Puja Khedkar Update: Rules are violated, mistake after mistake… IAS Pooja Khedkar will be in trouble!

New Delhi: Pooja Khedkar’s name is constantly in the headlines these days. She is an IAS officer who was currently on training. She had secured 821st rank in the UPSC exam. Pooja got embroiled in controversy when she used her personal Audi car with red-blue lights and VIP number plate. She is also accused of several frauds including submitting fake Divyang certificate and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificate to pass the civil services examination. Amidst these controversies, the Maharashtra government transferred Khedkar from Pune to Washim last week. Meanwhile, the central government has also formed a committee to investigate all the documents submitted by Pooja Khedkar to get candidature in the civil services.

What are the allegations against Pooja Khedkar

IAS officer Pooja Khedkar is accused of misusing her power. She is in the news due to ignoring the rules and making several mistakes one after the other. She is accused of ignoring the rules set as a civil servant. The kind of allegations against her are shocking. If found guilty in the investigation, action will be taken against her. Let us know under which rules IAS officers have to work.

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IAS officers must follow these rules

According to the Indian Express report, Pooja Khedkar has to follow two major rules to work as a civil servant. These are the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968 and the Indian Administrative Service (Probation) Rules, 1954. Let’s take a look at some of the rules that apply to IAS officers and probationary officers.

‘Integration of services’

All Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers work under the AIS (Conduct) Rules from the beginning of their training. All members of the service must remain loyal to their duty and must not indulge in ‘improper’ acts during their service. According to the rules, no officer can use his/her position to secure a job for any member of his/her family in any private or non-governmental organisation.

Many allegations against Pooja Khedkar for ignoring the rules

In 2014, the Centre added some sub-rules to these. This included that the officers should maintain ethics, honesty, political impartiality, accountability, transparency, sensitivity towards people, especially towards the weaker sections, and good behaviour towards people. Pooja Khedkar was questioned on all these points. It is also mentioned that the officers should take decisions only in public interest, without keeping any personal interest in mind.

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What are the rules regarding gifts

The rules further state that no officer shall place himself under any financial or other obligation to any person or organisation that may influence him/her. Do not abuse your position as a civil servant, and do not take any decision to obtain financial or material advantage for yourself, your family or your friends. Another rule updated in 2015 requires officials to report any gifts given to them by close relatives or friends if the value of the gift exceeds Rs 25,000.

These are the rules for probationary officers

As per rules, probationary IAS officers get a fixed salary and travel allowance during their training period. However, they are not entitled to special privileges enjoyed by IAS officers such as an official car with VIP number plate, official accommodation, an official room with adequate staff and a constable. The Centre can disqualify a trainee for flouting rules. In the case of Pooja Khedkar, the government has constituted a one-member committee to examine all documents submitted on her behalf.

What will happen if you submit a fake certificate

Pooja Khedkar has been accused of providing fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to clear the civil services exam. Reports claim that she had also submitted a certificate of mental illness. In April 2022, she was asked to report to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, for verification of her disability certificate. However, she did not do so citing Covid infection. 27 per cent seats in the civil services are reserved for the OBC category, and three per cent seats in the general, OBC, ST and SC categories are reserved for persons with disabilities. If a candidate is found to have provided fake certificates, the civil servant should not be retained, the rules say. However, the civil servant can challenge his/her dismissal in court before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and the National OBC Commission.