Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government won't take lightly if its employees criticise it on social media.
The code of conduct for government employees is to be amended in order to punish officials who criticise the government in the virtual sphere.
Chief secretary V P Joy handed over to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan a file containing recommendations for amending the norms including cyber laws.
The move comes after 'hostile activities' by government employees on the social media have reportedly witnessed a rise of late.
The decision of the government is to redraft the code of conduct in keeping with the times. The authorities decided to amend the laws as 'there was an increasing trend among employees to criticise the government on the social media'.
The existing code of conduct came into force in 1968 but those norms did not include cyber laws.
It has been found at present government employees who criticise the government on the social media escape punishment using legal loopholes. The file concerning the amendment which was submitted by the department of administrative reforms, was approved and handed over to the chief minister by the chief secretary.
If the chief minister approves the move, the issue will be discussed by the cabinet after which it will be forwarded to the subject committee of the assembly. If the amendment is passed, the government will be at freedom to take punitive measures, including dismissal from service, against employees.
It will be specifically stated in the code of conduct that any writings against the government on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter will be considered as a violation of the code.
