International Journal of Trend in Research and Development, Volume 3(4), ISSN: 2394-9333
www.ijtrd.com
A Study of Departmental Enquiry Management and its
Impact on Organizational Environment and Employee‟s
Motivation: with Special Reference to Irrigation
Department of Madhya Pradesh
1
Garima Choubey and 2Dr. Ashish Mishra,
1
Assistant Professor, Maharashtra Institute of Higher Education, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
2
Assistant Professor, G.S College of Commerce and Economics, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
Abstract-- This study gains significance because department
enquiry management affect organisational environment and
employee motivation if any delay occur in decision. It can be
approached from various angles. It is a state of existence
involving departmental enquiry strategies generally to concern
employees and departmental discipline. The process of
departmental enquiry is based on certain misconduct of
employees, such as, unpunctuality, drunken behavior, and
economical offence, doubtful integrity at work etc. would
again be left to the disciplinary authority to deal with in an
appropriate manner. Addressing these issues demands a
specialized approach in developing quick decision;the study
has been conducted in the irrigation department of Madhya
Pradesh.
Key Words-- Departmental Enquiry, Organisational
Environment, Employee Motivation, Water Resource
Department Of Madhya Pradesh
I. INTRODUCTION
Departmental enquiry is similar to a trial in a court of law, but
while a trial in a court is for crimes done against society,
domestic enquiry is conducted for offences committed against
the establishment for misconduct, punishable under the
standing orders/rules and regulations of the organization.
Further, while a trail in a court is in accordance with the
criminal procedure code, civil procedure code, evidence act,
the domestic enquiry is conducted in terms of what is known
as „Natural Justice‟. Also, the enquiry officer while examining
the evidence and pronouncingon the guilt is not authorized to
penalize the employee. It is only the employer or the
appointing authority also known as notified disciplinary
authority who can pronounce the penalty.
Dismissal of an employee without holding a fair and just
domestic enquiry amounts to the violation of the principles of
natural justice and is frowned upon by the Labour
Courts/Industrial Tribunals and adverse conclusions may be
drawn against the employer not holding a departmental
enquiry, in so much so that the dismissal without holding a
departmental enquiry is deemed to be illegal.“Management is
management of people and not things” is also incomplete. As it
gives more weight to the contribution of employees and
underestimates the contribution of other factors of evaluation
of work and this also means the contribution resolving disputes
happens during the services, which leads to departmental
inquiry. As it has been said that the management is the sum
total of all those activities that determine objectives, plans,
policies and programs and also to direct and motivate
employees at work and most important is to supervise and
control performances (Ramchandran, 1999).
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The research aims to develop knowledge and skills relating to
the legal principles which underpin contemporary human
resource management issues. It includes consideration of such
matters as performance appraisal, equal opportunity and anti-
discrimination, termination of employment, remuneration, and
related HRM issues. The research takes a practical approach to
these matters and focuses specifically on practical case studies
and decisions of the Courts and Tribunals.It would be quite
unfair to use the benefit of hind-sight to question the technical
merits of managerial decisions from the vigilance point of
view (Chhabra, 2010). At the same time, it would be unfair to
ignore motivated or reckless decisions, which have caused
damage to the interests of the organization.
Whether a person of common prudence, working within the
ambit of the prescribed rules, regulations and instructions,
would have taken the decision in the prevailing circumstances
in the public/departmental interests of the organization is one
possible criterion for determining the bonafides of the case. A
positive response to this question may indicate the existence of
bonafides. A negative reply, on the other hand, might indicate
their absence. It follows departmental inquiry on a
complaint/misconduct. It would not be called for on the basis
of a mere difference of opinion/ perception or an error of
judgment simpliciter or lack of efficiency or failure to attain
exemplary devotion in the performance of duties. Such failures
may be a matter of serious concern to the organisational point
of view. They have to be dealt seriously. Administrative
misconduct, such as, unpunctuality, drunken behaviour,
economical offence, doubtful integrity at work etc. would
again be left to the disciplinary authority to deal with in a
appropriate manner.
