What should be the venue of the inquiry?
This is a question generally comes in the mind of the IO at the time when he decides the venue. Generally, the inquiry is held at a place where the employee is posted or at the place where the controlling office of the employer is situated.
When inquiry is held at the controlling office, which is not a place where the employee is posted, then the CE is reimbursed travelling expenses and halting allowance as per rules for attending the inquiry. If the controlling office is situated in the same city, where the employee is posted then there is no question of payment of halting allowance etc.
In case the employee makes an application for change in the venue of the inquiry then there must be some cogent reason to refuse the request.
There is no hard and fast rule as to where the inquiry is to be held. Looking to the circumstances, the venue of inquiry may be changed by the IO. The only thing is to be seen that the employee, in any way, should not be denied the opportunity of defending himself by reason of change of venue.
With best wishes,
Keshav Ram Singhal
Abbreviation
IO = Inquiry Officer / Enquiry Officer / Inquiring Authority
PO = Presenting Officer
DR = Defence Representative
CE = Charged Employee / Charged Officer
DA = Disciplinary Authority
AA = Appellate Authority