Shillong: The Meghalaya government has banned government employees from expressing their views in the press or on social media.
In a circular issued on Friday, the Meghalaya government asked its employees not to air their views in the press or social media ‘which are in direct conflict with the policies and programs of the government’.
The circular issued by the Commissioner and Secretary, Personnel and Administrative Reforms (A) Department, R. Lyngdoh, has barred employees from making statements that would create any electronic, social media, print media or in between the Central and State Govt. Have the ability to shame relationships. Any document published under his name or anonymously or pseudonymously.
“Any public servant, in any document broadcast on electronic or social media or in any document published in his own name or anonymously, under a pseudonym or in the name of any other person or in the press or in any public statement shall not. Any statement of fact or opinion – which has the effect of adversely criticizing any present or recent policy or action of the Central Government or any State Government; or which tends to embarrass the relations between the Central Government and any State Government; capable of; or capable of embarrassing the relations between the central government and the criticizing government of any foreign country,” it added.
Violation of the order will attract departmental action found in violation of Rule 8 of the Meghalaya Services (Conduct) Rules, 2019, the government has warned.