However, once a managerial angle is evident, it becomes
necessary to determine through an impartial investigation as to
what went wrong and who is accountable for the same
R P.Guptavs The State Of M.P. Judgment Given ... on 24
October, 2013 HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH : AT
JABALPUR Writ Petition No : 20341 of 2003 (O.A. No ::
3077 / 2002) had passed order “departmental enquiries can be
quashed if there is inordinate delay”.
In government department for any misconduct or improper
behaviour government can punish any public servant, this
procedure has given under Madhya Pradesh Civil Services
(Classification Control and Appeal ) 1966. If any employee
fund guilty for any misconduct or improper behaviour the
concern department has to conduct proper departmental
inquiry according the MP CS (CCA) 1966 rule. In present
scenario most of the Departmental Enquiry takes lot of time
which delays the cases. It is said that “Justice Delay justice
denied”. There are some illustrations of withheld government
decisions where government as well as government servant has
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 International Journal of Trend in Research and Development, Volume 3(4), ISSN: 2394-9333
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to bear the problems. Like R. K. TiwariVs The State of M.P. irrigation Department of Madhya Pradesh. This study would
HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH : AT JABALPUR cover the inquiry matters of the year 2009 to 2014.
Writ Petition No : 4182/2011 , had given stay order ( the pity
E. Hypothesis
of the this case is that the employee has been expired without
any justice and still the case is on held. Thus it is complete Based on the topic and the related illustrations and objectives
violation of human rights and law of natural justice).Due to of the study, the following hypothesis formulates as H1
that stay order no departmental enquiry could take place. managers puts significant role in the departmental enquiry
towards the concern employee. H2 managers with respect to
A. Statement of the Problem
departmental enquiry put in insignificant role towards the
It is to provide attention towards the negligence of concern employee. H3 this study will impact of Departmental
departmental enquiry under the legal aspects where the Enquiry on employees motivation is positive.
employee who got suspended by his/her duties due to certain
II. WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT OF
misconduct. Most of the times these departmental inquiries
MADHYA PRADESH
take long time to get shorten up, though this delay leads to
problems for departmental functioning, such as time, money Water Resources Department, formerly known as Irrigation
and human efforts. (During suspension government employee Department is one of the major establishments of Government
gets 50 to 75% salary as suspension allowance). In public of Madhya Pradesh. It protects the right of State in sharing
sectors not only the employee even government and public Water of Inter State Rivers/Basins. The field of Operations of
gets suffered as government resources are limited if an Water Resources Department is responsible for creation and
employee has been suspended for long time and offered with maintenance of irrigation potential through construction of
suspension allowance and not giving his/her services for water resources projects. It also looks after Calamity
his/her assigned work and if no other substitution is assigned Managements in the form of construction and maintenance of
by the department then the public have to suffered. flood control works, reservoir operation and reconstruction of
structures damaged by cyclone. Construction, maintenance and
B. Scope of the Study
regulation of Major, Medium & Minor irrigation projects,
The results of this study mainly focused on departmental Flood Control and Drainage work.
enquiry management‟s impact on organizational environment
Madhya Pradesh has five River Basins namely
and employee‟s motivation in public units like irrigation
department of Madhya Pradesh, but in general it can also have 1. Ganga (Yamuna Basin)
seen in other public sectors. However, this research study has 2. Narmada
substantial scope for extension both in terms of breath as well 3. Tapti
as depth. The present study attempts to find out the problems 4. Mahi, and
areas about culture of the organization and how it influencing 5. Wainganga (part of Godavari Basin)
the employees working conditions. From this study, it clearly
reveals that there is considerable scope for the development
regarding the enquiry system in departmental level, where
managers can put their remarkable approaches.
This would not only motivate employees to work under secure
condition but also ensure enhancement of employee
competencies, dynamism and effectiveness in a systematic and
planned working environment. Because it would give the sense
of responsibilities among the departmental management
committee also known personnal managers to take concern
action on any legal or departmental issues promptly. This
study can ensure satisfactory result with respect to the title.
C. Objectives of the Study
1. To assess the departmental enquiry management
procedure.
2. To analyze the impact of departmental enquiry on group
behavior of organization.
3. To analyze the consequences of departmental enquiry on
employees motivation.
