be conve yed in a language that is clear, conci
and incap able of misconstruction.
(2) Lengthy sente nces, abruptness, redundancy, circumlocution,
ideas,
super lative s and repet itions whet her of words, observations or
utely
shoul d be avoid ed. Slovenly or colloquial language or slang is absol
temp o-
forbi dden . All official corre spon denc e must be courteously and
rately word ed and fr~e from personal remarks or insinuations.
The draft er shou ld be careful to avoid th~ use of abbreviations in
typists
his draft as these while know n to him, are not always known to the
stupid
in the Issue Branc h or to the examiners. The conse quen ce is that
mistakes are often made in the fair copy of the letter.
(3) Comm unica tions of some length or complexity should generally
conc lude with a summ ary.
55
 84
Chap. VII 56
SECRETARIAT IM RUCTIONS
ST
. • .
. bl b ed as h ea d in g m
d ft
(4) . A brief su
bject s hO uld invar1a Y e insert a
ra .
of th . ti o n in th e . •
(5) The numb
er and date es e last co m m u n ic a n ic at io n oseries,
and if this b e th see his last co n th e
n mm
subject, should ot fr o ~ e fa~r!d to. W h er e u to re fe r to
always ~, r~ e it is n e ~ c :; ~ ? , th is sh o u ld
more than o n e co r
mmunication °f a series of commun1ca
b e d o n e in th e m t . .
argin of th e d ra
.
(6) In referrin h S ec re ta ri at
g to a co nication from t th e te rm
"this office" sh m ft T h e p roep er
ould n o t b e use m~ t
te rm s O u se• ar e
"My letter" o r d m d ratts. " n
"Punjab Gover o r sh o u ld th e ex
"i n st an t" , "u lt im nment le er d p re ss io n s
o ", "p ro x im T h e n am e o f
should always b o ", th e m o n th
e stated, as other ~tc., b e u s: r~ ft ed at th e e n d
are apt to b e inco w is e letters o f a m o n th
rrectly worded.
(7) All draf . h Id b Wh
two o r m o re co ts p u t u p o n a frle .s o u f b ea r th e file n u m e r. en
mmunications ar th e sa m e file to
addressee o n th e to issue r~ th e sa m e
b ef o re th e num e same date, · a, se p ar at e seria m b er m ay b e
eral identifying -~uconfusion in in se rt ed
e.g., 8/5(1)54-Est th e year to avoi re fe re n c e ,
; 8/5(11)54-Est. ·
(8) A draft sh ,
o u ld
accompany th e
at ap p ro p ri at e
fair copy. In add
places in th e m
cl earty specify th
ition, sh o rt ab h
e_ en cl ~ su re ~
q u e Im es s 0 ~
w ~ ~ ct e :!;~
comparers an d
indi-ca te d at th
e en d o f th e ~
argi
t_h e despatcher. n for ready re fe re n ce b y t
ra
The n u m b er o f
ft o
en cl o su re s sh o
e ?'~ '
u a
. t th

so
be
"Encl. 3". n th e b o tt o m le ft o f e
th e page, th u
s
(9) If co p ie s o
an d ar e, th er ef f an en cl o su re
o re , n o t to b e re fe rr ed to in th
ty p ed , an in d ic e d ra ft a re avai
given in th e mar at io n to th a t e ff _lable
gin o f th e draft e c t will b e
below th e re le v
an t o b li q u e li n
(10) If th e com e.
(e.g., a notice ca m u nication . to b e
nc~liing a licenc d es p at ch ed b y p o
encloses a valu ;e o r w it h d ra w st is im p o rt a n
able (d o cu m en in g an ex is ti n g t
ch eq u e) instruct t su ch as an ag facility) o r
ions as to w h et re em en t, se rv ic
post, insur~d ·c o h er it sh o u ld b e book or a
v er Qr u n d er a e, se n t th ro u g h
draft by th e S u p certificate o f p re g is te re d
er in te n d en t. o st in g will b e
g iv en o n th e
(11) The n am e,
?ve_r w h o se si g d es ig n at io n an
n at d te le p h o n e n
indicated o n th u re th e co m m u n ic at u m b e r o f th e
e draft. io n is to is su e, o ff ic er
sh o u ld in v ar ia
b ly b ~
(12) In wr.itin~
b et w ee n su es o r t~ping a d
ra ft , d o u b le sp
of words, if cc sive Imes with
necessary. ex tr a margin fo r ad d
a c e sh o u ld b
e le ft
it io n s o r in t
I f
e rp o a io n
Chap. VII
57
84-85
DRAFTING OF COMMUNICATIONS

(13) A slip bearing the w d "D

attached to the draft If. t or s raft for approvval" should be
II h 1· • wo or more drahs are put on a file the drafts as
we as t es 1ps attached thereto will be marked "D F A I:, "D F A II"
"D. F. A. Ill" an d so on. . . . · . . .

