A guide on Casual Leave and Special Casual Leave

(Article 308 Civil Services Regulations)

2.2       The maximum amount of casual leave admissible to the staff serving in civil offices of the Government of India is 12 days in a calendar year, subject to the condition that no more than 8 days casual leave may be allowed at any one time.  The Head of the office may, however, relax the limit of 8 days in individual cases of he considers that there are exceptional circumstances justifying a relaxation in this regard.

(MHA OM No, 6/3/59-Estt(A), dated 23rd December, 1959)

2.3       The maximum amount of casual leave in a calendar year in respect of Government servants, who are entitled to less number of public holidays in a year that the number allowed to the office staff in administrative offices, will be 15 days.

(DP&AR No. 28016/1/77-Estt(A) dated the 17th Sept., 1977)

2.4      Sundays and closed holidays can be prefixed or suffixed to the casual leave.  Public holidays and weekly offs falling within a period of casual leave should not be counted as part of the casual leave.

(MHA OM No.6/3/59-Estt(A) dated 23rd December, 1959 and 20th August, 1960)

2.5              Restricted holidays can also be prefixed or suffixed to casual leave.

(MHA OM No.20/37/60-Pub.I, dated 7th October., 1960)

2.6       Persons who join Government service in the middle of the year, can be allowed to avail of casual leave proportionately or the full maximum period in a year, at the discretion of the authority competent to sanction the leave.

(MHA OM No.6/3/59-Estt.(A), dated 23rd December, 1959)

2.7      Casual Leave can be combined with Special Casual leave, but where it is permissible to grant regular leave in combination with special casual leave, casual leave should not be granted in combination  with both special casual leave and regular leave.

(OM No.46/8/67-Estt.(A), dated 22nd July, 1967)

2.8            Casual leave cannot be combined with joining time.

(Rule 6(2) of the GGS (Joining Time) Rules, 1979)

2.9             Casual leave can be taken while on tour.

(M/O Finance OM No. 1(14) E.IV(B)/66, dated 7.2.67)

2.10     Grant of half a day’s casual leave to a Government servant is permissible.  The lunch interval will be the dividing line for the grant of half a day’s casual leave.  The balance at credit in the casual leave account of Government ser ants can, therefore, be in terms of full day or full days and half a day.

(MHA OM No.60/17/64-Estt.(A), dated 4th August, 1965)

2.11     If a Government servant having only half a day’s casual leave at his credit avails it in the afternoon of a day and is unable to resume duty on the next working day due to sickness or other compelling grounds, he may be permitted to combine half-a-day’s casual leave with regular leave by way of exception in the principle laid down in paragraph 2.1 above.  However, a Government servant having only half a day’s casual leave at his credit who has applied for regular leave shall not be permitted to avail of the half a day’s casual leave on the afternoon on the day preceding the commencement of his leave.

(MHA OM No.60/45/65-Estt.(A), dated 4.2.66)

2.12     Half-d-day’s causal leave should be debited to the casual leave account of a Government servant for each late attendance but late attendance up to an hour, on not more than two occasions in a month may be condoned by the competent authority, if it is satisfied that the late attendance is due to unavoidable reasons.  Similarly a Government servant, leaves office early before the time for closing of office without permission, half-a-day’s casual leave should be debited to his casual leave account for each such early departure from office.

2.13         If a Government servant having no casual leave to his credit comes late without sufficient justification and the administrative authority is not prepared to condone the late coming but does not at the same time propose to take disciplinary action, it may inform the Government servant that he will be treated as on unauthorized absence for the day on which he has come late and leave it to the Government servant himself either to fall the consequences of unauthorized absence or apply for earned leave or any other kind of leave due to admissible for the entire day and sanction the leave.

(DP&AR OM No.28034/3/82-Estt.(A), dated 5th March, 1982)

2.14          For the purpose of maintaining the account of casual leave, a register is to be maintained.  Only one page should be used for a whole year for all the employees in one section (Group) appropriate indication being given in the relevant column against the date on which casual leave or restricted holiday is availed of by an individual and the entry should be attested by the sanctioning office promptly by means of dated initials.

