Executive Position

In most democracies, the separation of powers among the legislature, executive and judiciary is well defined and respected. Occasional transgressions do take place however but then these are quickly resolved .

Within the executive , there are are two pressure groups - 1) the political bosses as ministers with joint responsibility to the legislature and 2) the bureaucracy with constitutional safeguards for the executive functions they discharge under the direction of the political bosses.

 The bureaucracy's  selection, appointment and service conditions including disciplinary action for  misconduct are  all well enshrined in a plethora of rules and regulations with a good amount of objectivity built with the involvement of UPSC and Administrative Tribunals.

Over the years however, there is a growing perception that the mutual relationship between the political bosses and the bureaucracy has got strained. Bureaucrats not in the good books of  the minister are transferred even when there is the system that at and above the Joint Secretary's level the bureaucrat is " selected " by the minister to work under him from a panel of eligible officers. Other instruments like the PMO too have become power centres for postings and transfers.

Then there is the direct interaction between the minister and the bureaucracy where the latter are exhorted to implement plans and programs and make them  a success. Is this a strategy to make the bureaucracy a scapegoat if  the plans /programs fail to deliver the goods.

 It may be remembered that there was in the past a demand for a committed judiciary.

The Angry Husband - Part 3

The Angry Husband - Part 3

Ram Gopal has gained strength from strength in conducting his household affairs as well as in his relations with neighbours.

 When he became Chairman of the Municipal Committee, he chose the other office bearers carefully,  appointing  only those who toed his policy and programs on cleanliness, transparency, vegetarianism. Loyalty to his own self was a crucial factor. Similarly, he took care to ensure that some public bodies like the city library, the Art Council, etc., would be headed by new incumbents who shared his philosophy.

  He monitored his colleagues’ work closely and did not reprimand/criticise them openly if found wanting in performance but quietly changed their portfolios.

Counter-views on his policy and programs  were  aggressively challenged and dubbed as reflecting anti- civic sense and even asking those who aired them to move to other cities.

He was careful in creating and maintaining a popular image of him in the minds of the public by addressing meetings regularly even on matters pertaining to the other office bearers. His colleague office bearers missed no opportunity to sing his praise. 

The Municipality had been a hot- bed of corruption and bureaucratic malfunctioning. His first task was to root out corruption and bring about accountability of the Municipal officers.  This alone brought him many admirers. Delays still occurred in settlement of citizens’ cases but the citizens were ready to suffer the delay in the belief that corruption has at last been eliminated.

The previous members of the Municipality and other powerful businessmen who were their patrons and beneficiaries were systematically reduced to low importance.  Many of them had several skeletons in their cupboards and Ram Gopal gained a lot of public acclaim initiating court cases against these persons.

His personal integrity and zeal to transform the city to conform to best international standards is conceded even by his opponents as unquestionable. However, it is marked by one blemish, i.e., some elements of the citizenry have taken upon themselves the responsibility of punishing those who either showed some reservation or reluctance to abide by his philosophy. The question as to why he is silent on this and why no action is being taken to rein in these elements looms large in the minds of many.