Bihar Deputy CM Declares Revenue Officers' Mass Leave Illegal, Issues Strict Deadline
In a significant administrative development, Bihar's Revenue and Land Reforms Department (RLRD) Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha has officially declared the ongoing mass leave by officers and employees of the state revenue services as illegal and unauthorized. The minister has issued a firm directive, ordering all personnel to resume their duties by 5 PM on Wednesday, April 10th.
Strict Consequences for Non-Compliance
Deputy CM Sinha delivered a clear warning regarding the potential repercussions for those who fail to comply with the return-to-work order. "If they do not return to work by 5pm on Wednesday, strict disciplinary action will be initiated against those violating the order," Sinha stated unequivocally. He elaborated that continued absence would be formally treated as a break in service, which would trigger immediate salary deductions and the implementation of other stringent administrative measures as per government rules and regulations.
Sympathetic Consideration for Compliant Employees
While taking a hard line against the unauthorized leave, the minister also offered a pathway for reconciliation. He indicated that employees who heed the directive and report back to work by the deadline would be treated sympathetically by the administration. In such cases, the government may consider adjusting their period of absence, potentially mitigating some of the harsher penalties.
Severe Impact on Public Services
Justifying the government's firm stance, Sinha highlighted the severe disruption caused by the work stoppage. He noted that employees have been absent from duty since March 9th, a prolonged period that violates established service rules. More critically, this absence has severely affected essential public services linked to land records, property transactions, and various revenue matters, causing significant inconvenience to citizens across Bihar.
"In public interest and in keeping with administrative discipline, the govt will not compromise on this issue," the Deputy CM asserted, emphasizing the government's commitment to maintaining administrative order and service delivery.
Conflict with CM's Outreach Program
Sinha also contextualized the issue within Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's current public engagement initiative. "The CM is on his Samriddhi Yatra, engaging with people on land reform issues. In such a situation, employees staying away from duty amounts to a serious disruption of administrative functioning," he explained. The timing of the mass leave, coinciding with a high-profile government outreach program focused on land reforms, has been viewed as particularly problematic, undermining the administration's efforts to connect with citizens on these very issues.
The government's decisive move sets a clear precedent regarding unauthorized industrial action within the state bureaucracy and underscores its intent to enforce administrative discipline while balancing it with considerations for those who comply with official directives.