(OM No.46/3/61-Estt.(A), dated 17th July, 1961)

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CHAPTER – III

SPECIAL CASUAL LEAVE – GENERAL PRINCIPLES

1. 3.1            Special casual leave is not a recognized form of leave and a Government servant on special casual leave is not treated as absent from duty.

(MHA OM No.46/1/58-Estt.(A), dated 17th December, 1958)

3.2      Special casual leave must not be granted so as to extend the term of leave beyond the time admissible under the rules or to cause evasion of rules regarding date of reckoning pay and allowances, change of office, commencement and end of leave, or return from duty.

(MHA OM No.46/7/50-Estt.(A), dated 5th April, 1954)

3.3      Special casual leave can be combined with regular leave or casual leave, but not with both.

(DP&AR OM No.28016/4/77-Estt.(A), dated 5th April, 1954)

3.4      Where the maximum permissible limit of special casual leave is in terms of days as distinct from working days.  Sundays and closed holidays intervening in a period of special casual leave are not to be ignored for determining the maximum entitlement of special casual leave for a specific purpose.

(Clarification contained in DP&AR OM No. 28016/4/77-Estt.(A),46/7/50-Estt.(A), dated 18.5.78 and DP&AR OM No. 28016/1/80-Estt.(A), 30th April, 1981)

3.5             Leave travel concession can be availed of during special casual leave.

(DP&AR OM No. 35011/3/76-Estt.(A), dated end May, 1977)

3.6             The grant of special casual leave for specific purposes is governed by the provisions contained in the subsequent chapters.

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SPECIAL CASUAL LEAVE FOR FAMILY WELFARE SCHEMES

1. 4.1            The extend of special casual leave admissible to the Central Government servants under the Family Welfare Programme for various operations is as follows:-

     Grant of special casual leave for undergoing tubectomy by female Government servants will be permissible even when the operation is under laproscopic method.  The grant of special casual leave for undergoing sterilization i.e. vasectomy/tubectomy for the second time will be subject to production of a medical certificate from the prescribed medical authority to the effect that the second operation was performed due to failure of the first operation.  The special casual leave connected with sterilization can either be prefixed to or suffixed with regular leave or casual leave and not both.

(DP&AR OM No. 28016/3/78-Estt(A), dated the 6th August, 1979, OM No. 28016/1/80-Estt.(A), dated the 30th April, 1980 and OM No. 28016/5/83-Estt.(A), dated the 25th January, 1984)

4.2      Additional special casual leave over and above the limits mentioned in para 4.1 above can be granted to Government servants, who development post-sterilisation operation complications and are hospitalized.  The grant of additional special casual leave covering the period of hospitalization is subject to the production of a medical certificate from the hospital authorities concerned/authorized Medical Attendant.  The same benefit is also admissible to those who do not remain hospitalized but are not found fit to go to work, on the production of a medical certificate from the above authorities but the grant of extra special casual leave will be subject to the following ceilings in these cases:-

  (DP&AR OM No. 28016/3/75-Estt(A), dated 6th August, 1979 and OM No. 28016/1/80-Estt(A), dated 30th April, 1981)

4.3     Special casual leave upto a maximum period of 7 days can be given to a male Government servant, whose wife undergoes puerperal/non-puerperal tubectomy including sterilization performed through laproscopy for the first or the second time.  The same amount of special casual leave is admissible to him even if his wife undergoes tubectomy /salpingectomy operation under MTP.  The grant of special casual leave in both the cases will be subject to production of a medical certificate certifying that his wife has undergone the particular sterilization operation.

(DP&AR OM No. 28016/3/75-Estt(A), dated 6th August, 1979)

4.4      Central Government servants who undergo operation of recanlisation may be granted special casual leave upto a period of 21 days or the actual period of hospitalization as certified by the authorized medical attendant whichever is less.  Besides, special casual leave may also be granted for the actual period of journey performed (to and fro) for undergoing the operation.  The grant of special casual leave is subject to the following conditions:-

4.5     The concession of special casual leave for recanalisation operation is admissible to central Government servants who –

1. 4.6           Special casual leave connected with recanalisation may be prefixed or suffixed with regular leave or casual leave and not both.

