Dress code prescribed for govt employees

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 3

The state government today issued an order prescribing a dress code for all its employees to ensure that they are appropriately clad in formal, descent and sober clothes, specifically during court appearances and also while attending office.

The orders were issued by Chief Secretary VC Pharka today in pursuance of the High Court directives to the state government where displeasure had been expressed about the manner in which employees were coming to the court wearing casual clothes. The government has been compelled to issue the order addressed to all secretaries, heads of departments, divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners following court directives after a female Junior Engineer of the Irrigation and Public Health Department appeared in court wearing jeans and a multi-coloured shirt.

“The advisory must be circulated to every employee and scrupulously followed in letter and spirit as per conduct rules, failing which disciplinary action will be taken,” reads the strictly worded order.

The order also has the annexed copy of the High Court order of July 17 in which displeasure had been expressed on the manner of dressing up of government employees while appearing before the High Court.

The order also mentioned that all government servants should be attired in appropriate, formal, clean, modest and decent cloths in sober colours, which should not look gaudy. “Casual and party attire should be strictly avoided during appearance in Court and while attending office,” the order read. It further said the mannerism, conduct and dress of a government servant should reflect a sense of decorum, decency, professionalism and seriousness of purpose at the work place as well as during appearance in the courts.

It is often seen that a large number of employees, especially the younger lot, come casually dressed to office, which often looks improper. As such the directions apply not just for court appearances but also for routine office going, added an official.