Para 32 — CSMOP
Original Rule Text
32. References to Constitutional/Statutory Authorities - References to constitutional and statutory authorities such as Election Commission of India/ Union Public Service Commission etc. shall normally be made in the letter form addressed to Principal Secretary/Secretary of the Commission.
What This Means
Para 32 deals with how the Central Government should formally correspond with constitutional and statutory authorities — bodies like the Election Commission of India and the Union Public Service Commission. These bodies have independent constitutional status and are not subordinate to any ministry. Therefore, the mode and level of communication must reflect this.
When a ministry needs to formally communicate with such a body, it should do so in the form of a Letter (not an OM or an inter-departmental note, which are for internal government use). The letter should be addressed to the Principal Secretary or Secretary of the Commission or Authority, not to the Chairman or Member directly. This is the standard protocol that respects the institutional structure of such bodies.
The underlying reason for this protocol is one of institutional respect: constitutional bodies have their own secretariats and official channels. Addressing letters to the Secretary of the Commission goes through the proper channel and ensures the correspondence is received, processed, and responded to through the official system of that body.
This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.
Key Points
- 1References to constitutional and statutory authorities (like ECI, UPSC) are normally made in the form of a Letter.
- 2The letter should be addressed to the Principal Secretary or Secretary of the Commission/Authority.
- 3Letters should not be addressed directly to the Chairman or Member.
- 4This protocol respects the institutional structure and independence of constitutional bodies.
- 5Examples of constitutional bodies: Election Commission of India, Union Public Service Commission.
Practical Example
The Ministry of Personnel needs to correspond with the UPSC regarding a list of candidates for a specific post. The Section Officer drafts a Letter (not an OM) addressed to 'The Secretary, Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, New Delhi'. The letter requests the required information. It does not address the Chairman of UPSC directly. The letter follows the standard Letter format prescribed in Para 28, begins with 'Sir/Madam', and is signed at the appropriate level (Under Secretary or above) based on the seniority convention.
This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.
Frequently Asked Questions
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This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.