The Pune Municipal Corporation has immediately barred its officers and employees from accepting Diwali gifts, including sweets, dry fruits, festive snacks, hampers, vouchers and cash, and has instructed security personnel to stop gift boxes from entering civic premises.
The directive was issued through a circular signed by city engineer Aniruddha Pawaskar, according to Pune Mirror. It follows videos circulating on social media that appeared to show gifts being handed to civic officials and employees. The circular warns that staff who violate the instruction will face disciplinary action under applicable service and conduct rules.
The ban applies across the municipal corporation’s offices rather than only the main PMC building. It covers departmental and ward offices, sub-offices and other premises under the corporation’s control during office hours. Even sweets and other festive food items are included in the prohibition.
The circular identifies contractors, developers, architects, consultants, suppliers, citizens and organisations as groups that often offer gifts to civic employees during Diwali. It states that accepting personal gifts could weaken the impartiality, transparency, integrity and ethical conduct expected from public servants.
The PMC has cited Rule 12 of the Maharashtra Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1979, along with other service and conduct rules applicable to the civic body. The instruction tells all officers and employees not to accept personal gifts from any individual or organisation, regardless of the form or value of the item.
The order also places a direct responsibility on the security department. Security personnel have been told not to allow people carrying gift boxes into office premises for distribution. Department heads must communicate the directive to their staff and ensure that it is followed.
The instruction is significant because PMC offices are points of contact between the civic administration and a wide range of parties involved in Pune’s built environment and municipal services. Contractors, developers, architects, consultants and suppliers routinely interact with civic departments on permissions, works, inspections and other administrative matters. The circular does not announce a new procurement or approval system, but sets out a conduct restriction for those interactions during the festive period.
The PMC’s order does not distinguish between cash and customary festive offerings such as sweets or dry fruits. It treats all personal gifts listed in the circular as prohibited and places the responsibility for preventing their entry at the office gates. Employees found accepting gifts in breach of the instruction will face action under the relevant service and conduct rules.
Department heads have been asked to brief their teams, while the security department is expected to enforce the restriction at PMC-controlled premises with immediate effect.
