Employees absent from duty to face action under service rules; departments directed to submit lists by end of day

Chandigarh, 27 August (H.S.): The Punjab Government has directed all administrative secretaries and heads of departments to compile and submit details of employees who remained absent from duty without authorisation from their respective government offices.

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel, Personnel Policies-II Branch, dated August 27, 2026, complaints have been received from various quarters that members of the public have been facing inconvenience because officials were not available on duty at government offices.

The department has asked all Administrative Secretaries and Heads of Departments to prepare a list of such absent employees and submit it to the Department of General Administration by the end of the working day on August 27 itself.

The order states that further necessary action will be taken against the employees as per the provisions of the applicable service rules.

The directive comes on a day when various government employee organisations across Punjab are observing a ‘Strike’ over their pending demands, including release of outstanding Dearness Allowance (DA) instalments and restoration of the Old Pension Scheme.

The government’s order specifically refers to unauthorised absence from duty and calls for action under the applicable service rules. The document does not specify the number of employees against whom action is being considered.

The order was issued with the approval of the competent authority and addressed to all Special Chief Secretaries, Additional Chief Secretaries, Financial Commissioners, Principal Secretaries and Administrative Secretaries of the Punjab Government.

The move is expected to put additional pressure on employees who have remained absent from their offices without authorised leave, while the government continues to face a standoff with employee organisations over their long-pending demands.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH