Do not visit Government Offices unless required

You may get a call from the officer asking you to come to the office on some pretext. This is invariably a ploy to ask you for a bribe in person. (One reason that was given for an online process –“You need to come and submit the hard copy in the office, because the printer is not working”.)

Every guide from Zen Citizen will tell you if it is necessary to go to the office, at what stage, and what to expect when you visit the office.

Save Applications & Acknowledgements

When you file any application or make a request in the Government office, do get an acknowledgement from the officer with signature and date and where available, a stamp. 

For online applications, please save a PDF copy of the filled-in form and the submission acknowledgment for future reference. Site bugs can sometimes cause applications to disappear without warning.

File Grievances

If the service is covered under Sakala, it is required to be delivered in a certain timeframe. File an appeal with Sakala if there is a delay after the application has been accepted and you received an acknowledgement number.

Before filing a Sakala or RTI appeal, please double confirm that every single document has been uploaded.

Do file a report if you are asked for a bribe: Email a complaint to either Sakala or on the Lokayukta website. Officers typically do not want formal complaints against them, and will process your application, rather than retaliate.

Common Bribery Pressure Tactics

Some ways in which clerks may pressure you to pay a bribe are below. We’ll help you make the application as water tight as possible, so you don’t feel compelled to give in.

Asking you to get the service using an agent with whom they have a “tie-up”

“Give something saar”

“Higher officials are asking for payment”.  

“Please donate to this welfare fund” – you can let them know you do other forms of charity

“You have spent so much to buy a house, why are you hesitating to pay me a minor amount” 

Dilly-dallying and not approving the application. Asking you to come to the office on another day, or making you wait in the office. Therefore, visit the office unless it is required by the process. 

Rarely – directly quoting the bribe amount / “Our salaries are very low, while cost of living has increased so much”