The Maharashtra government has ordered its employees to treat all visiting Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) with respect by "standing up and greeting" them.
The 'government etiquette manual' issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) lays down norms on the employees' behaviour, communication, and meetings.
The department issued certain guidelines:
1) The department said that if MPs or MLAs visit a government or semi-government office, the concerned officer/employee should listen carefully to what they (the MPs or MLAs) have to say and immediately provide assistance, in accordance with government guidelines.
2) When the MPs or MLAs arrive or leave for a meeting at the office, the concerned officer/employee should stand and greet them politely.
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3) When talking on the phone with MPs or MLAs, respectful, polite, and courteous language should be used.
4) The guidelines instruct a strict timeline for replying to the correspondence of MPs or MLAs within a specified time, and all government offices should also have physical or online registers to record the letters received by the politicians.
5) Whenever there is a government-related program, all the public representatives- including Union and state ministers, guardian ministers, MPs, MLAs, and Zilla Parishad chairpersons- should be invited, the guidelines state. Also, their names must be printed in the program invitation, and their seating arrangements must be made as per protocol.
6) Regional and district heads must reserve two hours on the first and third Thursday of every month to meet MPs and MLAs.
The General Administration Department warned that any violation of the instructions will lead to action against the concerned officer/employee.
