Sri Lanka’s Public Administration Ministry has announced that female government officers should wear Saree/Osari during office hours due to the security measures.
The Ministry of Public Administration and Disaster Management in a circular issued to the Secretaries to Ministries, Chief Secretaries of Provinces and Heads of Departments instructed on the provisions to follow concerning the official attire of the public officers under their purview due to the security measures existing in the country at present.
According to the circular, which was signed by the Secretary to the Ministry J.J. Rathnasiri, when public officers arrive at their office premises during the office hours, male officers should be wearing trouser and shirt or national dress whilst female officers should be wearing saree or Osari.
The officers who are already receiving a uniform/uniform allowance (Ex: Driver, KKS, Grama Niladhari etc.) should engage in their duties wearing his/her approved uniform.
Pregnant female officers in the public service may wear attire which is appropriate and convenient for them.
Female employees, who need to wear clothing according to religious customs, must dress in Saree or Osari and may wear an additional clothing item to keep their religious identity but so as to expose their full face ensuring clear identification.
The circular further instructed that it is the responsibility of all Heads of Institutions to make provisions to the effect that every individual should be wearing an outfit which ensures his/her clear identification when entering premises of government institutions as a recipient or coming to obtain services rendered by the government.
The regulations had been imposed after considering the gazette notifications No.2121/1 dated 29.04.2019 and No. 2123/4 dated 13.05.2019 which impose ban on face covering garments.
Courtesy: Colombo Page
