(Sample Material) Gist of Important Articles from IIPA Journal
Topic: Public Services in India: Issues of Neutrality vs. Commitment Ahmad Shamshad
Anonymity and Neutrality
Neutrality stands for absence of any political activity or bias on the part of a civil servant in the discharge of his duties. It, therefore, understandably, upholds impartiality. Neutrality and impartiality, call for loyalty in that a civil servant is loyal to his political boss and in return, the minister reposes trust and confidence in him. Furthermore, anonymity is a condition of neutrality, for to render advice impartially, frankly, and freely, a civil servant must have the assurance that he is not dragged into public debate or openly identified with a, given policy. The doctrine of neutrality with its accompanying features of anonymity, impartiality and loyalty was singled out as being largely responsible for the high profile and imminent success of the civil service in Britain.
The anonymity and impartiality are the fundamental characteristics-of the British Civil Service. The principle of collective responsibility and accountability of the Cabinet to the Parliament ensures that for every act or wrong, act or oversight in his department. a minister has to answer to the Parliament. The principle of anonymity requires that for the official’s actions or inactions their minister alone have to answer before Parliament. The official concerned, who cannot defend himself in Parliament, is thus protected from criticism of Parliament. If everything goes right, the credit goes to the minister and if something goes wrong, he has to shoulder the blame. He may even have to resign for the failure of his staff, the civil servant is permanent. He is shielded by the doctrine of ministerial responsibility. In theory, the responsibility is that of the minister. There may be a budget leakage for no fault of the minister, but in an instant the budget leakage may terminate his political career. There may be a scandal in the Life Insurance Corporation of India and within weeks, the Minister of Finance goes out of the office; a Railway accident may take place somewhere and for the maladministration in the Railways, the Minister has to resign. Thus anonymity meant that the civil servant would merely advise the minister (politician from behind and would be protected from being exposed to the din and fury of politics. They are not required to come out in public or face Parliament; it is the minister, who faces the people and Parliament. The ministers are not in a position to excuse the failure of their policies by pointing to experts or civil servants who have given the advice or to the officials they have employed. The All India Services (conduct) Rules, 1968 prescribe that the civil servants have to avoid occasions of self publicity so that their anonymity is preserved.