ODIA TYPING MACHINE

West Bengal Bars Govt Employees from Media Interaction | P&AR Dept Circular

West Bengal Govt Employees Media Ban Circular

West Bengal Bars Govt Employees from Media Interaction

P&AR Department, Govt of West Bengal | Circular No. 696-PAR-HR dated 20.05.2026

Reference Circular No. 696-PAR-HR

Subject Dissemination of Information by Govt Employees

Category Conduct Rules / Service Regulations

Status Strict Compliance Required

Media Participation

Complete
Prohibition

Press Communication

Complete
Prohibition

Adverse Criticism

Complete
Prohibition

Key Prohibitions Under Circular No. 139-CS / 696-PAR-HR

The Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal has issued Circular No. 139-CS dated 19.05.2026, reiterated by P&AR Department Circular No. 696-PAR-HR dated 20.05.2026, for strict compliance by all employees:

Media Program Participation: Complete prohibition, except with prior sanction, on participation or association of any member in any sponsored or privately produced media program.
Press Communication: Complete prohibition without any government order on any direct or indirect communication of any document or information with the press.
Publication Contributions: Complete prohibition, without prior sanction, on any contribution in editing or managing of any newspaper, periodical, or participation in any radio broadcast or writing articles for newspapers.
Adverse Criticism: Complete prohibition on indulging in any adverse criticism of any policy or decision of the Central or State Government through any publication, interaction, utterance, broadcast, or contribution in any media.
Inter-Government Relations: Complete prohibition on any publication or interaction which can lead to straining of relations between the State Government and Central Government or any other State Government or foreign state.

Governing Rules & Regulations

All India Service (AIS) Conduct Rules, 1968 — Rules 6, 7, 13(1)(A)(i)(ii)(iii) and 17
West Bengal Service (Duties, Rights and Obligations of Government Employees) Rules, 1980 — Rules 4(4), 4(5) and 5(7)
West Bengal Government Servants' Conduct Rules, 1959 — Rules 23, 24, 25 and 33

Applicability Scope

This circular applies to:

Members of the All India Services (AIS)
West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) officers
West Bengal Police Service (WBPS) officers
Other State Government employees including Police & Jail staff
Employees of Autonomous Bodies, Boards, Corporations, and Undertakings funded wholly or substantially by the State Government
Members of All India Services engaged in connection with affairs of the State
Educational Institutions funded wholly or substantially by the State Government

Download the Circular or share this update:

📥 Download Official Circular PDF Share on WhatsApp Share via Gmail Share on Telegram

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a government employee give an interview to a news channel?

No. There is a complete prohibition on participation or association in any media program (sponsored or privately produced) without prior sanction from the government.

Can employees share official documents with journalists?

No. Any direct or indirect communication of documents or information with the press is completely prohibited without a government order.

Does this apply to employees of PSUs and autonomous bodies?

Yes. The circular explicitly covers employees of Autonomous Bodies, Boards, Corporations, Undertakings, and Educational Institutions funded wholly or substantially by the State Government.

What happens if an employee criticizes government policy on social media?

Adverse criticism of any Central or State Government policy through any media — including social media — is completely prohibited and may attract disciplinary action under the relevant Conduct Rules.

🔧