Should officers be allowed to receive gifts from foreign dignitaries?

The Central government is contemplating to allow the All India Services officers to accept and retain gifts from foreign dignitaries.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has asked the chief secretaries of the State governments and Union Territories to give their views relating to amendments proposed to the AIS (Conduct) Rules 1968. According to the existing rules, a member of the service may accept gifts from his near relatives or from personal friends having no official dealings with them on occasions like wedding, anniversaries, funerals and religious functions when making of gifts is in conformity with the prevailing religious and social practice. “But he shall make a report to the government if the value of such gift exceeds ₹25,000.”

The gift, according to rules, includes free transport, free boarding, free lodging or any other service or pecuniary advantage when provided by a person other than a near relative or personal friend having no official dealing with the member of the service. Likewise, rules mandate that no member of service should accept any gift without the sanction of the government if the value of the gift exceeds ₹5,000. Member of the service should also avoid accepting lavish hospitality or frequent hospitality from persons having official dealings with them or from industrial or commercial firms or other organisations.

In this background, the DoPT said it would insert a sub-rule allowing a member of service, being a member of Indian delegation or otherwise, “may receive and retain gifts from foreign dignitaries in accordance with the provisions of The Foreign Contribution (Acceptance or Retention of Gifts or Presentation) Rules 2012.” The DoPT set March 31 as deadline for the chief secretaries to submit their views/comments. “If no reply is received within the stipulated time, it will be presumed that State government has no objection to the proposed amendments,” the latter said.