The Orissa Circuit Houses and Inspection Bungalows Rules, 1985

Rule - 1. Short title and commencement.?

 

(1)     These rules may be, called the Orissa Circuit Houses and Inspection Bungalows Rules, 1985.

 

(2)     They shall come into force with effect from the first day of November, 1985 and shall repeal all the existing rules and instructions on the subject.

Rule - 2. Definitions.?

 

In these rules, unless the context requires otherwise-

 

(a)      "Bungalow" means a Revenue Inspection Bungalow and includes a Revenue Rest Shed under the administrative control of the Revenue Department, but does not include a Circuit House.

 

(b)      The Dharmasalas at places like Bhanjanagar, Aska and Baripada shall be deemed to be Revenue Rest Sheds.

 

(c)      "Circuit Hose" means a Circuit House under the management and control of the Revenue Department.

 

(d)      "Competent Authority" means-

 

(e)      In respect of a Circuit House-

 

(f)       the Collector/Additional District Magistrate, if it is situated at the headquarters of the district; and

 

(g)      the Sub-divisional Officer, if it is situated at any other place.

 

(h)     In respect of a Bungalow-

 

(i)       the Collector/Additional District Magistrate, if it is situated at the headquarters of a district;

 

(j)       the Sub-divisional Officer, if it is situated at the headquarters of a Subdivision other than the headquarters of a district; and

 

(k)      the Tahasildar if it is situated at any other place.

 

(l)       "Day" means a period of a twenty-four hours from the time of occupation of the room in the Circuit House/Bungalow.

Rule - 3. Purpose of the Circuit Houses and Inspection Bungalows.?

 

(1)     Circuit Houses are primarily meant for providing accommodation to important functionaries and senior Officers of the Government of Orissa on their outstation visits.

 

(2)     Bungalows are primarily meant for providing accommodation to Revenue Officers touring on duty and they have prior right to occupy them.

Rule - 4. Exclusive occupation by the Governor.?

 

(1)     Notwithstanding anything contained in these rules, the Governor of Orissa has the right of exclusive occupation of the entire Circuit House/Bungalow.

 

(2)     On receipt of the notice of exclusive occupation by the Governor, the competent authority shall cancel all other reservations, if any, made for the corresponding period in favour of any other persons and inform them of the fact forthwith.

Rule - 5. Exclusive occupation of the Circuit House by entitled functionaries.?

 

(1)     The following functionaries have the right of exclusive occupation of one room of the Circuit House :

 

(a)      Chief Minister, Orissa.

 

(b)      Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court, Speaker of the Orissa Legislative Assembly, Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State, Deputy Speaker, Judges of the Orissa High Court, Deputy Ministers, Lokpal, [Chairman/Vice-Chairman and Members of Orissa Administrative Tribunal and Members of Central Administrative Tribunal.]

 

(c)      Government Chief Whip, Leader of the Opposition of the Orissa Legislative Assembly, Members of Parliament, Deputy Chief Whip, Members of the Legislative Assembly.

 

(d)      Chairman, Orissa Public Service Commission, Chief Secretary, Orissa, Member, Board of Revenue, Additional Chief Secretary, Additional Development Commissioner, Commissioner, Agriculture and Rural Development, Special Relief Commissioner, Principal, Resident Commissioner, Advocate-General, Orissa, other functionaries officiating in posts carrying pay scales above the supertime scale of the Indian Administrative Service [and D.G. of Police.]

 

(e)      Commissioners-cum-Secretaries to Government, other functionaries officiating in the supertime scale of the Indian Administrative Service, Heads/Additional Heads of Departments in the Revenue and Excise hierarchy, Secretary to Governor, Secretary to Chief Minister, Resident Commissioner.

 

(f)       Secretaries/Special Secretaries/Additional Secretaries to Government [Inspector-General of Police.]

 

(g)      Heeds/Additional Heads of Departments belonging to Indian Administrative Service (other than those mentioned above.)

 

(h)     Heads/Additional Heads of Departments belonging to All India Services of Orissa Cadre (other than those mentioned above), Accountant-General of Orissa Chairman of State Government Undertakings and Corporations, Vice-Chancellors, Members of the Orissa Public Service Commission, [and Range D.I.G. of Police within his range.]

