Rule 297 — GFR 2017

Rule 297 of the General Financial Rules, 2017, deals with claims made by individuals or organizations that are not part of the government service, but are submitted too late. In simple terms, a 'time-barred claim' means a request for payment, refund, or any other entitlement that has been submitted after the official deadline or time limit for making such a claim has passed. This rule applies to anyone outside the government, such as vendors, contractors, suppliers, or even ordinary citizens who have a financial claim against the government.

The main purpose of this rule is to ensure financial discipline and prevent government offices from having to deal with very old claims that are difficult to verify or process. When a government office receives a claim from an external party, the officers are required to check if it falls within the prescribed time limits. If a claim is found to be time-barred, it generally cannot be processed or paid. The specific time limits for different types of claims are usually detailed elsewhere in financial rules or contracts.

Therefore, government officers must be vigilant in checking the timeliness of all claims from non-government entities. If a claim is identified as time-barred, it should typically be rejected, unless the full provisions of Rule 297 or other specific government orders allow for condonation of delay under exceptional circumstances, which would require proper justification and approval from the competent authority.