(14) Drafts which are to issue as "Immediate" or "Urgent'.. will be

so marked under the orders of an officer not lower in rank than
Superintendent.
85. Addressing communications to Officers by·name :-Normally,
no communication, other than that of a classified nature or a demi-official
letter, should be addressed or marked to an officer by name, unless it is
intended that the matter raised ther.e in should receive his personal
attention either because of its special nature, urgency or -importance, or
because some ground has already been covered by JJersonal discussions
with him and he would be in a better position to deal with it. ■

- - - -·.,.,.,,.,_ NOgo r
 CHAPTER VIII
luue of Drafts
86. Organisational Set-up :- (1) A unit comprising of Typis
ts/
Despatch Clerks/Daftries Is allocated to a Depar tment where
function under th•rsu pervis ion of the Co-ordination Branch of they
Depar tment ; or to groups of Departments - where they function the
unaer
one of the Superintendents designated as Co-ordinating Supet intend
en~.-
__. (2) There is also a Central Unit, known as the Issue
Branch, under
the charg e of Super intend ent (lssue )/Und er Secretary (General) with
the
following funct ions: -
""-- ·(a) 'tot al deiive~y of d~k~·--_··;··

ib) Issue work after office hours.

'.
(c) ·Provision of substitutes for typist s/desp atch clerks /darft ries on
leave to the individual Units, on receip t of requisition from the
Coord inatio n Branc h/Co- ordina ting ~uper intend ent, as the
case may be.
(d) Cyclostyling work.
(e) Photo copyi ng work (pape r acc_o unt of photo copie s will be
.majnt ained ~s per appen dix 20).
(3) Wher e it is not possible to utilise the·fa ciliti~ of the indiyi dual
Units; due to locati onal\o r·othe r reasons, -the facilities of the Issue
Branc h
will be utilized.
(4) Wher e more than 2 days work load (as per norm) is pendi ng
with the typist of the in~ividual Unit, or paper s bearin g urgen
cy grading
of 'IMME DIATE ' or 'TOP PRIORITY' are pendi ng, the Co-or
dinati on
Branch or the Co-or dinati ng Super intend ent as the case may
be may
utilise the facilities of the Issue ·Branch.
87. Procedure to be follow ed in indivi dual units :-Th e proce dure
for comp leting all stages of .a ction after the appro val of drafts
, in the
Depa rtmen t or Group of Depar tment s to which indivi dual
Units are
attach ed for issue work will be as lai_d down in parag raph 88 belo
w:-
88. Issue of drahs : - (1) After a draft: has been appro ved, but
not
more than 24 hours there- after, the dealin g Assistant will : -
(a) exam ine the draft: to see that it is letter -perfa ct i.e. all
correc tions etc. have been prope rly carrie d out and there are
no errors ;
(b) . indica te if a clean copy of the draft is to be made for use as
an
ofice copy;

59
 88
60
Chap. VIII
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS
. ·es required, if any;
b of spare cop•
(c) specify the num er . . draft should
. . d aft from the file. No ..
(d) quote the nomber on the r he file number is quoted on it,
be typed or despatched unless t
. f enclosures ar e attached tof
the draft
(e) ensure that copies o h b nch If copies o encIosures
where these are available in t ~ r:es a~e voluminous, make a
are not available, and th e enc o~u ue instructions to the Issue
note for the Superintendent to iss .
Branch to have them prepared; a nd ·
(f) make: ure . when the case comes back to dhim, th~ :~ letter~
endorsem~nts etc., have been properly espatc e '"· eac
.case.
(2) The .Superintendent, while marking the· draft for typing and
before passing on the file to the diarist, will :- ·
(a) ensure that clear indication has been ,given where copies of
any papers contained in any file are to be typed as enclosure;
(b) give dear indication on the draft where a communication is to
be despatched by a special messenger on account of its special
nature, impof!ance or urgency;
(c) mark the draft for 'Issue' (if there is more than one draft for
-issue from the same file, indicate the total number of drafts
· e.g. 'issue 3 drafts'); ·
. '

(d) see that the cases contained drafts are sent to the typist not
lafft~r than 24 hours after the drafts have been approved by th .
o 1cers concerned; . . . e
(e) give on the dra~ at the pr I h ..
draft was approved b th oper .P ace, t. e .date on which the
o~icer to see how man~ da: ::icer. This would enable the
fair copy has reached him f y . er the approval of the draft its
-· _ _or signatures;
, (f) send enclosu,:-e for typi h · ·
(e) above; . . . - ng to t e Issue branch if required under
(g) make suitable e t •
file; . n ry in the margin of the not <
· .' es P0rt1on
. .
of the . .

(h) m~rk the file for re d' . . . . . . . ,. . .

action is called for cor mg it '" case after issu· e f rth
• , no u er
 Chap. VIII 61 •
ISSUE OF DRAFTS

