04-05-2025
Social media ‘Singhams' may face dismissal under draft bill
Nagpur: Slickly edited Instagram reels of IPS and IAS officers with loud music and texts like "Singham" floating on the screen, may soon be a thing of the past as Maharashtra govt is mulling a bill to stop self-glorification on social media by govt employees.
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A draft — "The Maharashtra State Government Employees Social Media Regulation Act, 2025" — is under consideration of the general administration department (GAD), Nagpur-based MLC Parinay Fuke, a close aide of CM Devendra Fadnavis, said.
Fuke had raised the issue in the legislature in December last year and again in March. He said, "CM Fadnavis replied and informed the legislature that by next session, new rules will be put in place to regulate social media use by officials."
Fuke, who is part of Fadnavis' inner circle, added that the current draft does not step on personal freedom of officers. "The draft makes it clear that use of social media for personal glorification during office hours won't be allowed," said Fuke. "When an official is in uniform, or on duty (in case of IAS), how he or she conducts herself is governed by service rules. But back then there was no social media, hence we must first define what is allowed and then lay down the legal consequences of flouting those rules," said Fuke.
It is not uncommon for some senior IAS and IPS officials to have their mini entourage of cameramen. Fuke also raised questions about top officials using the department's social media team for their personal image projection.
A former Nagpur corporator said, "We have had IAS officials here who would take along cameramen even at 6am for events or surprise checks. Videos of internal meetings, where employees are being yelled at, were put on social media by some officials to present an image that they are holier-than-thou."
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Reels showing officers catching traffic offenders or getting someone quick justice, gets lakhs of views and go viral. Many such officials then appear on different shows for interviews and gain huge popularity. Fuke said, "Helping people is their duty, that's what they are paid for. But using a social media ecosystem to present oneself as Robinhood, is an area of concern."
With some IPS and IAS officers having lakhs of followers on social media, what they post on social media makes a big difference.
Fuke said, "In the draft we have mentioned that officials must not make political statements. Also, they must not take credit for govt policies, nor should they criticize on social media."
But the draft clarifies that govt employees can expose any shortcomings in the system, if it is done "through legally protected channels under the Whistleblower Protection Act or relevant provisions of law".
While the proposed rules are still in the infancy draft stage, Fuke says things will move fast.
"You note it down, the govt will introduce the bill in the next session," said Fuke.
