Adhoc and Officiating Arrangements for all cadre

I. OFFICIATING ARRANGEMENTS

1. General principles to be followed in making officiating appointments in short term vacancies

1. In cadres in which promotion is made from amongst officials working in the same office or station, officiating arrangements in case of vacancies of not more than one month's duration may be confined to the officials in the section or branch of the office or the sub-office where the vacancy occurs even if this involves supersession of a senior qualified official.
2. In cadres in which promotion is made from officials working in different stations-sub-divisions or divisions:-(a) In the case of vacancies of not more than one month's duration, officiating arrangements may be confined to the officials at the station where the vacancy occurs. In the case of a station where there are more officers than one, each independent of the others, officiating promotion may, at the discretion of the sanctioning authority, be confined to the office where the vacancy occurs.
3. In the case of vacancies of more than one month's duration but not more than four month's duration, officiating arrangements may be confined to the officials in the office, sub-division or division where the vacancy occurs.

(Rule 50 of P&T Manual Vol. IV)

2. Officiating arrangement in short term vacancies in the Department of Posts

1. Duration of short term vacancies for which officiating arrangements may be made:

For the purpose of officiating arrangements in short term vacancies, vacancies have been divided into three categories: i.e.

• Vacancies of less than 14  day's  duration.
• Vacancies of not less than 14 day's  duration; and 
• Vacancies of more than 30 days duration. 

Standing instructions regarding filling in of vacancies of all these three types are reproduced below:

(1) Vacancies of less than 14 day's duration:-Casual  leave  vacancies caused by absence of officials on account of illness or urgent private affairs occurring in Postmen and Group 'D' cadres in offices in which the number of Postmen, V.P.M. and  Group D staff taken together does not exceed four may be filled in by appointing paid substitutes in their place irrespective of the duration of vacancies.  (The condition that the total staff  strength of Postmen, V.P.M. and  Group 'D' in the office shall not exceed four may  be relaxed by the Head of the Circle in individual cases in which it is found impossible to distribute the work of those granted leave among the staff present on duty).

The amount to be paid to the substitute must not exceed the minimum of time scale of pay plus DA and other allowances. 

Claims for payment to the substitutes will be sanctioned by the concerned appointing authorities.

(Appendix of P & T Man. Vol. IV)