(3) The Diarist will :-

file marked for recording un
der (h)
(a) en ter 'the number of the
abo ve [(as - pe r appendix-27)
in column 2 of the 'Register for
]; and
watching the_progress of recording
t
(b) prepare the challan in the
specified form, for papers to be sen
the individual Unit as the
to the Issue Branch or the typist of
case may be;
case
(c) pass on the file to the
typist or the Issue Branch, as the
challan after making ent ry
may be an d obtain signatures on the
pendix-22)
in the file Mo vem en t Register (Ap
(4) The typist wi ll: -
fill up the entries in columns
· 2 or 3 of the typist diary
(a)
or draft;
· (Appendix-13) on receipt of the file
(b) fair type an d compare the
approved draft;
diary (Appendix-13) ret~rn the file
(c) fill up column 4 of the typists
the entry in the challan.
or draft to the diarist, while defary
(5) The Diarist wil l : -
d the file or dra ft to the dea lin g hands for comparision an d
(a) sen
the fair draft as laid .do wn in
getting signatures of the officer on
rk the movem~nt of the file
para 96 be low an d there after ma
(Appendix 22) be for e passing
in the File Mo vem ent; Register
g drafts for issue, to the
on the draft or file containin
spa tch er at app rop ria te int erv als du rin g the day. In ord er to
de
erwise, the dra ft or file
avoid loss of pa pe rs in transit or oth the pre scr ibe d form in
llan in
sho uld be acc om pan ied by a cha
duplicate;
en ter ed in the challan have be en
(b) che ck tha t the drafts of file
r;
rec eiv ed back from the des pat che

po rt to the Su pe rin ten de nt at the en d of eac h day, the

(c) Re
mb er of files no t rec eiv ed bac k .within tw o days from the
nu
the y we re sen t to the typ ist /Is sue Branch, or no t rec eiv ed
da te
back from the de spa tch er.
•The de spa tch er will ~eparate the co mm un ica tio ns to be sen t by
(6)
po st an d tho se to be de liv ere d
by ha nd , an d :""'."'"
ns to be sen t by po st : -
(a) In the cas e of co mm un ica tio
da te the fair co py , off ice co py an d spa re co pie s, if an y : -
(i)
 62
ONS
Chap. VIII
__ __ __ __:s~EC~R~ET~A~R•:A~T~•N~STR~
U:a:•: : : : : : : - - -
D' ( fter adjusting date) as per specimen
-
affix the stamp,rgin 'ISSUE h aoffi'ce copy and initial it;
Issued (ii) • h on t e
Inltlals given in t e ma ' y slips,
(Date) . ctions regrading use of econom
st
(iii) observe the in r~ ther envelopes in
paragraph 98(6) below;
·
window envelopes, o .
mmunication to the daftry; .
(iv) hand over the co
. f the Coordinating Superintendent :-.
(v) bring to the notice o
. . . bearing urgency· hgradding hof Urgent and
(a) Communh' icathionsuld not be despatc e on t . e ay of their
. d
above, w ,c co .
. •receipt; and
· · ·d. · mmun,cations whidch cou ld not be despatched
f h i. •
•'

~
. . .: • -i •
(b) Or ,nary co
..·. .·even on the_day f~ll?~l~~ the
.
a~ o e_t
r_rec~rpt.

· ·
~· • { ••
-'4

(bl i~~:~of ,~r~L~ " · ;-

copies, alongwith
· Send. the fair communication ·and . the office
p9s.~al dak) to the . Issue
challan. ·(after deleting ~ entries relating to
Branch.
•
(7) The Daftry will :- . -· .

-, · · . . (a) . ~parate th;se to be.senf by for~

ig~ p~s_tfr~m .the _re~t.

· .\' ::.{ _''.: :- t~le~;~m~, .iftyped ~~-- -p-lain.- ·p~pe~,-ov~~ ·the prin.ted
>: ·.·:· \.-~\ ·_ .:. ,~i \,1 ~~ th~
ar:1d Telegraph~ ·_
· ·- · ·· · .' · . •. · ·: . form _of ·telegram supplied by .the" pos~
;, Department, and affix service po~tage
siemps·of the appropriate
•• : l X .. ·: ',i'
. ' ,·, value thereon; ·
for issuing telegrams;
. (bb) if a credit deposit account is maintained
dit deposit account
_ . . , affix · ru~ber-stamp indicating the cre
space provided for
· : number assigned.to the Department in the
affixing postage stamps;
a rubber stamps.
(cc) frank the covers and stamps · the covers with
· . , bearing the name of the Department, the
name and designation
erintendent-in·
of the Co-ordinating Superintendent or the Sup
may be;
Charge of ~he Co-ordination Branch as the case
• I • , •
, • / ., • •
~ •

the eveloped; and · .