 

(i)       Secretary, Board of Revenue, Special Secretary, Orissa Public Service Commission, Collectors, Vice-Chairman of Development Authorities, State Guests

 

Provided that two rooms may be reserved subject to availability of accommodation in the Circuit House, for any of the functionaries specified in Clauses (a) and (b) of this Sub-rule if a specific request is made for such reserves.

 

(j)       Note - If at any time, by a general or special order a particular functionary is assigned the status equivalent, to that of any of the functionaries specified in any of the clauses above, he shall be deemed to have been included in the said clauses.

 

(2)     For such exclusive occupation under Sub-rule (1) at least fourteen days notice into the competent authority shall be required.

 

(3)     On receipt of due notice of exclusive occupation by any functionary mentioned in Sub-rule (1), the competent authority shall, if accommodation is not available, cancel the reservation, if any, made for the corresponding period in favour of any person under Rule 6 or Rule 7 so as to make available at least one room.

 

(4)     In case no reservation is possible, the fact shall be intimated to the person concerned immediately.

 

(5)     If less than fourteen days notice for reservation of accommodation is received from the entitled functionaries mentioned in Sub-rule (1), the competent authority shall reserve such accommodation as may otherwise be available.

Rule - 6. Other functionaries entitled to occupy in the Circuit House.?

 

(1)     Subject to the availability of accommodation, the following functionaries are entitled to occupy one room in the Circuit House in case they are touring on official business only :

 

(a)      Joint Secretaries to Government, Indian Administrative Service Officers of the Orissa Cadre (other than those mentioned in Rule 5), Chief Editor, Gazetteers, Officers of the Board of Revenue (including Special Relief and all other wings) of the tank of Deputy Secretary, Board of Revenue, Secretaries/ Additional Secretaries to Revenue Divisional Commissioners, Heads/Additional Heads of Departments (other than those mentioned elsewhere). Additional Head of District Offices in the Revenue hierarchy.

 

(b)      Deputy Secretaries to Government, Members of the Tribunals constituted by Government, Secretary. Orissa Legislative Assembly, District and Sessions Judges, Chief Judicial Magistrates, President or Chairman of the State Level Boards/Commissions/Committees/ Councils constituted by Government or by statutory provisions, Superintending Engineers, Secretary, Orissa Public Service Commission, Joint/Deputy Heads of Departments (other than those mentioned above), All India Services Officers of the Orissa Cadre (other than those mentioned above).

 

(c)      Managing Directors of Government Undertakings and Corporations, Project Directors of Special Project (i. e. D.R.D.A., I.T.D.P. etc.), State Editor: Gazetteers, Government Advocate, Standing Counsels, Deputy Commissioners of Excise, Deputy Inspector General of Registration, State Port Engineer, All India Service Officers of other State cadres.

 

(d)      Member of State Level Boards/Councils/Commissions/Committees constituted by Government or by statutory provisions, Editors of Daily Newspapers, Accredited Journalists, Honorary Secretary of the Indian Red Cross Society.

 

(e)      Class I Officers of Government of India.

 

(f)       Sub-divisional Officers/Additional Project Officers of Special Projects (within the district in which the Circuit House is situated), other Class I Officers (other than those mentioned above) working in the Revenue and Excise hierarchy.

 

(g)      [The retired Judges of Supreme Court and High Courts.]

 

(2)     If at any time, due to heavy demand for accommodation, it is not possible to spare one exclusive room, reservation may be made for joint occupation of one room by more than one person by allotting' individual beds.

Rule - 7. Accommodation in the Circuit House for non-official persons.?

 

(1)     Subject to the availability of accommodation and other stipulations in these rules the following persons who are not entitled to accommodation in a Circuit House under Rule 5 and Rule 6 may be allowed, at the discretion of the competent authority, to reserve a room in the Circuit House.

 

(2)     Class I Officers of the State Government of Orissa or other States, not specifically mentioned in Rule 5 or Rule 6, who are in receipt of basic pay of not less than Rs. 1,500 per month; and

 

(3)     Non-officials of standing, etc,

 

(4)     ["All retired Officers of the State Government"].

