The Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964

5. TAKING PART IN POLITICS AND ELECTIONS:

(1) No Government servant shall be a member of, or be otherwise associated with, any political party or any organisation which takes part in politics nor shall he take part in, subscribe in aid of, or assist in any other manner, any political movement or activity.

(2) It shall be the duty of every Government servant to endeavour to prevent any member of his family from taking part in, subscribing in aid of, or assisting in any other manner any movement or activity which is, or tends directly or indirectly to be, subversive of the Government as by law established and where a Government servant is unable to prevent a member of his family from taking part in, or subscribing in aid of, or assisting in any other manner, any such movement or activity, he shall make a report to that effect to the Government.

(3) If any question arises whether a party is a political party or whether any organisation takes part in politics or whether any movement or activity falls within the scope of sub-rule (2), the decision of the Government thereon shall be final.

(4) No Government servant shall canvass or otherwise interfere with, or use his influence in connection with or take part in an election to any legislature or local authority:

Provided that -

(i) a Government servant qualified to vote at such election may exercise his right to vote, but where he does so, he shall give no indication of the manner in which he proposes to vote or has voted;

(ii) a Government servant shall not be deemed to have contravened the provisions of this sub-rule by reason only that he assists in the conduct of an election in the due performance of a duty imposed on him by or under any law for the time being in force.

EXPLANATION- The display by a Government servant on his person, vehicle or residence of any electoral symbol shall amount to using his influence in connection with an election within the meaning of this sub-rule.

Government of India Decisions:

(1) Participation of government servants in political activities [MHA OM No. 25/44/49-Ests. (A) dated 17.09.1949
(2) Attendance by government servants at political meetings [MHA OM No. 25/44/49-Ests. Dated 10.10.1949]
(3) Actions not amounting to contravention of rule 5 (4) [MHA OM No. 25/59/51-Ests. Dated 05.09.1951]
(4) Bharat Sewak Samaj – permission to Central Government servants to join [OM No. 25/49/52-Ests. Dated 11.10.1952]
(5) Elections – role or Government servants and their rights. [MHA Memo No. 25/59/52-Ests., dated 30.06.1955]
(6) Reports under Rule 5(2) [MHA OM No. 25/40/55-Ests. (A) dated 22.02.1956]
(7) Participation of government servants in the Indo-Foreign cultural organization [MHA OM No. 25/35/56-Ests. (A) dated 24.01.1957]
(8) Book Clubs run by Foreign Agencies [Please see Government of India decision No. 7 under Rule 13]
(9) Moral Re-armament Movement – Joining of by central servants [MHA OM No. 25/10/64-Ests. (A) dated 04.07.1964]
(9A) Participation of Government servants in the activities of Moral Rearmament Movement – Review of instructions [DOPT OM No. 11013/13/98-Estt. (A), dated 24th February, 1999]
(10) Sanyukta Sadachar Samiti – permission to central Government servants to join [MHA OM No. 25/21/64-Ests. (A) dated 15.07.1964]
(11) Foreign language classes conducted by Indo-Foreign cultural organizations – joining of by Government servants [MHA OM No. 25/4/65-Ests. (A) dated 18.05.1966]
(12) RSS and Jamaat-e-Islami-Participation by the Government servants in the activities of [MHA OM No. 3/10/(S)66-Ests. (B) dated 30.11.1966]
(12A) RSS and Jamaat-e-Islami--participation by the government servants in the activities of – regarding classification [MHA OM No. 7/4/70-Ests. (B) dated 25.07.1970]
(12B) RSS and Jamaat-e-Islami-participation by the government servants in the activities of – regarding classification [DP&AR OM No. 15014/3(S)/80-Estt. (B), dated 28.10.1980]
(13) Participation by the government servants in the activities of Anand Marg Movement or any its organizations [MHA OM No. 6/1/(S)-69-Ests. (B) dated 08.05.1969]
(13A) Participation in the activities of Anand Marg Movement [DP&AR OM No. 15014/6/(S)/80-Estt. (B), dated 31.12.1980, OM No. 15014/6(S)/80-Estt. (B), dated 05.08.1981 & OM No. 15014/6/(S)/80-Estt. (B), dated 18.05.1983]
(14) Political neutrality of government servants [MHA OM No. 6/6/69-Ests. (B) dated 18.07.1969]
(15) Position of Government servants in relation to elections [OM No. 25/2/71-Ests. (A) dated 23.01.1971 issued by DP&AR]
(16) Participation by government servants in Public meeting or demonstration organized by a Political Party [Cabinet Sectt., Deptt. of Pers and Admn., Reforms OM No. 25/44/73-Ests. (A) dated 17.02.1973]
(17) Participation by the government servants in the activities of banned organization [MHA DP & AR OM No. 18011/1(S)/75-Estt. (B) dated 28.11.1975]
(18) Participation by the government servants in the activities of banned organization - Clarification [MHA, DP&AR No. 34013/4/(S)/77-Estt.(B) dated 23.04.1977 and DP&AR OM No. 15014/1/81-Ests. (B) dated 03.03.1981]
(19) Participation in holding rallies for Political parties by arranging for crowds and transport [MHA DP&AR OM No. 28034/5/78-Estt. (A) dated 01.09.1978]
(20) Participation by Government servants in the activities of Dharma Pracharak Sansthan
(21) Association of Central Government servants with socio-religious bodies [DOPT OM No. 11013/5/88-Estt. (A), dated 11.07.1988]