(dd) and the faaimile of his signature, and post
r.
(ee) .~tum the communication·to the despatche
 Chap~ VIII \
63
89-93 \
ISSUE OF DRAFTS
I•
89. Procedure to be fi
the marking of drafts . f -~11owec! by the Issue Branch :- Steps from
communication have been~:i~s~ue u_pto the stage of signing of fair
own in paras 90 to 93 & 98 below.
90. Acknowledgement ._ Th .
in the Issue Branch will b k e receipt of the drafts or enclosures
book returned to the ird' ~dacl ~9~leged in the challan and the challan
. 1v1 ua Untt.
91. Sorting of the d ft5
th d ft ra etc :- One receipt in the Issue Branch,
Date he ra s on enclosures will _be sorted out. ·Those to be
P oto copied will be sent to th~ Photo copying Unit.
S.No. - - - Those to be cyclostyled on the combi-Unit will be sent to
Typi5t - - - that Unit. Those to be typed stencills will be stamped with
th~ use of an automatic numbering machine, having an
·adJustable date, as per speci-men in the margin.
,·· 921' Distrib~tion o( ~ork among typists :- (~) The drafts will then
. be placed before the Sfuperintendent of the Issue Branch who will mark
them to 1{he typists for fair typing by indicating their initial letters (e.g.
1KM), in the space provided in the stamp for the purpose. T_o enable him
to distribute the typing work among the .typists equitably, he will maintain
·a distribution chart (Appendix 14) •
. : · , ·(2) J:he typist' wiU .enter i~ the _Typist's diary (Appendix 13) the
drafts received by him f~r typing; · •. . . . .
(3) The drafts will be typed in accordance with t_he i~structi~ns in
. paragraph 95. ThereafterI' at ,the,e_nd ~f the. da~, th~ typ1s~ ~•II_ ~ub•t _ t~ ⇒ _.,.._. .
· diary together.with the ~.nti_nis~_E:d _typm~.~~_rk, t~ t~~-- ~u~~~~n~~~dE:n~.. \- :'.· . -, --
·' '. .·{4) . .
~(~-~~:~nd o! th,~:~-~~.!b~} ~.P~ri~tendent,wili ';· i ·:·.: ·.: -.: .-. · . ·,
(a) complete the c~art;.: ·... . .. . - . . . . -:
'{b) . arrange for the typing of urgent untyped work o_uts1de office
hours; where necessary; and . .
. . II ting fresh work on the
(c). take the arrears into account. m a. oca . ...
next working day. , , - ·., . , · ·•.· · •· · ' · .·
. _. . , . ·- (1) Before the drafts are han~ed
93. Registration of dr~hs b. ntered in •the Issue Branch Diary
over to the ty~ists, th~~~- will . e ~ ,.. . ,
(Appendix15). · -. · ,, · nications marked imme-
. I and other commu .
(2) Drafts of te egram
. d.
. . . h these from the the r~st. r. · •
d ink to d1stmgu1s _ . . , "'. , .
diate will be entere m re . . ._. .. I. k 'ntaining the Issue Branch
. f h day the c er ma1 . nd
(3) At the end o t e , . tendent for assessing arrears a
Diary will-subm.it the diarr to the Su~ ~ ·~ .l .•' - ·- ,, '
/
for taking appropriate action. //

/4,, !
 4
94-96
Chap. VIII 64

SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS

ing :- (1 ) Drahs
. bearing
94. ·ifb
General Instructions rega rdmg
urgency gradings of 'URGENT' and above w, e
attended to first.
. . .11 be typed on papers of
fair copies of all c~mmumca:~;: a:•possible. If plain paper is
(2)
suitable size, printed forms bemg used .a tion or -for an endorsement, the
used, whether for the original co~mumca d t the appropriate place.
name of the issuing department will be type a
• • ·ng unless otherwise
(3) fair copies will be typed w, th smg 1e spac,
directed.
. · b
(4) The oblique ·lines, as also the num er 0
f enclosures indicated
in the drahs, will be typed at the appropriate places.
. . be cut un Iess more than 6 copies of a
No stencil will ord1parily
(5)
communication are required.
(6) . The typist will typ~ his 'initials with date in the left hand bottom
corner of the fair copy e.g. HCX/13th March, 1988.
- 95. Time allowed Drafts bearing urgency grading of 'URGENT' and
above, received before 3.00 P.M. must be typed and despatched on the
day of receipt while those received after 3.00 P.M. must be typed and
despatched before 12.00 (noon) next day. Other drafts ~us! be type~ and
despatched not later than 2 days from the date of receipt 1rrespect1ve of
the time of receipt.

96. Comparision : - On receipt of the typed matter, alongwith the

drafts (and files, if any) from the typist through the diarist the dealing
hand will :- ·

(1) compare the fa{r copies with the drafts;

(2) initial (with date);

(3) attach enclos1,1r-es, if any, and write the word 'attached' below
the oblique line on the office copy; and

(4) send the fair copies alongwith enclosures and the office copy,
I together with the approved draft to the officer concerned for signature.
I
I
This should be done thrice a day on all working days at 11.00 A.M., 1.00
' P.M. and 3.00 P.M. Important letters and those bearing urgency gradings
of 'URGENT' and above would however be sent up ~s soon as ready. The
Officer should ensure that the files containing letters for signatures are
returned by him on the same day, as early as possible;
 Chap. VIII
65
96-9 8
ISSUE OF DRAFTS
. (S) any alteration d .
of signing must b •ma e 1n the first co b .
by the d 1· h e made m the remai n' ~y .Y the Office r at the time
ea mg and; mg copies includ ing the office copy
· nden t w·11
(6) the Supennte
. d been duly
s1gn_e by the Officer and that I se~ that the fair copies have
charned out in all the copies, b~rrrect1on_s, if any, made while signing are
ore passin g on the drafts and/o r files to
t e despa tcher .
. 97. $igni ng of Fair Commun. . . .
cations and move ment of . ,cations :- Smgnmg of fair communi-
from alll conce rned. signature pads will receive prompt attention

98. Issue of signed c . .

issue Section will :- ommumcat,ons :- The despatcher of the

(1) date the fair copy, office copy an d spare copies . any;
. , 1f

Issued - - - (2) affix_ the st~mp 'Issued' (after adjusting date) as per
Initials ~P_e_c1men given in the margin, on the office copy and
(date) 1mt1al it;

