Supreme Court not to decide cooling off period for government official to join political entry

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Supreme Court said, “ Legislators, not judges, have to determine whether a cooling-off period is required for government officials before they join politics and contest elections after retirement.”

A Bench stated  in a writ petition seeking a direction to the legislature to frame a law imposing a cooling-off period for retired bureaucrats with political ambitions.

The petitioner, Vivek Krishna, said the need to give time to cool off after retirement was necessary owing to a high probability that civil servants, while in service, may do favours for certain parties with an eye on a political future or a high position.

The Bench, in a recent four-page order, categorically said that civil servants would be liable for stringent action in case of any such breach in ethical standards under the All India Services (Conduct) Rules of 1968.

Work ethic 

The Bench  said, “There can be no doubt that civil servants should maintain the highest ethical standards of integrity and honesty, political neutrality, fairness and impartiality in the discharge of duties, 

A civil servants, “courtesy, accountability and transparency, integrity, impartiality, neutrality, transparency and honesty are non-negotiable”.