Rule 25 of CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 - Repeal and Saving

Rule 25 of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964 is a repeal-and-saving provision. It repeals corresponding conduct rules that were in force immediately before the commencement of the 1964 Rules, while preserving the legal effect of specified earlier orders, actions and contraventions.

Text of Rule 25 - Repeal and Saving

Any rules corresponding to these rules in force immediately before the commencement of these rules and applicable to the Government servants to whom these rules apply, are hereby repealed:

Provided that any order made or action taken under the rules so repealed shall be deemed to have been made or taken under the corresponding provisions of these rules:

Provided further that such repeal shall not affect the previous operation of the rules so repealed and a contravention of any of the said rules shall be punishable as if it were a contravention of these rules.

Meaning and Effect of Rule 25

In legal drafting, a "repeal" provision withdraws or supersedes an earlier rule or set of rules. A "saving" provision protects specified legal consequences from being destroyed merely because the earlier rule has been repealed. Rule 25 combines both functions.

Earlier corresponding rules are repealed: Rules dealing with the same subject matter and applicable to the Government servants covered by the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 cease to operate from the commencement of these Rules.
Earlier orders and actions are preserved: An order made or action taken under a repealed rule is treated as having been made or taken under the corresponding provision of the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964.
Past operation is protected: Repeal does not undo the legal operation of the earlier rules during the period when those rules were in force.
Earlier contraventions remain actionable: A contravention committed under the repealed rules may still be dealt with as if it were a contravention of the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964.

Why the Saving Clause Matters

Without a saving clause, repeal can create uncertainty about pending or completed acts under the former rules. Rule 25 avoids that problem by providing continuity. It ensures that valid administrative action does not lose effect solely because the governing conduct rules were replaced, and that repeal does not automatically erase responsibility for earlier misconduct.

Practical point: Rule 25 should be read with the particular substantive rule that corresponds to the earlier conduct provision involved in a case. Questions concerning disciplinary procedure or penalties may also require reference to the applicable Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules and departmental instructions.

Scope of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964

The CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 prescribe standards of conduct for Central Government servants to whom the Rules apply. They address matters such as general conduct, political activity, demonstrations and strikes, communication of official information, gifts, private employment, investments, property transactions, marriage restrictions, intoxicants, interpretation, delegation of powers, and repeal and saving.

For the opening provision on title, commencement and application, see Rule 1 of the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964. For interpretation issues, see Rule 23 - Interpretation. For delegated powers, see Rule 24 - Delegation of Powers.

Official Reference

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India is the Central Government department responsible for general policy relating to Central Civil Services conduct and disciplinary matters. Readers should verify later amendments, notifications and departmental instructions from the official DoPT website when applying the Rules to a current matter.