The Communist Party of China on Sunday unveiled a full version of an accountability regulation that makes Party officials answerable for poor leadership.

The new regulation introduced an internal Party accountability mechanism to be applied to its members across all levels and divisions.

The regulation holds Party officials responsible for serious consequences caused by negligence or poor work performance. They also are accountable if they make mistakes or lack leadership in dealing with problems or projects, or do not implement the Party's frugality rules.

The rule, approved by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on June 28, also makes it clear that leading officials will face punishment according to the severity of their wrongdoing, such as being named and shamed within certain ranks, receiving oral or written warnings, being suspended from their posts, transferred, forced to resign, demoted or dismissed.

The public will be informed of serious cases. Officials will be held responsible for life for serious breaches of duty, even if they have been transferred, promoted or have retired, the regulation says.

Wu Hui, a professor specializing in Party-building at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC, spoke highly of the regulation, saying that it is the first time that the Party has created such a rule and specified the conditions for being held accountable.

"It's a further step to strictly govern the Party, followed by revising the Code of Ethics for Party Cadres and the Disciplinary Ordinance last year," he said. "The more specific the rule is, the more effective and practical it will be.

"In the past, we often found problems in the Party, but the responsible officials were seldom blamed," he said. "I believe the situation will be changed under the new rule."

Wu regarded the rule as an external restriction or pressure for Party members, urging them to be strict with themselves.

Xin Ming, another professor with the school, said that the clarification in the rule is timely for the Party, which has a huge number of members.

The latest statistics issued by the central leadership in early July showed that the Party has more than 88 million members.

Xin said the rule has made clear which behaviors will be subject to accountability measures and their corresponding punishments, which is key for its implementation.

Xinhua contributed to this story.