Centre amends Civil Services Pension Rules: All you need to know

The Centre on May 31, 2021, amended the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972. The newly amended Civil Services Pension Rules state that no retired official of security and intelligence organizations will publish material, including information about their experience and expertise gained in the organizations, without clearance from the head of the organization.

The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions informed that the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 are being amended.

The latest amendment to the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 prohibits any government servant, who has worked in any intelligence or security-related organization included in the 2^nd Schedule of Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, from publishing any material including reference of information about personnel or own experience, expertise or knowledge gained while working in that organization without the clearance from the head of that organization.

The amendment further also prohibits government officials from publishing any sensitive information that would prejudicially affect the integrity and sovereignty of India, the strategic, scientific, economic interests, or security of the state, or relation with a foreign state or which would incite an offense.

This new amendment also requires the officials to sign an undertaking that states in case of any failure to abide by the rules, the pension can be withheld or withdrawn in part of full.

This amendment is most likely to affect retired government officials of security and intelligence organizations who publish in the magazines, newspapers, books about their experience or former organizations they have worked with.

Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005

•The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, came into being on October 12, 2005. The RTI Act put India in the league of nations that provide their citizens the right to seek information from various public authorities to promote accountability and transparency.

•The 2^nd Schedule of RTI Act, 2005 comprises organizations that are exempted from giving out information on the grounds of them being security and intelligence organizations.

•The Central government is vested with the power to amend the 2^nd Schedule of the RTI Act, 2005.

Organizations under the 2^nd Schedule of RTI Act, 2005

•Intelligence Bureau

•Research and Analysis Wing of Cabinet Secretariat

•Directorate of Revenue Intelligence

•Central Economic Intelligence Bureau

•Directorate of Enforcement

•Narcotics Control Bureau

•Aviation Research Centre of the Cabinet Secretariat

•Special Frontier Force of the Cabinet Secretariat

•Border Security Force

•Central Reserve Police Force

•Indo-Tibetan Border Police

•Central Industrial Security Force

•National Security Guards

•Assam Rifles

•Sashastra Seema Bal

•Directorate General of Income – Tax (Investigation)

•National Technical Research Organisation

•Financial Intelligence Unit, India

•Special Protection Group

•Defence Research and Development Organisation

•Border Road Development Board

•National Security Council Secretariat

•Central Bureau of Investigation

•National Investigation Agency

•National Intelligence Grid

•Strategic Forces Command