Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami released the book 'Seva Vidhi' at the Chief Minister's residence in Dehradun on 22 July 2026, authored by former Additional Secretary R.C. Lohani. The book compiles service rules, constitutional provisions, government orders, and landmark court rulings relevant to Uttarakhand's civil services in a single, accessible reference volume.

Context

Speaking at the launch, CM Dhami described the book as more than a publication — calling it 'ek vyavharik margdarshika' (a practical guide) for the state's officers and employees. He noted that since Uttarakhand's formation in November 2000, no single resource had brought together service rules, constitutional provisions, government orders, and important judicial pronouncements in a simple, organised form.

The Chief Minister emphasised that honest intent alone is insufficient for effective governance. 'A public servant must have not just integrity but also a deep understanding of rules, laws, and procedures,' he said, stressing that every decision by a government representative directly affects citizens at the last mile.

Policy Backdrop

Indian states have long relied on administrative handbooks to help officials navigate complex procedural terrain. Newer states like Uttarakhand — carved out of Uttar Pradesh in 2000 — faced the additional challenge of building institutional reference materials from scratch, often relying on inherited frameworks that did not fully reflect the new state's legislative and judicial landscape.

Author R.C. Lohani stated that 'Seva Vidhi' incorporates constitutional arrangements, Acts, rules, regulations, government orders, and principles laid down by the Supreme Court and various High Courts. The volume is intended to serve officials across their entire service tenure, not merely as an induction tool.

CM Dhami also reflected on what distinguishes effective administrators: officers who understand the spirit of rules, he said, do not let procedure become an obstacle — they find the path of public interest within the framework of those very rules. 'The purpose of governance is not merely rule-compliance but making people's lives easier,' he added.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries are Uttarakhand's state government officers and employees, who will have a unified reference covering service law, court precedents, and executive orders. Cabinet Minister Subodhh Uniyal was among the dignitaries present, alongside former Additional Secretaries Bhupesh Tiwari, G.B. Oli, Rameshchandra Sharma, and Hansadatt Pandey, as well as former Joint Secretary Naveen Singh Tadani and several other senior retired and serving officials.

For citizens, the downstream impact lies in faster, more rule-consistent decision-making by officials who are better equipped to resolve grievances, deliver entitlements to farmers, women, youth, and the elderly, and implement government schemes without procedural ambiguity.

What's Next

The immediate question is how widely the volume will be distributed — whether printed copies reach all state departments and whether the book is incorporated into induction training or refresher modules for new and existing civil servants. If adopted systematically, 'Seva Vidhi' could set a template for other hill states seeking to consolidate their administrative reference frameworks. The Dhami government's emphasis on 'satyanishtha, pardarshita aur samarpit seva' (integrity, transparency, and dedicated service) signals that this release is positioned as part of a broader administrative reform narrative ahead of future electoral cycles.