MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has given four weeks’ time to the State government to frame guidelines to curb public servants from using mobile phones inside office for personal purpose. Justice SM Subramaniam, while issuing the directive, said field officers could be given exemption.
He said in case of any emergency call, a government officer should take proper permission from the superiors to use mobile phones. “The mobile phones should be either switched off or kept in vibration or silent mode so that it won’t cause any disturbance to the public or other staff. In case of any violations, strict action should be initiated,” the judge said.
The court observed that it came to know that many public servants use mobile phones during office hours. “If such indiscipline and misconduct are allowed, no doubt, they would be committing the greatest sin by getting tax payers’ money as huge salary. Therefore, the government is duty bound to ensure that the public servants are not wandering with mobile phones inside the office during office hours,” it said.
The court passed the order while rejecting a plea filed by DS Radhika, working as Superintendent a Regional Workshop (Health), Trichy, challenging her suspension allegedly for high-handedness and misbehaving indifferently with the other officials of the department. She was allegedly found taking video of the staff working at the office.