Internal subversion

Ever since the issue of corruption in administration received media hype two years ago with some mega scams coming to fore, attention of civil society is focused on the burning issue of how this country is going to fight the canker of corruption.
In February last, we took up the question of many irregularities in various departments of the Government that adversely affected the intention of the Government to provide clean and honest administration. Taking cue from the revelations that we made in these columns, the State High Court, dealing with a complaint ordered on April 4, 2014 that the Government file a report giving full details of the nature of irregularities in no fewer than 147 cases pertaining to various departments of the Government. The GAD sent three consecutive letters to all departmental heads asking them to submit the details of the alleged corruption cases in their respective departments along with its full details and action taken or pending. To the surprise of the court, except eight cases, no report has been submitted.  Even the eight reports that have been submitted are only patchy and do not provide all the information required. The GAD has not moved beyond just seeding reminders and doing nothing more.
This is a serious case that indicates large scale internal subversion within the administration. On the face of it, one can say that the departments refuse to honour the orders of the court and do not furnish the details asked for in 147 alleged cases of corruption. Has this State run into chaos and disorder? Do not the authorities understand the intensity and repercussions of this type of internal subversion? Should not a committed Government take strict action against the defaulters who are defying the authority of the Government and also of the High Court?
One can say with fair amount of certainty that there exists strong nexus between the indicted persons and the official setup that is dealing with the issue. Are the indicted offices so much influential and politically well connected as the officials are awed by taking any action against them? There is no doubt that they are well connected and can manage to hoodwink the Government. Not only that, many of them have managed to continue to be at sensitive positions even after the allegations of embezzlement are made and departmental inquiry ordered.  This is a very serious situation and speaks of total disorder in the administrative system. All this happens owing to the weakness and ineffectiveness of accountability mechanism. Government officials take things for granted just because they believe and see that no meaningful and exemplary action is ever taken against the defaulters. Therefore they find themselves at liberty to misuse their position.
It is difficult to suggest a remedial process to uproot corruption and internal subversion that have crept into our administrative system. There are many laws and rules existing to deal with such situations but mere existence of laws means nothing unless laws are implemented. It is the implementation part that is of vital importance. The Government should not sit back after having issued reminders to the heads of departments to send in the reports under discussion. Finding that they have failed in doing so, Government has to use his powers to carry the case to its logical conclusion. A lot can be done by the Government to make functionaries respond actively to the directions of higher authorities including the Court of Law. Administration should ensure that instructions from higher authorities to the departmental heads or from the High Court are carried out effectively. The impression that defiance of rules and instructions can go without punishment should be removed from the mind of Government functionaries of whatever level they are.

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