The Maharashtra government, via the General Administration Department, issued a new Government Resolution (GR) on July 28, 2025, imposing comprehensive social media guidelines for state employees—including those on deputation, contractual service, and in PSU/local bodies—to curb leaks, misinformation, and misuse of official status. The guidelines are enforceable immediately and non-compliance qualifies as misconduct under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Conduct and Appeal) Rules, 1979.The Times of India+15India TV News+15India Today+15Reddit+2www.ndtv.com+2Reddit+2
Scope & Applicability
These directives apply across the board—state public servants, officers, contract staff, local government bodies, boards, corporations, and public sector undertakings. The rules mandate clear separation of personal and official social media accounts and strict limits on content sharing.NewsDrum+6India TV News+6The Indian Express+6
Key Dos and Don’ts
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No criticism of current or past state or central government policies on social platforms.Mid-day+6India TV News+6The Indian Express+6
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Maintain separate personal vs official accounts; personal accounts can only include profile photo of the official.Navbharat Times+10India TV News+10The Times of India+10
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No posting of government logos, uniforms, buildings, vehicles on personal accounts.Reddit+9India TV News+9The Indian Express+9
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Only authorized personnel may post about government schemes—and only with prior approval.The Indian Express+4India TV News+4www.ndtv.com+4
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No self-promotion: Posting should highlight collective achievements, not personal credit.Reddit+11The Indian Express+11Reddit+11
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No forwarding or sharing of confidential documents or internal files without authorization.India Today+11India TV News+11www.ndtv.com+11
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Employees must handover official social media accounts when transferred or exiting service.The Times of India+10India TV News+10www.ndtv.com+10
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Use of banned websites or apps is prohibited—even via personal accounts.www.ndtv.com+4India TV News+4The Indian Express+4
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Objectionable, defamatory, hateful or discriminatory content is banned.The Economic Times+4India TV News+4mint+4
Purpose of the Guidelines
Prompted by concerns over misuse of digital platforms, including leakage of sensitive information, misinformation, and unauthorized political commentary, the state aims to preserve administrative integrity and public trust. These rules are aligned with recommendations from legislative representatives like MLC Parinay Fuke, who raised issues about officials’ misuse of government assets for personal branding.Reddit+6India Today+6The Times of India+6
Disciplinary Framework
Violation of these social media norms will be treated as misconduct under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1979, potentially resulting in warnings, suspension, or service termination. Official communication must be routed via authorized digital platforms only.Reddit+13India TV News+13Mid-day+13
Implications and Public Reaction
While the government emphasises transparency and accountability, critics argue that restrictions on policy critique and personal expression may suppress legitimate dissent and accountability. The move follows earlier steps to set up an AI-driven media monitoring centre, aimed at identifying and flagging “negative or misleading” media coverage. Civil liberties advocates have expressed concern over potential censorship and administrative overreach.The Times of India+3Reddit+3Reddit+3
Conclusion
Maharashtra’s new social media guidelines mark a decisive attempt to regulate digital conduct of government personnel. With an emphasis on discipline, prevention of leaks, and official decorum, the state has drawn a clear line between public duty and personal expression. Implementation across departments is underway, with departments and civil servants expected to revise social media practices immediately.