4. To acquired knowledge and skills which will provide
Human Resource Manager with the ability for making the
decisions about legal issues of the people employed in the
public sector.
5. To provide the Human Resource Managers with ability to
analyze critically the existing legal regulations and for Chambal, Betwa, Sindh, Dhasan, Ken, Paisuni and Baghian
forming the legal rule on the area of work such as rivers join the Yamuna river and are the sub-basins for
pending departmental enquiries. Yamuna Basin, which itself falls under the Ganga Basin. Sone
D. Limitation of the Study and Tapti rivers join the Ganga river directly and therefore, are
the sub-basins to Ganga Basin. Twelve rivers originate in M.P.
This study will focus on public sector Departmental enquiry viz. Narmada, Mahi, Chambal, Betwa, Son, Tons, Tapti, ken,
management and this study will cover all nine division of Dhasan, Kunwari, Sindh, Paisuni and Baghen. The total length

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 International Journal of Trend in Research and Development, Volume 3(4), ISSN: 2394-9333
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of these rivers in M.P is approximately 3956 km and 553 km
share boundaries with other states. Water has many benefits,
other than drinking it is also used for Agriculture, Industrial
usages,Horticulture, for Power Generation, Fisheries etc. .
According to its usages, Government of M.P has various
departments for Water maintenance. These are:-
1. Water Resources Department (WRD)
2. Narmada Valley Development Department (NVDD)
3. Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED)
4. Agriculture Department and Agriculture – Engineering
Department
5. Horticulture Department
6. Panchayat and Rural Development Department
7. Fisheries Department
8. Forest Department
9. Power Department
10. Tourism Department
III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Water Resource Development formally known Irrigation
Department is one of the major establishments of Government
of Madhya Pradesh. It protect the right of state in sharing
water of interstate Rivers/Basins, the field of operations of
water resource department are construction, maintenance and
regulation of major and medium irrigation projects, flood
control and drainage works. This study would take nine
divisions and their departmental enquiry management. As
there are approximately 25 circle offices in every circle office
there are approximately 50 division offices. The aim of this
research is to explore and describe the problems of delay in
departmental enquiries (public sectors). The survey method
will be use to collect primary data (departmental
inquires/cases) and prepare questionnaires as a tool to gauge
views of respondents. Semi structure interview will also be
conduct of those respondents who show difficulties in
completing questionnaires (to ask questions from labour
leaders and employees). Researcher will also focus on
extensive study of Secondary data collected from various
books, National and International Journals, law review,
government reports publications from various websites which
focused on various aspects of Human Resource Manager. This
study willfocus on public sector Departmental enquiry
management and this study will cover all nine division of
irrigation Department of Madhya Pradesh. This study would
cover the inquiry matters of the year 2009 to 2014.
IV. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
In government department for any misconduct or improper
behaviour government can punish any public servant, this
procedure has given under Madhya Pradesh Civil Services
(Classification Control and Appeal ) 1966. If any employee
found guilty for any misconduct or improper behaviour the
concern department has to conduct proper departmental
Case No Present Status of Charges
the Employee
1 Suspended Economical
offences,
misconduct on
duty
2 Retired --do--
3 Suspended --do--
4 Suspended --do--
5 Suspended --do--
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inquiry according the MP CS (CCA) 1966 rule. In present
scenario most of the Departmental Enquiry takes lot of time
which delays the cases. It is said that “Justice Delay justice
denied”.
1. Case No.-1.Shri R.K Rathor( Suspended)
VsHiranJalSansadhanVibhag, Jabalpur. He was posted as
AnuVibhagiy Officer since 31/08/2009 to 16/01/2013. He
was an In charge of Imlai water Tank and canal
construction work as per contract no. 10/DL dt
10/03/2006. He verified the fake inventory, measurements
done by sub engineer in Measurement Ledger (Map
Pustika). Because of his misconduct he found guilty and
got suspended.
