Standing orders for government officials in Rajasthan

This might just be a first. We know politicians often except the Badaa Sahab treatment, Laal Battis and all.

The Rajasthan government has directed all its officials to stand up when MPs and MLAs come to meet them, and to stand up again when they bid them goodbye. These orders, which have come as a surprise to many, followed complaints by MLAs, who said they too were victims of red tapism and that the Babudom was getting the better of them too.

"When 90 per cent of public money goes in paying their salaries then they should respect the public. After all we are elected representatives of the people," said Dr Param Navdeep Singh, Congress MLA.

But the move is not just about standing orders. The circular also asks government officials to meet MLAs promptly, respond to their phone calls, give them appointments on priority and be attentive to their demands. But the fact that these directions had to be put in writing has taken even the bureaucracy by surprise.

"Standing up does not mean standing in attention but welcoming people cordially," said Pawan Arora, deputy president, RAS.

But clearly, it's not just the people who are tired of the red tapsim of Babudom, but also MLAs and MPs who appear to have been at the receiving end.