J&K Govt bans its employees from participating in demonstrations, strikes [details]

Amid reports that some unions of government employees are planning to go on strike, the Jammu and Kashmir Government on Friday banned all employees from participating in any kind of demonstrations.

The government also restricted employees from going on strike and warned of strict action in case any employee would be found involved in such demonstrations.

According to an order issued by the General Administrative Department (GAD) on Friday, employees have been warned against going on strike.

"It has come to the fore that some employees are resorting to demonstrations and strikes in favour of certain demands" the order reads.

The government invoked Rule 20(ii) of the Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees (Conduct) Rules, 1971, which states that no government employee shall resort to or in any way abet any form of strike in connection with any matter pertaining to his service or the service of any other government employee.

Per the order, the provision of law is not merely declaratory and shall entail consequences in the event of any such employee found immersive in such acts.

"Therefore, all Administrative Secretaries are requested to circulate these instructions to employees in their respective Department(s) to desist from all such uncalled-for demonstrations and strikes: an act of serious indiscipline and misconduct."

It added that the Departments are also impressed to take strict disciplinary action against employees found involved in organizing demonstrations and strikes.

Employees already warned against using social media to criticize the government's policies

Authorities of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have warned its employees against using media to criticize policies of the government.

The UT administration has come up with an elaborate set of guidelines regarding the use of media by government employees in Jammu and Kashmir.

A circular in this regard has already been issued by the Commissioner Secretary General Administration Department which reads, "An elaborate set of guidelines regarding the use of social media by government employees have been notified for strict adherence/compliance vide Government Order No. 1646-JK(GAD) of 2017 dated 26.12.2017.

Further, the provisions relating to the issue incorporated in the Jammu and Kashmir Employees Conduct Rules, 1971, are excerpted herein.

It has been observed that government servants often engage themselves with social media in a manner that is in contravention of service rules.

While using different social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., or Instant Messaging applications like WhatsApp, Telegram, etc., employees have been seen to air disparaging views on subjects that they are expressly barred under rules to comment upon.

Employees have been seen to comment or act or behave in a manner that does not conform to the acceptable standards of official conduct, as envisaged in the service guidelines and the rules.

Such actions range from unauthorized communication of official information and/or dissemination of patently wrong or misleading information, airing of political or communal views, etc. under their real or assumed identities.