The urgency for reforms in civil services may be dictated as much by the imperatives of global developments as by the forces of new technology and communication but more importantly by what has been happening in the country, off late - misgovernance.
Many Media reports state that almost 4- 5 million people have perished in India during this pandemic and those who have lost their near and dear ones have had the traumatic experiences of those days. The administrative machinery had just melted. Secondly, the manner in which Political masters have started interfering with the administration it has made the system absolutely defunct, ineffective, lethargic and callous , the system now does not work for citizens , it rather harasses them and it starts only if the politicians kick start it.
If SC has to call CBI as Caged Parrot, which only repeats what its Political masters tell him to speak , then there has to be something seriously wrong with the system of crime investigation in the country.
Lastly, Mr. Asthana, a 1984-batch IPS officer, was to retire on July 31 but just a few days before his retirement he is appointed as the Police commissioner of Delhi Police and given an extension that too against the SC rulings. And surprisingly who does all this – A Committee headed by PM himself. Astonishingly he was serving as Director General, Border Security Force. What has BSF, which is a Border security force has got to do with Policing. Was Mr Asthana trained in tactics, handling of weapons like Mortars and field guns.
When the pandemic started spreading in Mar2020, many Govt officials heading districts and tehsils had to be shunted out as they were found incapable to handle the situation. The same thing happened in Apr2021 when the citizens had to face grave shortages. The administrative machinery was just not geared up even after a year of pandemic.
So, If this chalta hai attitude has to go and India has to progress, the first thing that has to happen is ; modernize the bureaucracy and make it professional. Bureaucracy includes Police service and other All India services.
Although comprehensive reforms in the civil service, is ideal, but it It is also too complex to implement all at once. It would require a sustained commitment from political and administrative leaders and can not happen immediately. It is doubtful that any country would have ever undertaken comprehensive reforms.
So to begin with,
the Center and the state must IMPLEMENT the seven directives that SC gave while disposing of a public interest writ petition — filed by former Union Cabinet Secretary T.S.R. Subramanian; former CECs T.S. Krishnamurthy and N. Gopalaswami; former Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Abid Hussain; former CBI Director Joginder Singh; former Manipur Governor Ved Prakash Marwah and 77 others. It said ; Centre and the States to set up a Civil Services Board (CSB) for the management of transfers, postings, inquiries, process of promotion, reward, punishment and disciplinary matters. the CSB, consisting of high ranking service officers, who are experts in their respective fields, with the Cabinet Secretary at the Centre and Chief Secretary at the State level, could be a better alternative (till the Parliament enacts a law), to guide and advise the State government on all service matters, especially on transfers, postings and disciplinary action, etc., though their views also could be overruled, by the political executive, but by recording reasons, which would ensure good governance, transparency and accountability in governmental functions.”
The Bench asked Parliament to enact a Civil Services Act under Article 309 of the Constitution setting up a CSB, “which can guide and advise the political executive transfer and postings, disciplinary action, etc.” The Bench directed the Centre, State governments and the Union Territories to constitute such Boards “within three months, if not already constituted, till the Parliament brings in a proper Legislation in setting up CSB.”
The SC bench observed. "Much of the deterioration in the functioning of bureaucracy is due to political interference,"
Sadly despite SC’s directions the current Govt is also not appearing to be keen about it and many State Govts have not even implemented the Central Govts notification of 2014 to form a CSB. There are a few states in which CSB are held in abeyance. Numerous committees have been formed who have submitted a range of reforms to the Govt but all this has not made any difference.
The Political masters are just not interested in reforming the Bureaucracy. One such committee had submitted its report in 2004 but thereafter no one knows its fate. It apparently looks that the Executive headed by politicians is enjoying the deliberately created mess. It allows them to shift the Goal post as per their convenience. The recent incident of appointing Asthana as Delhi Commissioner of Police amply indicates this.
Once again on Police reforms based on a PIL filed by an IPS officer Mr Prakash Singh in 1996 , the SC gave a seven point directive to Central and State Govts so as to bring Police reforms, but they did nothing despite the contempt of court petitions filed by the applicant Mr Prakash Singh in 2008-09. In passing these seven directives the Court put on record the deep rooted problems of politicization, lack of accountability mechanisms and systemic weaknesses that have resulted in poor all round performance and present public dissatisfaction with policing.
Conclusion.
The fact of the matter is that so much has already been written and submitted to the Govt that it needs nothing from any external agency to carry out reforms. All that the society now can do is ; Plead to the Govt to implement those directives.
But, given the current incident of appointment of Mr Asthana, it clearly indicates that even the present Govt is not interested in reforming the Civil services. All it does is behave like an advertising company which makes advertisements to attract the eye balls of the audience. The Governance has been reduced to that level. The excuse that previous Govt also did the same does not hold good because the citizens voted them to power to ensure that they do not behave like the PREVIOUS GOVTS.