I recently observed a telling piece of news from Mumbai: a staggering 221 Government Resolutions (GRs) were issued in a single day, right before the model code of conduct for local body polls kicked in (221 GRs issued in one day before model code of conduct for local body polls kicked in | Mumbai News - The Times of India). This rush of last-minute legislative activity, while perhaps legally permissible, raises pertinent questions about the true spirit of governance and accountability in the lead-up to elections.
To me, this rapid-fire issuance of GRs feels less like considered policy-making and more like a sprint to push through decisions before oversight tightens. It prompts a reflection on what we, as citizens, truly expect from our political leaders and bureaucratic systems.
The core idea I want to convey is this — take a moment to notice that I had brought up this thought or suggestion on the topic of transparent and accountable governance years ago. I had already predicted challenges associated with a lack of structured oversight, and I had even proposed solutions at the time. Now, seeing how things have unfolded with this deluge of GRs, it's striking how relevant that earlier insight still is. Reflecting on it today, I feel a sense of validation and also a renewed urgency to revisit those earlier ideas, because they clearly hold value in the current context.
I’ve consistently advocated for systems that embed transparency and accountability into the very fabric of governance. For instance, in my blog on CM appoints central agency to evaluate 100-day action plan [http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2025/06/cm-appoints-central-agency.html], I stressed the need for external, independent agencies, like the Quality Council of India, to objectively evaluate government plans. Such a mechanism aims to break down grand pledges into assignable tasks, with clear accountability. The swift passage of 221 GRs starkly contrasts with this vision of measured, evaluated progress. My earlier observations that Devendra Fadnavis was embracing a 'corporate playbook' [http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2025/06/corporate-playbook-to-governance.html] for governance, emphasizing efficiency and accountability, highlight a philosophy that seems to be sidelined in such last-minute rushes.
This also brings to mind my discussions on the Questioning Poll Candidates [http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2025/02/questioning-poll-candidates.html] initiative, where Girish Samant and Lokpratinidhi Samwad Manch emphasized the importance of explicit commitments from candidates to foster transparency and combat disillusionment caused by issues like frequent party-switching, corruption, and lack of government transparency. A last-minute rush of GRs before elections is precisely the kind of activity that can fuel such disillusionment.
Looking back at issues I’ve discussed, such as Uddhav Thackeray's call for world-class footpaths and my suggestion for performance-based metrics for civic officials [http://mylinkedinposting.blogspot.com/2019/12/make-world-class-footpaths-uddhav-tells.html], it underscores a broader principle: good governance thrives on clear objectives, transparent processes, and consistent implementation, not hurried decrees. Similarly, my past reflections on Ajoy Mehta and Kiran Dighavkar (email: ac.planning@mcgm.gov.in), when discussing 'Un-implementable Laws' and the complexities of policies like parking regulations [http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2018/02/no-takers-no-wonder.html; http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/09/where-will-sobo-park-its-cars.html], highlighted how a lack of clarity and foresight can lead to significant problems down the line. One must question whether all 221 of these GRs have been thoroughly considered for their long-term implications and ease of execution.
The current political landscape, where Deputy CMEknath Shinde's influence is seen in poll duties in Thane and Ganesh Naik (with his son Sanjeev Naik leading campaigns) is navigating political rivalries, as well as Manda Mhatre withdrawing from poll duties for health reasons, paints a vivid picture of the intense pre-election period. The issuance of these GRs is undoubtedly intertwined with these political dynamics, often aiming to showcase rapid action or allocate resources strategically before the formal restrictions of the model code set in. This contrasts sharply with the proactive, long-term planning, like the Nashik Kumbh master plan that Devendra Fadnavis championed, which I had praised for its foresight in infrastructure development [http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2025/05/nashik-kumbh-master-plan.html].
It is imperative that our governance systems evolve beyond these last-minute sprints. Citizens deserve sustained, thoughtful, and transparent policy-making that stands the test of scrutiny, rather than a race against the clock. The current situation merely reinforces my long-held belief that robust institutional frameworks for accountability are not just desirable, but absolutely essential for a healthy democracy.
Regards, Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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