Day 60 – Q 1.How are accountability and ethical governance interrelated? Illustrate with the help of suitable examples.
1. How are accountability and ethical governance interrelated? Illustrate with the help of suitable examples.
जवाबदेही और नैतिक शासन परस्पर कैसे जुड़े हैं? उपयुक्त उदाहरणों की सहायता से चित्रण करें।
Introduction:
Accountability ensures those in position of power or decision making are held responsible and answerable for their actions. Ethics in governance is required for a welfare society. To contribute to a better society in terms of freedom, equality, fraternity and social justice, it is important for the body of governance to inculcate ethics and moral values through society, education, family, friends, etc.
Body
Accountability in Governance is ensured through
- Constitution – Democracy, DPSP’s, bodies like CAG.
- Checks and balances through judicial review, parliamentary control over executive.
- Legislative – Right to information act (RTI), Prevention of corruption Act (PCA).
- Citizen charters, Social Audits.
It can be contended that accountability is the fundamental requirement for preventing the abuse of power and for ensuring that power is directed towards the achievement of efficiency, effectiveness, responsiveness and transparency.
On the other hand, by ethical governance we mean not just ethical principles in formulating policies but ethical display in behavioral terms by people manning these governing institutions.
Performance consequence reflecting true ‘ethical governance’ comes neither from those who do it with ‘I am sacrificing’ attitude nor from those who do with ‘I do sacrifice for the world to know’ attitude. This is major difference between ‘ethical governance’ and other forms of ‘governance’ including activities of CSR and Charities. The regulatory mechanism can only provide a favourable environment for this to happen.
Various measures to ensure accountability bring in ethical governance with display of values like Equality, Dignity, Honesty, Fairness and Compassion.
- Mechanisms like social audit in MGNREGA, Gram sabha involve people in decision making process. This ensures accountability as well as equality principle as decision making is not left in the hands of few people.
- DPSP’s are fundamental in the governance of the country. They ensure vulnerable and marginalized are not left out. Law makers with responsibility to ensure socio-economic democracy come out with legislations and affirmative action leading to inclusive society. Ex: Rights of persons with disability Act 2016, Maternity Benefit Act, NSAP.
- Legislative means like RTI, PCA make administrative system transparent and minimize corruption in the system.
- System of checks and balance makes sure there is no concentration of power and each organ accountable for their actions. Thus, governance is carried in the interests of people. Ex: Judiciary through Review power(A-32) strikes down laws which are inconsistent with constitutional values
Conclusion
No doubt, measures to ensure accountability would bring in ethical governance. However, ethical governance remains a utopian idea due to frailty human nature