(3) separ ate the communications to be sent by post and

those to
be deliv ered by hand for further processing;
those
(4) enclo se communications meant for despatch by post or
ensuring at
addre ssed to officers by name, in covers of appropriate size,
addresses
the same time that all communications intended for the same
are place d in a singl e cover;
(5) use econ omy slips for all covers except :-

(a) those with bulky contents;

t;
(b) those addre ssed to the Central or other State Governmen
d
(c) those inten ded for despatch under registered or insure
cover s;
I t in use fold the fair communi-
the
(6) wher e winhdowhenv;d~::s ~y;ed ther~on is visible through
catio n in such a way t at t e a
d th
wind ow; ed write the address an e
(7) wher e othe r cover s are us , . d
comm unica tion on the cover , an
num bero f the
. the notic e of the Supe rinten dent :-
(8) bring to . Id ot be despatched on the
t comm unica tions which cou n
(a) urge n . d
day of their recei pt, an

-- ··~,-> AS. Noga,

 98 -1 00
66
Chap. VIII INSTRUCTIONS-
SECRETARIAT b despatched even .
ti' h could not e
d' communications w
(b) or . ,hnardy following the day
o t
heir receipt.
.
. f the Superinten-
't
on t e ay . The duties o
99. Duties of the .Superinten nt· · de - -
·. . . .
dent are as follows :- . . . f Branches, cases for ~ypm~
1) to receive, through the .hdiar1
( smtseoon the challan (in the case o
and issue, and _to give a rece ipt for .t e sa: ·. · .
.. ,· . ·::: .. · :· .,., ·
' Superintendent Issue Branch on~y)___~ ..·'.· : : , b -·: · ·ng urgency grading of . .
. . (2) . t~ s~ th~t th~ typin"g of ~e~ers e!~d :~
.'URGENT' and above is ·done exped1
these are ~espatched
t10:;:ycommunications are type~ and
on the date of receipt; and that the ot . t··
·. , .
despatched within two days of their rece1p ,
I .· · . . . ·1 h tat~ of the work
(3) to submit a dail. y' report showm - · gin deta1 t es
·
in the unit~ .
, . f Des h Regis . t . in proper
(4) to ensure ~he maintenanc e O . . . patc . . .
er,
.
f<>rm . ~'. .. . . . . . . '. : . . d d a;chers working in his
(S) .to supervise the work of typists.an
unit and to see that the typists,a.re obsery,_n esp re ardin the care .
' of typewriters -- ·\
, • ' - •• •
g the ~ules , g , . g . , ,. _
,._;;-.
' ,,.

· ,· ..-.;.::·.. ,·
: • ' , • •~ .._

·.. ·., .. ~--..:~...

• ,: If l ,'\"
1; I , ~ ,. \.' . •.1".i, •

,·:;--· _.
. . -- ., ..
I •

to
·. :....,, , -_ ~ . -<• • ~ •
. . : (6) ·_ ·s~e thaJ fa!~typed .f,ette~s':~e~·t·. •
,

to;:officers for signatures are .

·. received back ·in . time for being de~patc
hed the same day through t~e
branches;°:' ·· ,·:> ·· ·-: · ·
. (7) · to·return the cases after issue ~f
letters without delay· throu~h
the diarists and (in the case of Superinten
dent Issue Branch only) obtam
their receipts for them ·on the challan; · ··
·.
(8) to see, when eith~r h~ or the despatche
from office that the person appointed to r is on leave or absent
carry on the duties is made
acquainted with all the necessary despatchi
ng rules and instructions.
· 100. Date of despatch of letters and
date of pub lica tion of not ifi- ·
cations to be marked on office copies
:- (1) In addition to marking on .
the office copy, the date of the letter and
affixing the rubber seal with the
word 'DESPATCHED' the despatcher shall
also mark the reo n the date on
• which the letter is actually despatched: If
for any unusual reason,·a letter is
withheld ·after it has been signed, the actu
al date of despatch should be
entered on the signed letter before it is
despatched. In case of Gazette
Notification, the date of the Gazette in whi
should also be noted on the office copy. ch the notification is published
. ·
(2) Despatch .of valuable pape~s · : -
Valuable papers such as
deeds, agreements, original certificates,·
passports, etc~, should 'invariably
be sent through registered post.
Chap. VIII 67 100 -101
ISSUE OF DRAFTS

(3) Postal Receipts : - The post office receipts for covers

an_d
parcels should be filed by the despatcher and destroyed after lapse
of six
months.

(4) Confidential and non-C onfid entia l covers :-

(a) Covers containing official correspondenc~, which is not

of a
confidential nature, ·should be addressed to the officer for
whom they are intended by his official designation only and
without the addition of his name. All letters to the same
address should be put, so far as possible into the same cover.

(b) Confidential papers should be placed in doub le covers,

the
inner covering being sealed and marked 'Confidential' and-
superscribed with the natne only of the addressee, the outer
cover being addressed as prescribed above.

