Day 78 – Q 2.What are the legal and institutional measures to ensure transparency in governance? Examine.

2. What are the legal and institutional measures to ensure transparency in governance? Examine.  

शासन में पारदर्शिता सुनिश्चित करने के लिए कानूनी और संस्थागत उपाय क्या हैं? जांच करें।

Introduction:

Governance as per World Bank is practice of using political and economic resources for the welfare of people by exercising power. 

Transparency means being open. It is a political practice in which the thought process as well as deeds of governments is open for scrutiny by masses.

To promote good governance, transparency is strongest bidding force; as it develops trust between various stakeholders. 

Body

It instills internal as well as external checks in governance. While incorporating internal check transparency, one of fundamental pillar of governance as per Nolan committee, invokes the conscience of individual. On the other hand in external check it empowers the beneficiary and other stakeholders with government’s actions and inaction along with the reason behind them. Transparency has demonstrative, addictive, inductive and bandwagon effect in governance system. This the reason that this tool of good governance is rapidly extending its existence and is having disinfectant effect on corrupt governance practices.

In order to promote transparency two pronged approach has been adopted across the globe based on the role of various stakeholders.

While government is expected to promote transparency through legal and institutional measures. The civil society and masses are expected to teach their conscience to draw like between national security and privacy on one hand and transparency on the other hand. 

Various legal and institutional measures taken by government reinforce the efforts of masses to maintain their integrity despite temptations and allures. These increases the risk associated with the corrupt practices.

Legal measures taken are

• RTI ACT has been biggest effort taken by government. It has exposed various scams and has forced governments to adopt latest technological and institutional measures to being in element of accountability and responsibility in decision making.
• The public service delivery act adopted by various governments is another wheel of chariot of transparency. It gives enforcing effect on promises stated in citizen charters. These charters are adopted by governments at all level containing details of services provided along with their standards.
• PIL AND Judicial activism are other bulwarks of transparency in legal sense where government is bound to explain its deeds to masses through institution of judiciary.

Institutional measures

• May I help you counter at various service delivery institutions.
• Disclosure of data on websites in an organized manner along with FAQs
• Cpgram, janta durbar, etc. expose government to scrutiny
• Efforts to liberalise media and civil societies. These have integrating effect between government and governed.
• Educating official conscience to accept and promote openness rather than secrecy. Yearly self-disclosure of assets by officials and even judicial bodies and its members

Conclusion

Tough efforts taken by government are remarkable in move towards adopting democracy through transparency in true spirit. Yet a lot has to be done. With increasing monologues from government and ignoring media scrutiny there are trends of reduction in faith in element of transparency. Introduction of CAA bill without previous public discussion indicates toward this.