 

(5)     A person allotted accommodation under Sub-rule (1) shall be liable to vacate the Circuit House within twelve hours of receipt of a notice to that effect from the competent authority :

 

Provided that no person, shall be required to vacate a Circuit House between 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Rule - 8. Persons primarily entitled to accommodation.?

 

(1)     Revenue Officers of and above the rank of Revenue Inspector have the right of exclusive occupation of the Bungalows while touring on official business only :

 

Provided that Revenue Officers below the rank of Revenue Supervisor/Settlement Kanungo may ordinarily be accommodated in Rest Sheds only.

 

(2)     All persons entitled to occupy the Circuit House as per Rule 5 and Rule 6 shall also be entitled to occupy Bungalows.

Rule - 9. Other persons who may be allowed to occupy Bungalows.?

 

(1)     Subject to the availability of accommodation, the following persons, who are not entitled under Rule 8, may be allowed, at the discretion of the competent authority, to occupy a room in the Bungalow, while touring on official business only :

 

(a)      Gazetted officers of other Departments of the State Government and Government of India.

 

(b)      Office bearers of local bodies like Municipalities, Notified Area Councils and Panchayat Samitis within the districts in which they are situated.,

 

(c)      Officers of the State Public Undertakings, Corporations and Cooperative Institutions.

 

(d)      Government Pleaders, Standing Counsels, Public Prosecutors and other law officers.

 

(2)     If at any time, due to heavy demand for accommodation, it is not possible to spare one exclusive room, reservation may be made for joint occupation of the room by more than one person by allotting individual beds.

Rule - 10. Accommodation in the Bungalows for the non-entitled persons.?

 

Subject to the availability of accommodation and other stipulations in these rules, other persons (including non-officials of standing and Tourists), who are not entitled to accommodation in a bungalow under Rule 8 or Rule 9 may, with the prior sanction of the competent authority in each case, occupy any bungalow, but they shall vacate the bungalow within twelve hours of receipt of a notice to that effect from the competent authority :

 

Provided that no person shall be required to vacate a bungalow between 8 p. m. to 7 a. m.

 

Note-Non-gazetted officers of other Departments may ordinarily be accommodated in the Rest Sheds only.

Rule - 11. Control and reservation of accommodation.?

 

(1)     Subject to the provisions in these rules, the control and management of accommodation in a Circuit House/Bungalow shall rest with the competent authority.

 

(2)     Any person requiring accommodation in the Circuit House/Bungalow shall obtain the prior permission of the competent authority in writing for such occupation :

 

Provided that the competent authority may, at his discretion, refuse to accommodate any non-entitled person or any person accompanying the person in whose favour reservation is made, even if rooms/beds might be available in the Circuit House/Bungalow.

 

(3)     The competent authority, while reserving accommodation in the Circuit House, shall observe the following principles, namely :

 

(a)      The functionaries entitled tinder Rule 5 and Rule 6 shall have priority over all others.

 

(b)      The functionaries mentioned in Rule 5 shall have priority over those mentioned in Rule 6.

 

(c)      Reservation of accommodation for the entitled persons shall be made in the order of priority of notice received from them.

 

(d)      If two or more notices are received during the same period, the inter se priority shall be determined in accordance with the entries in the respective lists in Rule 5 and Rule 6 :

 

Provided that notwithstanding anything contained in this sub-rule, in respect of the officers specified in Clause (e) to Clause (i) of Sub-rule (1) of Rule 5 and in Sub-rule (1) of Rule 6, the officers working in the Revenue hierarchy shall be given higher priority vis-a-vis the other functionaries who have been mentioned in the same clause.

 

(e)      Reservation of accommodation in respect of the non-entitled persons mentioned in Rule 7 shall be considered as per the following conditions, namely :

 

(f)       There is no prior reservation for any entitled officers under Rule 5 and Rule 6.

 

(g)      The inter se priority among the non-entitled persons shall be determined in accordance with the date of receipt of the applications for such reservation.

 

(h)     The competent authority, while reserving accommodation in the bungalow, shall observe the following principles, namely :

 

(i)       In the matter of reservation of accommodation Revenue Officers on outstation tours shall have priority over all others.

