In Himachal, FIR will now be registered under the Indian Justice Code against officers who verify fake certificates of caste, income and property. The Personnel Department has issued instructions to all the District Deputy Commissioners and advised them not to be negligent in the verification of certificates.
Before issuing the certificate, it has been asked to properly verify the caste, revenue, and income records. The government has taken this decision in view of giving benefits to the real beneficiaries of SC, ST, and economically weaker sections in the state.
In a letter issued by the Personnel Department, it has been clarified that the candidates receiving benefits under various reservation schemes should be thoroughly verified by the district officials before issuing the certificate. Officers who fail to do proper verification or who issue fake certificates have been warned of strict action.
The letter refers to earlier circulars including circulars issued on 22 June 1976 and 21 August 1999, which had clear instructions for proper verification. Despite this, complaints of fake documents being verified are now being received from many areas. In such a situation, the government has again reiterated that the verification process should be completed within one month of the request of the appointing authority.
The new instructions emphasize the importance of timely verification of the authenticity of caste and income certificates, especially at the time of initial appointment. The government has clarified that such persons will be dismissed, who have obtained the job using fake documents.