12 July 2025: The Hindu Editorial
1. A vaccine against subversion of public institutions
Source – Page 8, The Hindu Editorial
| Topic: GS Paper 2 – Governance, Transparency & Accountability; Role of Civil Services |
| Context |
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Subversion of Public Institutions – A Democratic Challenge
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In recent years, there has been a visible decline in the independence of key public institutions like investigating agencies, universities, regulatory bodies, and election commissions.
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The bureaucracy, meant to serve the Constitution, often ends up serving political masters, diluting the principle of neutral civil services.
Key Issues Highlighted:
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Politicization of Bureaucracy: Frequent transfers, appointments based on loyalty, and use of agencies for political vendetta.
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Judiciary and Election Commission: Concerns over independence in appointments, functioning, and judgments/orders.
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Legislative Interference: Ordinance route and bypassing debates weaken democratic scrutiny.
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Erosion of Accountability Mechanisms: RTI dilution, non-functional Lokpal, delays in parliamentary committees.
Impact on Governance:
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Loss of citizens’ trust in democratic institutions.
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Undermines rule of law and checks and balances.
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Rise of executive overreach, weakening the spirit of the Constitution.
Way Forward:
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Strengthen Constitutional Bodies: Through transparent and bipartisan appointments.
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Civil Service Reforms: Fixed tenures, depoliticized functioning.
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Judicial Reforms: Collegium reforms, transparent case allocation, time-bound trials.
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Empower Watchdog Institutions: Lokpal, RTI bodies, CAG, and Parliamentary committees.
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Civic Education: Strengthen awareness among citizens about democratic safeguards.
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Practice Question: Discuss the challenges posed by the politicization of public institutions in India. How can reforms ensure institutional integrity and democratic accountability? |
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