 

(j)       Ordinarily, applications from other entitled persons for reservation of accommodation shall receive priority in the order in which they are received by the competent authority and in case of a number of applications received during the same period, inter se priority shall be determined in the following order namely :

 

(k)      Persons entitled to accommodation in the Circuit House as per Rule 5 and Rule 6, inter se priority amongst them being the same as prescribed in Sub-rule (3).

 

(l)       Other gazetted Government servants in the order of seniority of rank they hold in service.

 

(m)    Functionaries mentioned in Clause (b) and Clause (c) of Sub-rule (1) of Rule 9.

 

(n)     Other persons :

 

Provided that, notwithstanding anything contained in this sub- rule, in respect of the officers mentioned supra the officers (of the rank of Revenue Supervisor and above) working in the Revenue hierarchy shall be given higher priority vis-a-vis all other categories of persons except those specified in Clauses (a) to (d) of Sub-rule (1) of Rule 5.

 

(4)     In case of any doubt in the matter of determination of priority in reservations it may be referred to Revenue Divisional Commissioner concerned for clarification, in case there is reasonable time to obtain such clarification. The decision of the competent authority shall, however, be final in this regard so far as the persons requisitioning for reservation are concerned.

 

(5)     Ordinarily only one room shall be reserved for each visitor :

 

Provided that the competent authority may allow joint occupation of one room by more than one person by allotting individual beds.

Rule - 12. Accommodation of headquarters shall be reserved ordinarily.?

 

No accommodation shall be reserved for any functionary in the Circuit House/ Bungalow at his own headquarters unless Government have issued any specific directive in any exceptional circumstances :

 

Provided that such accommodation may be reserved at the discretion of the competent authority, for the following categories of [State Government] officers up to periods specified against each. In case, after such reservation, at least one room is available in the Circuit House/Bungalow for providing accommodation to other entitled functionaries during any particular period

I.        In respect of Circuit Houses

 

II.      In respect of Bungalows

 

Provided further that in case an officer is allowed by the Government, in exceptional circumstances, to occupy a room at his own head-quarters in the Circuit House/Bungalow beyond the period specified supra, he shall be required to pay rent for the said excess period at the rate of [three per cent] of his basic pay in addition to the normal rent payable as per Clause (a) of Sub rule (1) of Rule 17.

Rule - 13. Period of reservation.?

 

Reservation of accommodation, except in respect of cases covered under the provisos of Rule 12, shall not ordinarily be allowed for a period exceeding ten days.

 

Provided that, in exceptional circumstances, reservation may be allowed, under the orders of the Collector of the District, in favour of an entitled functionary for a period not exceeding thirty days, subject to other conditions mentioned in these rules and subject to payment of rent for the period beyond the tenth day at the rate of rupees ten in addition to the normal rent payable as per Clause (a) of Sub-rule (1) of Rule 17 :

 

Provided further that the Revenue Divisional Commissioner concerned may allow such reservation, at his discretion, beyond the period of thirty days, in exceptional circumstances, on the same terms and conditions aS specified in the first proviso.

Rule - 14. Communication of the order of reservation.?

 

All orders of reservation of accommodation shall be intimated by the competent authority to the persons concerned and a copy thereof shall be displayed on the Notice Board of the Circuit House/Bungalow.

Rule - 15. Cancellation of reservations.?

 

(1)     Reservation once made and intimated shall not ordinarily be cancelled except under the following conditions, namely :

 

(2)     to provide accommodation to the entitled persons as against the non-entitled person for whom reservation had been made earlier;

 

(3)     to provide accommodation to the important entitled persons enjoying higher priority in the matter of reservation of accommodation in the Circuit House/Bungalow when such cancellation can be intimated to the officers concerned reasonably in time; or

 

(4)     to provide accommodation to other entitled persons if the entitled persons, excluding the important functionaries specified in Clause (a) to Clause (g) of Sub-rule (1) of Rule 5 and the State Guests, do not occupy the Circuit Houses/Bungalow within twelve hours of the date of the commencement of the reservation and do not give sufficient notice to the competent authority before expiry of the said period of twelve hours that they would come and occupy the Circuit House/ Bungalow during the period of reservation.

