The Himachal Pradesh government has issued fresh instructions for its employees mandating strict adherence to the dress code. The government has banned jeans, t-shirts and party-wear in offices and courts, and has also asked employees not to comment on government policies on social media.
According to detailed guidelines issued by Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, all government staff must wear formal, clean and modest clothes in sober colours. The rules clearly prohibit casual or party-wear in offices or while appearing in court.
For male staff, the dress code requires collared shirts and pants or trousers, along with proper footwear like shoes or sandals. Female employees should wear sarees, formal suits, salwars, churidars or kurtas with dupattas, as well as trouser pants and shirts with chappals, sandals or shoes. Jeans and t-shirts are not allowed, officials said on Wednesday.
The government said it has noticed cases where employees were wearing casual clothes and using their personal social media accounts to share government schemes or promote products.
The guidelines refer to a letter dated August 3, 2017, which had advised government staff to wear appropriate, formal, clean and decent clothes in sober colours. It had also said casual and party-wear should be avoided in offices and courts. Despite these instructions, many employees have not been following the rules. The government said this is a second reminder to enforce the dress code.
"The dress code aims at maintaining modesty and decorum in the services, and dress in the office shall be formal. Officers should wear formal attire to 'make them look like they are officers/officials', and employees should also pay due attention to grooming and personal hygiene," the guidelines stated.
They also advised employees not to express opinions on government policies or schemes through their personal social media accounts. They have also been told not to make political or religious comments on any public platform, including blogs and social media.
Employees have been instructed not to share any official information through personal social media accounts without prior permission. They have been asked to maintain discipline while using social media.
The government said employees must follow these rules in both letter and spirit. Any violation will be taken seriously and may lead to disciplinary action.
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