Clarification regarding belated submission of CEA Bill : Admission of time-barred Claim

Belated submission of CEA Bill : Admission of time-barred Claim - Clarifications



Admissibility of time-barred claim:

One Employee has submitted CEA Application Claims to Divisional Superintendent (Head of the Office) for the year 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23. Whether Head of the Office can sanction these claims in one stroke. Whether there is any specific time period for submission of CEA Claim. Ask Swamys Ticket #: TKT-GKWIAI

Normally CEA is to be claimed once in a financial year after completion of the year vide Order 1 incorporated in Swamy's Compilation of Children's Education Assistance (Cat. No. BC-12- Edition, 2019).

Rule 295 (1) of GFR 2017, states that a claim should be preferred within two years of it becoming due. Rule 24 of Postal Financial Handbook Vol. I provides regarding arrear claims as below -

No claims against the Government, not preferred within two years of their becoming due can be presented without an authority from Circle Accounts Officer, provided that such claims are not exceeding 500 if presented within three years of their becoming due may be paid without pre-check by the Circle Accounts Officer other than claims on account of pensions, interest on Government Securities and any other class of payments which are governed by special rules or orders of Government.

The bills for claims more than two years old shall be subjected to pre-audit by the Circle Account Officer as required under rules, even if the net amount payable after adjustment of advance dues, etc. is nil (irrespective of whether they are payable in cash or by book adjustment).

The claims of years exceeding two years but not more than six years old, shall not be investigated and authorized by Circle Accounts Officer unless specific approval for investigation of such claims is received from the Head of the Department vide Rule 295 of GFR 2017 and P&T Memo No. 15-23/78-PAP, dated 5-7-1980 respectively.

Exception to Note 5 below Rule 27 states that in the case of claims for allowances, etc., which have no repercussion on later claims if not preferred in time due to oversight, the splitting up may be permitted and the portion within two years may be paid without pre-check.

(1/2)

Accordingly, the claim for the years 2021-22 and 2022-23 may anctioned by the Divisional Superintendent. Other claims may be ed as provided in Rule 24 of Postal Financial Handbook, Vol. I.

(2/2)