 

(5)     All cancellations of reservation shall invariably be intimated by the competent authority immediately.

Rule - 16. Visitors' Book.?

 

Every person occupying a Circuit House/Bungalow must make necessary entries in the Visitors' Book maintained in the form prescribed in Appendix I, columns one to five thereof shall be filled in immediately prior to the occupation and the remaining columns shall be filled in immediately before the departure.

Rule - 17. Rent and other charges.?

 

(1)     Persons accommodated in the Circuit House/Bungalow shall pay rent at the following rate for each room :

 

I.         In respect of the Circuit Houses

 

(a)      [For entitled persons specified in Rules 5 & 6

(b)      For Non-entitled persons accommodated under Rule 7 Special Circuit Houses/Circuit Houses at Puri, Gopalpur, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

(c)      Other Special Circuit Houses/Circuit Houses.

(d)      [In addition to the normal charges mentioned above, Rs. 5 and Rs. 25 shall be charged extra towards A.C. charges for each 24 hours or part thereof in respect of entitled persons and non-entitled persons respectively.]

 

(e)      [(Persons entitled to occupy Circuit Houses under Rules 5 & 6 on private visit

(f)       For ex-Members of Parliament and ex-Members of Orissa Legislative Assembly

Rent for A.C. @ Rs. 30.00 per day or part thereof will be charged in addition to the Room Rent, for actual use of A.C. The existing difference in the rent for A.C. in respect of entitled and non-entitled persons is removed in view of the actual expenditure incurred on account of A.C. charges.

 

Further Government have decided to introduce the scheme "User's Fees" in Circuit Houses/Special Circuit Houses only.

 

Accordingly a sum of Rs. 10.00 be charged towards User's Fees per room per day. This charge so collected should be utilised towards up keeping/ maintenance of the concerned Circuit Houses only.

 

The following procedures should be followed to account for the daily collection, retention & utilisation of user's fees :-

 

(1)     User's fees may be collected from the guests on issue of proper money receipts. The money receipts should be in printed books duly inscribing SL No. of the book and SI. No. of the money receipts. The money receipts should have both original and duplicate pages.

 

(2)     Daily collection of User's fees from the guests should be recorded in a cash book daily, indicating the SI. No. of receipts used from the receipt books on a particular day.

 

(3)     The amount so collected towards the User's fees should be deposited in a Saving Account in a Nationalised Bank/Orissa State Cooperative Bank. Expenditure if any should be reflected on the debt side of the cash book. Each expenditure should be authenticated by retaining corresponding vouchers numbered serially.

 

(4)     Money, if required for expenditure should be drawn by cheque signed by the Manager/Nizarat Officer. Payment above Rs. 100 should be made in the shape of crossed cheque or Bank Draft.

 

(5)     The money receipt book and the cash book should be maintained and countersigned daily by the Manager/Nizarat Officer of the concerned Special C.H./C.Hs., respectively.

 

(6)     A register of money receipt books should be maintained showing columns of receipt, issue and balance stock, duly certified by Manager/Nizarat Officer.

 

(7)     Another register for Bank deposits and Bank withdrawal should also be maintained duly certified by Manager/Nizarat Officer.

 

Inspection Bunglows/Revenue Rest Sheds

 

(1)     The State Freedom Fighters' who are getting State Freedom Fighter's Pension or Central Freedom Fighter's Pension are entitled to avail the accommodation in Circuit Houses/Special Circuit Houses/Inspection Bungalows/charges equal to the charges payable by sitting MLAs., on production of Freedom Fighters' Identify Card issued by the appropriate authority.

 

(2)     The facility of telephone may be extended only to the entitled persons specified in Rules 5 & 6. They shall be required to pay the actual charges for making local/trunk calls.

 

(3)     While entertaining of State Guests the rate adopted by the State Guest House may be adopted by the Special Circuit House/Circuit Houses as such.]

 

(4)     The cost of articles broken or damaged (if any) by any occupant or person accompanying/attending him shall be realised from the occupant in full.

