UP government gags employees not to engage on media platforms without permission

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has issued a circular adding a new set of norms for government employees in view of their engagement on media platforms, prompting a backlash from officials.

A circular issued by Additional Chief Secretary, Appointments and Personnel Devesh Chaturvedi on Wednesday prohibits state employees from speaking, publishing and writing about government decisions on social media, print media, electronic media, digital media and even broadcast media such as radio without prior permission .

“The circular is an extension of existing regulations making it mandatory for state government employees to obtain prior official approval before making any form of publication in print, digital, television or broadcast media,” says an official of the same department.

However, the move is seen as a significant policy change under the existing regulation, introduced with the intention of regulating the flow of information from government sources.

The circular mentions Section 3(2) of the UP Government Servants’ Rules of Conduct, 1956, stating that “every Government servant shall conduct himself in accordance with prevailing trends, specific and implicit Government orders issued to regulate his conduct and conduct.”

New rules have been introduced regarding newspapers, radio and criticism of the government, says a junior officer of the nominations and personnel department.

“Anyone found violating norms or even leaking crucial information from government circulars requires stringent action,” added another officer.

Under the new guidelines, any attempt to write articles, opinions or even comments in newspapers, magazines or digital platforms would now require prior approval from the relevant authorities in the state government. While a group of officials, who wished to remain anonymous, liken it to a silence order, others are trying to explain the rationale, saying it is intended to ensure that information disseminated by government employees and state government policies are synchronized to prevent sensitive or contradictory information from leaking out.

They argue that the directive does not constitute an absolute gag on all forms of expression. Respecting the importance of an individual’s personal creative and intellectual rights, the circular excludes artistic, literary and scientific articles written by employees from this restriction.

This exception allows government employees to continue to contribute to cultural and scientific discourse without prior approval, provided that their writings do not disseminate a political or administrative narrative.

“The restriction applies to publishing any political or policy-related posts of the state government on social media platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp updates, ‘X’, Instagram, Telegram or any other form of digital media,” a senior officer explained. Supporters of the guidelines call it a necessary step to maintain the integrity and uniformity of government communications. “This will help prevent the spread of misinformation and ensure that all public communication is consistent with the official position,” says a senior IAS official.

Meanwhile, opponents see it as another step aimed at limiting freedom of speech. They believe that such measures would stifle the thought process of government members and prevent them from expressing honest and valuable opinions about policy.

“Since the new norms prohibit government employees from writing even under pseudonyms, this move will discourage people from coming forward with ideas for improvisation, leading to a culture of silent compliance,” says a PCS official.

“Under these new rules, government employees who genuinely want to express their views on topics beyond the realms of art, culture, science or literature would have to submit proposed texts for review and wait for official approval before publication,” a senior official said.