The government of Delhi has instructed its various departments to implement biometric attendance systems in their offices to ensure that all personnel, including Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and secretaries, arrive for work by 9:30 AM each day. Currently, only officials below the level of secretary are required to use the biometric system for attendance tracking.
This mandate was announced on Wednesday following a surprise inspection by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, during which she discovered that many officials, including senior bureaucrats, were absent from the State GST office. In response, she ordered the issuance of immediate show-cause notices to those who were not present and requested biometric attendance records for the previous month for these officials.
According to sources, measures will be taken against officials who arrive late, fail to register their attendance, or leave early. Additionally, the Chief Minister requested a monthly report detailing the average arrival times of each official.
The General Administration Department (GAD) is tasked with compiling a daily attendance report, which must be submitted to the Chief Secretary by noon each day. The directive specifies that the Secretary of GAD is responsible for gathering attendance data from additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, secretaries, and heads of departments, which will then be presented to the Chief Secretary daily. Furthermore, the monthly attendance report will be reviewed by the Chief Minister in the following month.
The order emphasizes that all officials, including those at the levels of Additional Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Secretary, and Head of Department, must record their attendance solely through the biometric attendance system. It also instructs departments to ensure that biometric systems are installed and functioning correctly in their offices and subordinate offices. Senior officials are expected to guarantee that all personnel within their departments are registered in the system.
Moreover, department heads are directed to consistently monitor the attendance of their officials. The order states that appropriate action will be taken against any officer or official who arrives late, leaves early, or fails to mark their attendance.
During her address on Wednesday, the Chief Minister asserted that her administration would not tolerate negligence or inefficiency at any level. She highlighted that inspections, like the one conducted earlier, aim to promote accountability and discipline within the administrative framework.
“Official meetings cannot serve as an excuse for neglecting public responsibilities. Discipline should apply to all, not just junior staff; it encompasses everyone, including commissioners and special commissioners,” she remarked to the media. However, this order has faced criticism from senior bureaucrats. One IAS officer at the secretary level expressed concerns about the demanding schedules that often require officials to attend numerous back-to-back meetings at the Chief Minister’s Office and the Chief Secretary’s office, as well as conducting ground inspections and managing additional responsibilities.
Another senior official pointed out that senior staff often work long hours, staying late into the night and even working weekends to handle critical projects and clear files. They argue that if officials are required to clock in early, they might also be compelled to leave on time.
Stay informed with the latest updates by following us on Instagram.