(5) Mark ing of covers containing urgen t or immediate letters

:,_;.
when a letter for issue is marked with on urgency grading of 'URG
ENT' or
above the cover in which it is despatched should be so
stam ped.
Superintendent or Assistant should clearly indicate this fact.

(6) Despatch of Local letters : -

(a) local communications should always be sent by a messenger

,
the number of the letter being enter ed· in the local despa tch
book , in which an acknowledgement of its recei pt is given b~
the person receiving the communication.

(b) letter s addressed to private individuals and firms who

are
scattered all over the town or who may not be easily traceable
may be sent through the medium of the post off.ice.

101. Despatch of Telegrams and Registered letter : - (1) In

the
case of telegrams and registered letters, the serial numb er assign
ed to
them in the despatch register will be noted at a conv enien
t place to
facilitate the linking of the telegram and registered letter recei
pts to the
relevant entries in the despatch.· ..
.(2) Departments despatching registered post excee ding a
daily
average of 10 should carry the serial numb er assigned to
them in the
Postal· Registration Books (specimen given below) This numb
er will be
noted at th'-' 'llppropriate place on the registered letter to facilitate
linking
of ~he registered letter receipts to the relevant entries in the
register. despatch
 Chap. VIII 68 101 -10 2
SECRETARIAT INSTR~CTIONS

Parcel Branch

RP/2 For Registered Parcels only

Journal of Registered Parcels posted by · · · · · · · d.· ·d·d......f d )

· at the ..... ....• ..... ..... Post office. (Full name an a ress o sen er
No. Name & Full address of addressee
1. 2

K. 061

K. - 062

K. 063

. .
Date Stamp Certified that the artides enumerated above execu
tion
of bonafide orders received by me (No .... . ..... .... to :.. ••••• :•..
are
sent in)

Signature of receiving Officer Signature ofsender

. (3) if a communi~tion is to be sent by registered post .(ackn

ow-
ledgement due), the number of the communication should oe writte
n on
the 'acknowledgement Card' also so that, when received back, it can
be
sent to the Branch concerned.

(4) Telegrams should be despatched promptly, Registered

and
insured articles should be sent to the Post Office well before the closin
g
hour prescribed for the receipt of such communications. Other comm
uni-
cations should be posted at convenient intervals.

(5) ~eceipts for telegrams, registered and insured post, should be

checked carefully by .the despatcher. These should be filled properly
for
reference in the event of need.

102. Despatch of non-postal Communications :- (1) Messenger

books should be numbered serially and an adequate number of
such
books allotted to each department/office or serveral, departments/offices
grouped conveniently according to their location.
 102-103
Chap. VIII 69
ISSUE OF DRAFTS

(2) Immediate and urgent communications should be desp~tched

promptly. The time of despatch should invariably be_ noted. m. the
messenger book. The receipients should similary be required to indicate
the time of their receipt. Ordinary communications should be despatched
atleast twice a day at suitable intervals.
(3) Only immediate communications will be despatched outside
office hours. No communications should be sent to an officer at his
residence unless :-
(a) It bears an urgency grading of 'IMMEDIATE' or above and is
addressed to the officer by name .; and
(b) its delivery to the Officer's residence has been authorised by
the Superintendent concerned who is despatching it.
Before sending the communication to the Officer concerned
the Resident Assistant would ascertain whether the officer is in
station, and if not, he would have it delivered to the senior
most officer under him.
(4) After the communications have·been delivered, the despatcher
will e>1:amine the messenger book to see that all the communications
entered therein have been duly acknowledged by the receipients under
dated signatures written in ink. Instances where'the communications have
not been acknowledged will be immediately brought to the notice of the
Superintendent of the Issue Branch for investigation and further suitable .
action.
103. Issue of Inter-departmental notes :- (1) Drafts of self-con-
tained inter~departmental notes will be issued in the same manner as any
other draft.
(2) Before sending the files to the is~ue Branch for despatch, the
diarist will :-

(a) Mark the movement in the file movement register in the case
of branch's own files, and in the section•diary in other cases;

(b) in respect of Branch's own files, prepare a challan, in duplicate,

and place one copy on the file and make over the other to the
dealing hand concerned ;

(c) enter the file in the messenger book ; and

(d) send it to the despatcher of the issue Branch.

 Chap. VIII 70 103-10s
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS

(3J The Despatcher will : -

(aJ remove the file for despatch to the addressee;
(bJ acknowledge its receipts In the messenger book; and
(cJ return the messenger book to the Branch concerned.
104. Stamp account register : - (1) The ~esp~tcher will _maint~in an
account of the postage stamps in the form given '" appendix 18 as per
instructions contained In appendix 17.
(2) The Superintendent will check t~e entries m~de in_the register
every day and append his dated signatures m token of h,s hav,ng done so.
He will also conduct surprise test-checks of envelopes ready for despatch
by post to make sure;
·ca) ~ that th~ v~lue of stam~s affixed thereon tallies with that shown
. in the despatch register; and • - · _
(b) that the required value has been secured by using ~the
minimum number of stamps of appropriate higher denomi-
·nations.
(c) - in case env~lopes : a~ stamped with. franking ---machines, due
_. - care is taken in stamping the enyelopes. with appr~priate value
. as depicted in the register maintained for the purpose. - _
(d) surprise check will be -made so that th~re is no misutilisation of
the facility. · . ____ _~

. . 105. Act_ion :aher issue :- (1) -On . receipt ·of papers after -issu~ the
diarist will :- · ·
(a) . -~heck that the office copies bear the ~tamp 'Despatched';

(b) make sure that files and other papers sent with the drafts to the
issue 1:Jranch have been receive<!_back; ·

-- (c) make entries about the ._return of files in the file movement
register;

(d) pass on t~e files to the dealing hands concerned.

