The Punjab government on Saturday directed all administrative departments to appoint Grievance Redressal Commissioners (GRCs) to ensure efficient redressal of public grievances.
The decision was taken in the 30th meeting held by the provincial caretaker cabinet. The step was to guarantee the implementation of addressing concerns and also to prevent minor issues from escalating to the courts.
The newly appointed GRCs will play a crucial role in resolving the grievances of individuals who feel aggrieved due to the actions or inactions of government officers or departments. The directive sets a strict time frame of fifteen days for resolving these grievances, emphasising the government’s commitment to expeditious and effective solutions.
The objective behind the move is to make the grievance redressal mechanism more efficient by the Punjab government to enhance transparency. Furthermore, the government has directed all administrative departments to notify their respective officers.
During the meeting, it was decided that GRCs should hold a minimum rank of BS-20 across all administrative departments. The cabinet also proposed specific Terms of Reference for GRCs, which include the issuance of computer-generated receipts for all applications and grievance petitions. Furthermore, the concerned officer or authority will be entrusted to ensure the grievances are resolved within the fixed fifteen-working-day period.
The role of GRCs includes eradicating the misuse of legal processes. These commissioners will be responsible for encouraging government employees and others to bring forward genuine concerns before the relevant departments and authorities. Their mandate includes clarifying the nature of grievances, identifying the competent authority for redressal, and evaluating the reasons, and applicable laws for purported dissatisfactions and claims.
The instruction comes in response to a mounting trend of constitutional petitions being filed in the High Court. Government employees have also resorted to filing constitutional petitions to address various issues, including service regularization, promotions, and alleged discriminatory treatment by their competent authorities.
Additionally, there has been an influx of constitutional petitions filed by contractors seeking the recovery of disputed contractual amounts. Often, court orders for payments were issued, irrespective of the nature or genuineness of the claims.
Advocate General Punjab, Khalid Ishaq, highlighted the need for this mechanism during his briefing to the cabinet. He cited instances where private individuals filed constitutional petitions claiming occupancy rights based on alleged policies, circulars, or notifications. These petitioners approached the High Court, alleging that their applications for grievance redressal remained unresolved without justification.
