Page 15 - Bengal Records Manual, 1943.doc

Compendium on Acts and Rules

issued by various departments, and certain annual reports of the Political

Department.
(b) Character statements of subordinate officers.
(c) Papers which are confidential only during the pendency of discussion

and not after a decision has been arrived at.
(d) Papers which are strictly confidential, such as weekly police abstracts and

the demi-official correspondence of "heads of the offices with one another.

54. Papers falling under heads (a) and (h) should be kept in the office in a box

or almirah fitted with a Chubbis lock, the key of which, should remain with the
Personal Assistant when there is one, or with the head assistant, unless for any
reason the head of the office thinks it necessary to keep the key himself. They

should be entered in a special register, in which, should be entered the date of
receipt, the number and date of the letter, the subject to which it relates, and the
nature of the action taken. When a case is taken out of, or returned to, the almirah

or box, a note to that effect should be made in the register. An index to the
register should be prepared in offices in which the cases are considerable in number.

The register and index should also be under lock and-key. When the officer in
charge of these papers goes on leave he should hand over the key to his successor,
after verifying the contents of the box or almirah in his presence.

55. Papers falling under heads (c) and (d) should be kept in a locked box or drawer
in the personal custody of the head of the office. When vacating his office he .should

personally hand them over to his successor.

56. At the end of each year the papers of all four classes should be examined

under the personal supervision of the head of the office, and papers which it is no
longer necessary to keep should be destroyed, and papers falling under heads (c)

and (d) should be transferred at his discretion to the office almirah.

57. When the officer initiating correspondence considers that there is need for

special secrecy, he should always indicate that fact.

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