(2) The dealing hand will :~ .• 1 :.

(a) docket the communication (s) ·issued;

Chilp. \'Ill
71
ISSUE OF
DRAns 105 - 115
(b) examine
repo n an::bth_er the ca ~ .is fit f
ta,n ord
(c) prepare ers of the a or inclusion i
Without r:te kly statern PProPriate office~-any of the
th M erence ent ot . ,
e inister in acc~~dMinist er-i~~hnant cases disrvv-...1
ance w· h arge t be ....~ of
(d) it the depa no subm itted to·
examine wheth mental instruction~
disposal of th er the corn .
action to e Paper u d munication iti:ued constitute final
record the file ; er considera n, and if so• ...
(e) .f . ccording to the instru ction . initiate
• a reply to th s, and
further acf e cornmun i .
ion on the file . catio n issued is
C) is to be resu to be awaited or .
• mark the file for b . . med at a later date :-
e,ng brought forw
{ii) make a note of.it .1n h· ard on that date·•
is diary on th
(iii) pass on the flI e relevant date; and
e to the o· • ·
t he file move . iarist for recordin . movement in
reminder d· m~nt register and k . g its
UO . iary v1de para 15 f h _eepmg a note in the
h. No. 6/1/ 83-2 AR d t od t e_instructions issuedactio
lar
vide
n
s ould be taken also on d a e_ 26-11-1985. [simi
respect of files ·referred to u~~c ate copies of challan and in
0 er Departments vide para 103
(2) (b)]. ·

.
106. Ref~rnce lists :- (1) To facilit a!e q~1c
ch/R esid ent Assistant . ·11 k despatch of papers the
Issue Bran tam the following lists and
directories :-. w, mam

s and telep-hone numbers of ott·1cers. and

(a) b c·esse
residential •addr . ·
Staff o f PunJa 1v11Secretariat;
ipt/despatch of
(b) dep artm ~nts w_hich have a~rangements for rece telephone
dak outs ide office hours (with name, designatio and
n
num ber of the official-in-Charge);
officers of
(c) resi den tial addresses and telephon~ numbers of
dak out-side
oth er dep artm ents designated to receive urgent
offi ce hou rs;
of offic~rs of
resi den tial addresses and telephone numbers
(d) oth er dep artm ents designated to receive legislatur
~papers;

Departments
pos tal add ress es of all offices of Heads of
(e) (Su bord inat e offices, autonomous bodies etc.);

- -~-------------7---1 r.-r-ress7SAS. Nager .

 a

72 106
Chap. VII I
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS .

of Central Go ver nm ent ·

(f) telegraphic addresses of Ministeries I
add res sed ;
and other out station offices frequently
out side the State; and
(g) list of State's representatives posted
(h) schedule of postal rates.
(2) These lists etc. will be kept up-
to-d ate and displayed promi-
che r/th e Res ide nt Ass istant and
nently •for easy consultation by the des pat · ■
oth er officials on duty.
 ,
._ A
,...,....
CHAnfl rx

euential for
107. Fllln1 1y1tem ~ rt ln proper flllng system is pe
ion 81 •torage and retrieval of
pa rs
convenient Identificat ' ·
ba,e d (1) Each
108. Fl/ln1 1y1tem ed fist:~ ~~b)ect cla11lflcatlon :-
approv
branch wlll maintain
Ie b ncerning It and
(a) Standard heads ' · · maIn su lect headings co
he d I
(b) Standard sub a s .e. aspects of the m
ain subject headings.
ud ge t' '" ·· , c. can be
: 'Edstablisdhmen ' t' 'B , nnurances , et etc. can

r mples
Exand
Sta ard H
be standa

(2) The stan

such-number wlll be
rd
da
::
rd
~ ~
he
:a
ad
t
d
sw
~ n
ill
d er
be
d
them 'Recruitment' 'S

ar
allotted o stan ard sub-heads. co ns ec
.
utiv e se
.
r,a
NE'

