To keep tabs on the those who skip offices on field duty Himachal Pradesh High Court today directed the Government to come out with online biometric attendance so that employees could make communications through the mobile app or other communication. The Order passed by single judge bench of Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan on Sep 18 and issued for media today said that state should come out with the implementation or suggestion on the next date of hearing fixed on Oct 23.
The Court asked the Chief Secretary to convene a meeting of all departments HODs including rural development and Panchayati Raj so that online biometric attendance could be installed in the State. The Court took this notice after the complaint of petitioners in the case that he could not enrol the death entry in the Panchayat Records since the Panchayat Secretary could be traced in time. The Judge taking strong not of alibi of skipping offices by the field staff in the far-flung and remote areas he ordered to set the system in the place so that such official who also ways skip their duties could be kept on the tab.
The Court observed that respondent state could also take advantage of the advancement in the field of technology, more particularly in the field of communication and come up with the mobile App. for making attendance by emulating the same on the lines of the State of Telangana. The respondents could very well mull a proposal for connecting not only the offices of the Panchayats but also other Government Offices through the online bio-metric system, the records whereof can be maintained at the Tehsil or District level, as according 98 percent Panchayats already stand connected through the Internet.
The State should consider having android based attendance map and still further consider having a website like that of the Central Government i.e. www.attendance.gov.in wherein the details of registered employees and those present in the offices on the daily basis is depicted. The Court directed the state to ensure that government servants, especially those posted in the far-flung, rural and backward areas regularly attend their offices so as to ensure minimum inconvenience and hardship to the people residing there.