SPECIAL CASUAL LEAVE FOR SPORTING EVENTS

1. 5.1             In view of the important role played by sports in the national life, Government servants participating in sports events of national and international importance are allowed various concessions which include grant of special casual leave as also treatment of the period of participation in the sports activities as duty.  The circumstances in which the participation of Government servants in sporting events is to be regulated as duty or by grant of special casual leave is given in the subsequent paras.

5.2      The period of participation of Central Government servants in sporting events of national/international importance as also the time spent by them in traveling  to and from for such tournaments/meets may be treated as duty instead of special casual leave.  If any pre-participation coaching camp is held in connection with such events and the Government servant is required to attend the same, this period may also be treated as duty.

(DP&Trg. OM No. 6/1/85/-Estt.(Pay-I), dated 16th July 85)

5.3      Government servants, whose services are selected in connection with the coaching or administration of the teams participating in sporting events of national and international importance may be granted special casual leave for a period not exceeding thirty days in any calendar year, provided their services are utilized by the organization such as the sports/Federation of India/Association recognized by the All India Council of Sports and approved by the Ministry of Education or by a State zone or circle.

5.4              Government servants functioning as commentator in sporting events of national or international importance can be granted special casual leave not exceeding 30 days in a calendar year provided the Government servants were selected or sponsored for giving running commentaries over the All India Radio/Doordarshan in national/international meets by the organization such as the Sports Federation of India/Association recognized by the All India Council of Sports and approved by the Ministry of Education, etc. or by a State, Zone or Circle.

(DP&AR OM NO. 28016/2/79-Estt(A), dated 28th November, 1979)

5.5       Government servants, who attend coaching or training camps in the following institutions, can be granted special casual leave not exceeding 30 days in a calendar year and this special casual leave can be combined with regular leave:

5.6      Government servants, who participate in trekking or mountaineering expeditions which have the approval of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, may be granted special casual leave not exceeding thirty days in any calendar year.  This special casual leave may be combined with regular leave.

(OM No. 27/4/68-Estt(B), dated 6th September, 1969)

(OM No. 28016/2/84-Estt(A), dated 11.4.1985)

5.7      Government servants, who participate in inter-ministerial and interdepartmental Tournaments and sporting events held in and outside Delhi may be granted special casual leave not exceeding 10 days in a calendar year provided:

(DP&Trg. OM No. 28016/2/84-Estt(A), dated 11.4.85) and DP&T OM No. 6/1/85-Estt(Pay-I), dated 16.5.85)

SPECIAL CASUAL LEAVE FOR ATTENDING MEETING OF SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATIONS AND CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES ETC.

6.1      Government servants may be granted special casual leave to the extent required to attend meetings organized by Scientific Association like Indian Science Congress Association, the National Institute of Science of India, the Institute of Engineers, the Academy of Science Bangalore and other similar bodies, and for journeys to and from the place of meetings.  Special casual leave for this purpose is available to invitees, member officials delegates of the organization concerned or those who have been asked to read papers at a conference.  Special casual leave granted for this purpose may be combined with casual leave.

(MHA OM No. 74/4/50-Estt(A), dated 26th July, 1951)

6.2       Government servants, who are members of the Indian Institute of Public Administration and reside outside Delhi, may be granted special casual leave not exceeding 6 working days in a calendar year plus journey time for attending authorized meetings of the Indian Institute of Public Administration.

(MHA OM No. 46/11/62-Estt(A), dated 21st June 1962)

6.3       Government servants may be granted special casual leave to attend meetings of cooperative societies.  Members, delegates of members, management committee members and office bearers of cooperative societies (formed exclusively with Central Government employees) who are posted outside the headquarters of the societies may be granted special casual leave upto a maximum  period of ten days in a calendar year, plus the minimum period required for the journeys, to attend such meetings.