f numbers. No

rd sub heads will th be

d rd ad s and stan da
(J) The
st
11 of st an a he
ye ar an d re vi se d, ff necessary, with e
reviewed at the be
ginning of each erne d. T he serial numbers once
ranch Officer co nc ged.
approval of the B rd heads should not ordinarily be chan
allott~d to the standa der will assertain th
e
w file, th e R ec or
(4) Before open
ing a ne ns
will
ideration relates. He ing
pa pe r un de r co
hich the the deal
Standard .Head to w ble title of th~ file for the approval of
the~ propose a sui~ m tend en t. T he tit le will consist of : -
hand and the Super
(a) Standard head
(b) Sub-head
tin g th e is su e un der consideration in
ent indica d where necessary
the
(c) A brief cont a11d su b- he ad an
ad
relation to the he rson, place or thing involved.
specific institution, pe
ief as po ss ible bu t should give at a
be as br an aid
(5) The title should f the contents of the file so as to serve as into
cation o up
glance sufficient indi It should be articufated, i.e., broken e words
to its identificatio
n.
th e m in im um po ssible substantiv
consisting of ch part will begin with
a
components, each e su bj ec t m atte r. Ea
ement in th bold dash.
and expressing an el separated from the preceding one by a
ill be
capital letter and w separate fife for each
e sh ou ld be a
ible, ther ld not be couched in
(6) As for as poss title of a fife sh ou
e subject. The of receipts
distinct aspect o f th rms which might attra~ large ~umber_ y.
ide te wield
very general or w
f the m atter th er e by makmg the fife un
o
on different aspects
73
 Chap. IX 74 108 -11 1
SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS
(7) If the issue raised in a fr~sh receipt.
or in
file goes beyond the original scope, a r1ew f1I~ the note on a current
may be opened to deal
with it, after placing the relevant extracts or copies
thereon.
(8) Every file will be assigned a file num
ber as soon.as it is opened.
It will consist of :-
. (a) the serial num.ber allotted to the elaborated
head;
(b) the serial number of the file opened during
the year u_nder the
standard head;
(c) the year of opening the file (last two digits
only); and
(d) an abbreviated symbol identifying the bran
ch.
The first three elements in the file number will
one'-anoth~r by a slant stroke and the last by a. be separated from
dash
say, Administrative Reforms Branch during 1986 . Thus files opened in,
und
bearing serial number 4 can be numbered consecu er the Standard head
tively as 4/1/86-AR and
so on. In this case, 4 will stand for the main hea
d '~work study" the next
figure· I for the First file opened in this Main head
, 86
fil~ had been opened, 'A.R.' will represent the bran for the year in which
ch and Assistant.
. . 109. Instances 'where file~· ne~d not be ope
ned-normally. No new
files will be opened for dealing with rece
ipts of a purely routine nature
·(e.g. requests for supply of unclassified
factual information., notices of
holidays., miscellaneous circulars) whi
ch · : - (1) can be disposed of
straight way by noting the reply on the sou
rce receipts and returning
them to the originators; or
·· ·
(2) are unlikely to generate further correspond
can be placed in a miscellaneous file to be des ence and therefore
troyed at the end of the
y~ar~ or p~aced in the folder of circulars, etc., on
the subject.
110. File reg iste r:- A_record of files ope
year will be kept in a file register (appendix 21) ned during a calender
to be maintained by the-:-
Recorder. A list of approved standard heads alon
gwith the serial numbers
identifying them should be pasted at the beg
inning of the register. The
pages allotted to the standard heads in the
indicated against each. register should also be
· ··' . · ..: , · .. . , ·.
111. Pa rt-f ile: - (1) If the main file on a
subject is not likely to be
available for some time and it is necessary to
process a fresh receipt on a
note without waiting for its return a part file
may be opened to deal with
it. This device may also be resorted to whe
re it is desired to consult
simultaneously two or more sections or offi
cers and it is necessary for
each of them to see the receipt noted upon.
(2) A part file will normally consist of :-
(a) receipt of note dealt with; and
Chap. IX 75 111-1 12
FILING SYSTEM

(b) notes relating thereto.

. (3) Where two or more part files are opened, each will be
identified by a distinct number, e.g. partfile I, part file II and so on.
(4) A part file will be merged with the main file as soon as
possible, duplicate papers, if any, being removed.
(5) Transfer, reconstruction and renumbering of files whenever
work is transferred from one department/section/branch to another, the
former will promptly transfer alt the related records including files, both
current and closed,to the latter. The department/branch taking over the
records will not divide, reclassify or renumbe·r the closed files transferred
to it. In the case of current file, the endeavour should be to close them at
the earliest possible stage and to open · new files according to the
department/branch's own scheme of classification for dealing with the
matter further.
112. (1) On each occasion when a case passes through the diarist,
then the diarist should mark in the diary the person-to whom and the date
on which, it is sent. In order that the diary should be an upto date record
of the. movement of cases, Superintendents and Assistants are responsible
to see that all cases are passed on one to another in the office through the
diarist. Files and other papers put up to the Branch marked to other
Branches or departments will be routed through the Branch for noting
their movement.
(2) The personal staff of officers of the rank of Deputy Secretary
and above will maintain the movement of papers received by their officers
in respective personal section diary (Appendix 4). Movement of any file
handed over personally to a higher officer or to the minister will similarly
be noted by the personal staff. Papers/Files marked by them to other
departments, however, will be routed through the Branch concerned, for
noting their movements in the file movement register or section diary as
appropriate.
(3) When current files/recorded files are linked with a case, the
Diarist wnl mark the File number of the case in the Branch Diary (Column
6) and also indicate there· under the file numbers of the linked
current/recorded files.
(4) No current file will be· issued to other Branch except against
written requisition and after marking its movement in the Branch Diary.
(5) When the files are handedover personally by the Under
Secretary to the other officers etc. he will inform the _su~erintende~t
accordingly who will ensure that the movement of such files is .marked m
the Section Diary. ■