Solomon come to Judgement ?

To millions of harassed bureaucrats , that is how Supreme Court's order of yesterday might appear

*    WHAT  ?

>    Bureaucrats must not function on verbal instructions from superiors and the political executives , as it leads to favoritism and corruption

>    Fixed tenures for bureaucrats and the setting up of a Civil Services Board ( CSB ) , to advise governments on transfers , postings , promotions and disciplinary actions

*    WHY  ?

 Supreme Court advanced following reasons :

   #    In the present political scenario , the role of civil servants has become complex and onerous

   #   Often , they have to take decisions with far reaching consequences in the economic and technological fields

   #   Their decisions must be transparent and in public interest. They should be fully accountable to the community they serve

*     HOW  ?

>     Each level of bureaucrat must send their " decisions " to the lower level , in writing . ( Will emails do ? )

>     If a bureaucrat receives " verbal " decision from his superior , he shall make appropriate noting on the file . ( Shall he record that he does not agree with this decision - and why - but is forced to take it under verbal order ? )

*     RESULT  ?

>     Decision making process , which has already considerably slowed down over the past one year , will come to a grinding halt , for the simple reasons that , at the time of taking a decision ,

    *    there is absence of adequate / impeccable data on which to base decision ( - concerned vested interest parties will ensure that relevant data / facts / figures are never revealed ! )

    *    there is no pre-existing and well laid-out " Policy Framework " , governing the issue at hand

    *    no bureaucrat - or his political boss - will ever want to take a decision , which , successors to follow , will quote as a " precedent "and not based on policy

*      QUESTIONS  ?

>    Is there here , some confusion between a " Wrong " decision   and a " Dishonest " decision ?

 Don't millions of honest people continue to take decisions , which in hindsight , appear wrong ?

>    Isn't a " Dishonest " decision one which got taken , solely for the benefit of the decision-taker ( or his family / friends etc )  ?

>    Are we trying to replace honest human " Judgement " by some rigid , hide-bound rules ? by some computer algorithms ?

Historian Arnold Toyanbee , once said :

"  Only two things are certain in life -  death and taxes  "

From now on , in India , it will be   -  death and delays


Will our Ministers re-enact British comedy serial , " Yes Minister " ? 

Only time will tell whether this decision of the Supreme Court , was " Right " or " Wrong " , but we are sure of one thing : this is an " Honest " decision

*   hemen  parekh  (  01, Nov  2013  )