Clarification on Rule-3 GDS Transfer Cases – May 2026 Cycle
The Department of Posts has issued important clarifications regarding Rule-3 GDS transfers for the May 2026 cycle. The clarification addresses cases involving GDS employees under disciplinary proceedings and those whose transfer requests from the previous cycle remain incomplete.
Download Transfer Cases – May 2026 Cycle
According to the clarification, if a GDS employee's transfer has been approved but a disciplinary case is pending until the date of relief, the employee should not be relieved. In such cases, the approved transfer will be cancelled and will not be counted as a transfer chance availed by the GDS. The same provision will apply to pending disciplinary cases from the October 2025 transfer cycle as well.
The Department has also directed CEPT to incorporate suitable rejection remarks in the transfer portal, indicating that the approved transfer has been cancelled due to disciplinary proceedings, including cases involving counterpart GDS employees in mutual transfers.
Further clarifications have been issued regarding nine cases from the October 2025 cycle where relieving and joining formalities were not completed due to reasons such as maternity leave or disciplinary proceedings. GDS employees whose transfers were cancelled because they were not relieved may apply again in the current cycle. However, employees on maternity leave will not be permitted to reapply, as their approved transfer posts are to be reserved until they rejoin duty and the mandatory cooling-off period is not completed.
For GDS employees with pending disciplinary proceedings, fresh applications may be submitted, but such applications remain liable for rejection during the verification process if the disciplinary case continues to be pending. Divisions have also been advised to update and close pending cases from previous cycles in the portal.
These clarifications have been issued with the approval of the Competent Authority and are intended to ensure uniform implementation of Rule-3 transfer provisions across all postal circles.