The Pune Municipal Corporation has imposed an immediate ban on officers and employees accepting Diwali gifts, including sweets, dry fruits, gift hampers, vouchers and cash, after videos appearing to show gifts being distributed to civic personnel circulated on social media.
City engineer Aniruddha Pawaskar issued a circular directing all PMC staff not to accept personal gifts from any individual or organisation. The order applies to the corporation’s main building as well as departmental offices, ward offices, sub-offices and other premises under PMC control during office hours.
The circular specifically identifies contractors, developers, architects, consultants, suppliers, citizens and organisations as groups that may offer gifts to civic officials and employees during Diwali. It states that accepting such items could affect the impartiality, transparency, integrity and ethical conduct expected of public servants.
The PMC has instructed its security department to stop people carrying gift boxes from entering civic premises for distribution. The restriction covers not only high-value items or cash but also sweets, festive snacks and other food products. Department heads have been asked to communicate the directive to their staff and ensure that it is followed.
The order cites Rule 12 of the Maharashtra Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1979, along with other service and conduct rules applicable to the civic body. Under the directive, employees found accepting gifts in violation of the instructions may face disciplinary action under the relevant service and conduct provisions.
The move places the focus on how routine festive exchanges can intersect with the PMC’s regulatory and administrative functions. Contractors, developers, architects, consultants and suppliers regularly interact with civic departments on matters connected with permissions, project execution, procurement and municipal services. The circular does not distinguish between gifts offered by these groups and those offered by other individuals or organisations.
The directive also extends beyond the corporation’s headquarters, making ward and departmental offices part of the enforcement process. This gives security personnel and department heads responsibility for preventing gift distribution at multiple levels of the municipal administration rather than limiting the measure to the central civic premises.
The circular warns that the instructions are effective immediately. Department heads must brief employees, while the security department has been told to prevent people carrying gift boxes from entering PMC offices for distribution.