6.4              Members of cooperative societies who bye-laws provide for attending annual general meetings/special general meetings through delegates if members will not be eligible for special casual leave and in such cases only the elected delegates will be eligible for this special casual leave.  However, if the members are required to participate any meetings outside the headquarters of the society, for the purpose of electing their delegates they may be granted special casual leave.

6.5       Special casual leave in such cases will be granted by the Heads of Department in the case of Government servants under their administrative control and the Ministries of the Government of India in other cases.  Special casual leave under these orders may be combined with ordinary casual leave only and not  with regular leave.

(MHA OM No. 46/22/63-Estt(A), dated 14.1.64)

6.6       Government servants who are posted at the Headquarters may be granted special casual leave for attending meetings of the cooperative societies to cover the actual period of unavoidable absence and subject to the exigencies of work.  If the absence will be in the forenoon, or in the afternoon as the case may be then special casual leave may be granted for half a day only to cover the actual period of absence.  The Government servant concerned  should furnish a certificate from the cooperative society concerned to the effect that he actually attended the meeting indicating the time and duration of the meeting.

(MHA OM No. 28016/1/84-Estt(A), dated 19th June, 1984)

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CHAPTER –VII

Those availing special casual leave as office-bearers will not be entitled to avail special casual leave separately in their capacity as Delegate/Committee members.

       Where a Union/Association/Federation follows a year other than the calendar year for the purposes of its annual elections, the entitlement of special casual leave should be regulated in terms of the year actually followed by such Union/Association/Federation in place of the calendar year.  When an office-bearer comes into office during the course of the year in casual vacancies, the competent authority has the discretion to grant special casual leave up to the maximum entitlement in a full year, having regard to the genuineness and merits of each particular case.

(MHA OM No. 27/3/69-Estt(B), dated 8.4.69 & Deptt. of Personnel OM No. 8/13/72-JCA, dated 4th September, 1972)

       At the request of the leader of the Staff Side, the Head of the Department/Office may grant special casual leave not exceeding five days in a year, to a member of the Staff side to enable him to attend Staff side Consultations.

       Similarly the leader of the Staff Side and, at and above the Departmental Joint Council level, one Secretary from the Staff Side designated as such by the leader, may be allowed additional special leave not exceeding 10 days in a year for preparing staff side cases.  This will be in addition to the provisions regarding grant of special casual leave for association activities contained in OM No. 27/3/69-Estt(B), dated the 8th April, 1969.

(MHA OM No. 8/6/70-JCA, dated 30.10.70)

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 SPECIAL CASUAL LEAVE FOR APPEARING IN DEPARTMENTAL EXAMINATIONS

8.1       Government servants may be granted special casual leave for appearing in Departmental Promotion Examination, which are neither obligatory nor entail a condition of preferment in Government service (i.e limited Departmental Examination for Section Officers grade of C.S.S. etc.) for the actual duration of the departmental promotion examination and the minimum period required for the journey to and from the examination center nearest to the headquarter where such examination is held outside the headquarters.  This facility will not be admissible to departmental candidates for appearing at the open competitive examinations conducted by UPSC and Staff Selection Commission for direct recruitment.

 (MHA OM No. 46/26/63-Estt(A), dated 2nd Dec., 1963)

8.2        Government servants may be granted special casual leave for appearing in Grade III Stenographers Examination being held by the Secretariat Training School ( now Staff Selection Commission), for the period of examination plus the minimum period required for the journey to and from the examination.  The eligible government servants who have to  take the examination from outside Headquarters may be paid single TA only by the Class of accommodation for which they are entitled or by which they actually travel whichever is less, for the journey to and from the nearest railway stations to their headquarters to Delhi by the shortest route.  However, no DA will be paid for this purpose. A candidate who comes to Delhi on official duty during the period of the examination or before, and also appears in the examination , will not be paid any T.A.  The concession of special casual leave and T. A. in respect of outstation candidates will not be admissible to a candidates  on more than two occasions.

( MHA OM No. 1/18/70/CS.II dated 31st August, 1970)

SPECIAL CASUAL LEAVE FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE KENDRIYA SACHIVALAYA HINDI PARISHAD