Bhubaneswar, Jun 23: The Odisha government has introduced a significant change in the departmental inquiry process against government employees, limiting the role of Inquiry Officers.

Under the new directive, Inquiry Officers will no longer recommend punishments in their reports. Instead, their findings will be restricted to verifying the authenticity of allegations, examining evidence, and presenting conclusions based on the facts.

The General Administration and Public Grievances Department has issued instructions to all departments, departmental heads, and district collectors to strictly adhere to the new framework.

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Previously, Inquiry Officers were empowered to suggest disciplinary action if charges were proven. However, the government has clarified that the authority to determine and impose punishment lies solely with the disciplinary authority.

Officials noted that in several cases, punishments were not imposed in line with Inquiry Officers’ recommendations, prompting affected employees to approach the courts. This led to unnecessary litigation and administrative complications. To avoid such situations, the government has now streamlined the process.

As per the revised guidelines, Inquiry Officers’ reports must include conclusions on each allegation, reasons for those conclusions, and details of the supporting evidence.

The practice of recommending punishments has been discontinued. The government has emphasized that disciplinary authorities alone will decide on penalties after reviewing the inquiry report.

The directive is expected to reduce legal disputes and ensure clarity in the disciplinary process. By separating the roles of fact-finding and punishment determination, the government aims to make departmental inquiries more transparent and legally sound.

All disciplinary authorities and Inquiry Officers have been instructed to comply strictly with the new rules, which are seen as a step toward minimizing administrative complexities and ensuring fair proceedings in departmental investigations.