 

(5)     A fee shall be charged from any person occupying the Bungalow and using the compound for pitching tents at the rate of rupees ten per day or part thereof :

 

Provided that the competent authority may, at his discretion, refuse the permission to pitch such tents within the precincts of the Bungalow.

 

Note-No permission shall be given to pitch such tents within the compound of the Circuit House.

(6)     Rent and all other charges shall be paid in full by the occupant to the Khansama/Choukidar of the Circuit House/Bungalow at the time of signing the Visitors' Book before his departure and details of the payment made shall be entered by him in the respective columns of the Visitors' Book;

 

Provided that the competent authority may, at his discretion, require advance payment, particularly in respect of the non-entitled persons.

Rule - 18. Preparation of Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.?

 

(1)     Subject to availability of the required facilities in the Circuit House/Bungalow, requests for preparation of lunch, dinner, etc., shall be handled in the manner indicated in Sub-rules (2) to (6).

 

(2)     Requests for preparing lunch, dinner, etc., shall not ordinarily be complied with before the arrival of the visitor except in case of-

 

(a)      State Guests, and

 

(b)      entitled functionaries of the State Government specified in Clause (a) to Clause (g) of Rule 5 specifically requesting for such preparation at least twelve hours in advance.

 

(3)     Requests for preparing lunch, dinner, etc., after the arrival of the visitor, may be complied with, without insisting on any advance payment, in case of the functionaries specified in Rule 5.

 

(4)     The initial expenses for making arrangements as per Sub-rules (2) and (3) may be met out of the advance permanent and recovered from the concerned functionaries subsequently.

 

(5)     All other visitors may make their own arrangements for their lunch, dinner, etc. ;

 

Provided that such arrangements may be made by the Khansama/Choukidar on advance payment, unless he is preoccupied with the arrangements for the functionaries specified in Sub-rules (2) and (3).

 

Note-No person, except the authorised attendants of the Circuit House/ Bungalow such as the Khansama/Chowkidar shall be allowed to cook within the Circuit House/Bungalow. Food prepared/procured elsewhere may, however, be served to a visitor in the Dining Hall of the Circuit House/Bungalow.

 

(6)     The tariff chart specifying the menu and the rates for morning tea, breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner etc. shall be displayed in the Dining Hall of the Circuit House/Bungalow.

Rule - 19. Eviction of unauthorised occupants.?

 

The competent authority shall take immediate steps to evict the persons who overstay beyond the period of reservation without the written permission of the appropriate authority.

Rule - 20. Premises of Circuit Houses/Bungalows not to be used for political meetings etc.?

 

The premises of the Circuit Houses/ Bungalows shall not be utilised for holding any political or communal meeting or for organising any public entertainment etc., involving gathering of people.

Rule - 21. Maintenance and Up.?

 

keep of the Circuit House/Bungalow -The competent authority shall be responsible for ensuring proper maintenance and up-keep of the Circuit House/Bungalow. The Board of Revenue and the Revenue Divisional Commissioner may, from time to time, issue instructions and standing orders in this regard and on other matters relating to the management of the Circuit Houses/Bungalows.

Rule - 22. Audit.?

 

In addition to the periodical verification by the administrative authorities, expenditure, audit and audit of stores of the Circuit House/Bungalow may be conducted from time to time :

 

Provided that not less than ten per cent of the expenditure and receipt audit and cent per cent audit on the stores shall be conducted by the audit staff of the Board of Revenue in respect of each Circuit House.

Rule - 23. Instructions in the Orissa Nizarat Manual.?

 

The instructions contained in Chapter III of the Orissa Nizarat Manual on management of the Circuit Houses and Bungalows shall also be followed so far as they are not inconsistent with any of the provisions specified in these rules.

Rule - 24. Over-all control and direction.?

 

Notwithstanding anything contained hereinbefore in these rules, Government in the Revenue Department nay issue any directive at any time regarding entitlement of functionaries to accommodation in the Circuit Houses/Bungalows on specific terms and conditions and in respect of all other matters concerning the control, management and up-keep of the Circuit House/Bungalows.

Rule - 25. Interpretation.?

 

If any question arises relating to interpretation of these rules, it shall be referred to Government for derision.

Appendix I

Visitors' Book