Andhra Pradesh finance department issues gag order

Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh finance department has issued a circular to its staff, instructing them not to reveal any information to anybody, including the media.

Special secretary Hema Munivenkatappa said in the statement that any deviation from these instructions would be viewed seriously and strict disciplinary action would be initiated as per the Andhra Pradesh Civil Service Conduct Rules 1964. Rule 14 of the AP

Civil Service Conduct Rules 1964 stipulates that “No government employee shall, except in accordance with any general or special order of the government, communicate directly or indirectly any official document or any of its contents or any official information to any government employee not authorised to receive the same, or to any non official person or to the press.”

She pointed out that even after these instructions, there had been frequent instances of official information being passed on to the media.