The role of accountability in the process of good governance cannot be underestimated. True that a welfare state is governed by laws and rules which its people want to be in place. But assuming what human nature is and the inherent element of evil in them, equal emphasis has to be laid on corrective measures. Nobody is infallible and no system is foolproof. But through long and variegated experience, human beings have learnt that punitive measures are not essentially meant to discourage or paralyze administrative functionary but to correct the aberration to which he is liable to succumb while performing his official duty.
Let us acknowledge without hesitation that our administrative system is unacceptably promiscuous in shielding those against whom complaints of corruption, abuse of power, dereliction of duty and other charges are established. Why should it be lenient to the extent of negligence in booking the accused, processing cases against them, giving them fair opportunity of defending themselves and finally if found involved in culpable crimes, why should not the law take its course and deal with him accordingly? There appears no plausible reason for the crime branch of the police department to soft peddle on such cases and thereby create an obnoxious tradition which is damaging to justice and fairness of administration.
In a recently concluded meeting in this connection chaired by the Head of State Vigilance Commission with the Home Department, it was disclosed that that 517 complaints/enquiries are pending disposal with Home Department out of which 05 are with Administrative Department, 498 with Police Department and 14 with other departments. These cases have been pending since long and their immediate disposal is not in sight. Allowing a complaint or a case of corruption linger on for years at end is a clear indication that enforcement agencies deliberately sit on the files and allow time to pass by and at the end of the day, the case is consigned to archives wherefrom it will never emerge. This is mockery of law and of justice. As long as this culture of shielding the culprits and maneuvering their exoneration goes on the question of good governance remains stalled. It may be recalled that during the recently concluded Governor’s administration, the Governor, while chairing a meeting of the Chiefs of Vigilance Organizations, Police Department and the Home Department, had expressed his dismay over piled up pendency and had issued instructions to the Vigilance Commission to lose no time in expediting departmental inquiries and decisions in regard to complaints of administrative lapses and corruption among the state functionaries. It appears that in pursuance of the directions of the Governor, which hopefully will be strongly endorsed by the Government that is in place in the State, the matter will receive special consideration. The Chief Minister, in his maiden interview to the media after he was sworn in said that his priority is to eradicate corruption from the State administration. It will be noted that not one or two but at least four or five major departments are involved in conducting inquiry into cases of related complaints and corruption. The Revenue Department is at the top of the list. Why have these and other departments failed to complete the inquiry and submit report to the Crime Branch? Vigilance Commissioner has rightly pointed out that it does not appeal to the mind as to why Crime Branch is sleeping over the RDAs in which the Vigilance Organization has recommended to register the cases under substantive law after the preliminary enquiry. We find there is sense in Vigilance Commissioner laying stress on strengthening the internal vigilance system and development of checks and balances within the departments. Ultimately, if corruption has to be eradicated, the mechanism should begin with the internal structure of the departments. From administrative point of view, it is feasible that the CVOs, DVOs, and District VOs, who are the extended arms of the Vigilance Commission, should be provided advice and assistance whenever and wherever required by them.
We fail to understand how the Government expects the Vigilance Organization to deliver the goods when it is not provided with necessary wherewithal. It has been complaining of remaining under-staffed and deprived of other logistical support. Just enacting plethora of laws and rules and roadmaps will not mean much in case all those pre-requisites that play vital role in framing the cases and bringing them to logical conclusion are not provided. The Home Department must react to their demands and requirements. Vesting the authority and accountability in the same agency is a key to efficient conduct of just administration.
We hope the new Government will lend its support to all such efforts as would strengthen the hands of the Government authorities in dealing with the disease of corruption in the state administration. This will be the litmus test of any new dispensation that aims at changing the obsolete and inefficient system and removing of the dead wood.
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