2. Case No.-2. Shri S. C. Jain (Retired) Vs.
HiranJalSansadhanVibhag Jabalpur. He was posted as
Sub divisional Officer at the same department since
14/07/2005 to 31/01/2012. During his tenure he was in
charge of Imlai water Tank and canal construction work
as per contract no. 10/DL dt 10/03/2006. He verified the
fake inventory, measurements done by sub engineer in
Measurement Ledger (Map Pustika). Because of his
misconduct he found guilty and got suspended.
3. Case No.-3. Shri S. K. Sharma (Suspended) Vs.
HiranJalSansadhanVibhag Jabalpur. He was posted as
Sub divisional Officer at the same department since
01/09/1990 to 30/09/2010. During his tenure he was in
charge of Imlai water Tank and canal construction work
as per contract no. 10/DL dt 10/03/2006. He verified the
fake inventory, measurements done by sub engineer in
Measurement Ledger (Map Pustika). Because of his
misconduct he found guilty and got suspended.
4. Case No.-4. ShriS.R.Garg (Suspended) Vs. HiranJ
alSansadhan Vibhag Jabalpur. He was posted as Sub
divisional Officer at the same department since
03/08/1990 to 17/03/2011. During his tenure he was in
chargeof Imlai water Tank and canal construction work
as per contract no. 10/DL dt 10/03/2006. He verified the
fake inventory, measurements done by sub engineer in
Measurement Ledger (Map Pustika). Because of his
misconduct he found guilty and got suspended.
5. Case No.-5. Shri M.S. Nagore (Suspended) Vs.
HiranJalSansadhanVibhag Jabalpur. He was posted as
Sub divisional Officer at the same department since
30/07/1990 to 30/08/2007. During his tenure he was in
charge of Imlai water Tank and canal construction work
as per contract no. 10/DL dt 10/03/2006. He verified the
fake inventory, measurements done by sub engineer in
Measurement Ledger (Map Pustika). Because of his
misconduct he found guilty and got suspended.
The primary data has been collected from Hiran Water
Resource Department Jabalpur. Five departmental cases have
been taken and by the detail analysis.
Dept.Enquiry Departmental Enquiry Remark
started on Status
2012 Pending till date delay
2012 Pending till date delay
2012 Pending till date delay
2012 Pending till date delay
2012 Pending till date delay
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It is found that since last two and half years that cases are the guilty officers escapes for longer period of time in both the
pending due to delay in department enquiry. case the delay is harmful for organisation as well as this also
demotivate the innocent employee.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION
1. Delay should be avoided at any cause.
It is found that since the employee is in charge of the duties
2. If any presenting Officer or Enquiry officer is
from certain years and they were found guilty by the
deliberating delaying in any enquiry should be punished.
preliminary enquiry by the same department. The allegations
3. If any employee is deliberately delaying enquiry must get
were like supervision of fake entries in inventory ledger,
less suspension allowance.
approval to unfinished construction work. As these
4. To avoid departmental misconduct regular supervision
construction work are for the public benefits, but due to
should be conducted by vigilance commission.
negligence of duties of these employees different development
projects had been hampered and due to the departmental were References
delay projects were also extended.
[1] Chahabra, T.N. (2010). Human Resource
As we have seen case no. 1, 3, 4, and 5 have been suspended
Management. Dhanpat Rai and Company. New
since last two and half years, it shows that they are still in the
Delhi. p-824
department and as per rule they are getting 50 to 75
percentages of their salary without work. This is against the [2] Guptavs, R.P. Vs The State Of M.P.High Court Of
organization environment. Madhya Pradesh: At Jabalpur Writ Petition No
20341/2003 (O.A. No :: 3077 / 2002)
RECOMMONDATIONS
[3] Ramchandran, K.S. (1999). Managerial Challenges
As per the reference letter no 009/VGL/067/ Government of of Reforms. Institute of Management Technologies.
Indian/Central Vigilance Dated 9th march 2010 ( Office Order Excel Book. Gaziabad.p-135
No. 13/03/2010) has been notified that timely completion of [4] Tiwari, R.K.Vs The State of M.P. High Court Of
department enquiry is must as it improve the organisation Madhya Pradesh : At Jabalpur Writ Petition No :
environment, as the delay may either cause undue harassment 4182/2011
and demoralisation of innocent employees. An at other case

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