No retired IAS, IPS, IFoS officer punished since June 2021 for hate speech: Centre in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: No retired IAS, IPS and IFoS officer has been penalised for indulging in hate speech or for making communal statements and fake news since June 2021, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

"In so far as the all India services officers are concerned, information sought may be treated as nil," Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply.

There are three all India services -- Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).

The minister was responding to a query seeking "the number of retired government officials/civil servants who have been penalised or action has been taken against them by government since June, 2021 till date, for indulging in hate speech on social media and/or for making communal statements or sharing communal content on social media, and/or for sharing fake news".

To a query on changes in service rules that impose restrictions on retired civil servants from making comments criticising government which could lead to revocation of their pensions, Singh said the amendments were in respect of those all India services officers who have worked in any intelligence organisation in order to regulate the publication of any sensitive information which might prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of the country.

The changes were made in the All India Services (Death cum Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958.

"The amendment dated 6th July, 2023 was in respect of the members of all India services, who have worked in any intelligence or security-related organisation in order to regulate the publication of any material/sensitive information after retirement which might prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State or relation with a foreign State," Singh said.

A similar provision is also available in Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 2021 for those central government officers who have worked in any intelligence or security-related organisation, the minister added.