Accountability and Ethical Governance

Accountability

Accountability in governance means the obligation of public officials and institutions to be answerable for their actions, decisions, and performance to the stakeholders, especially citizens, while facing consequences (positive or negative) for their conduct.

Key Ethical Components of Accountability

Keywords	Examples
1. Transparency as sunlight	RTI Act (2005) empowers citizens to seek information on government decisions.
2. Integrity as a foundation	A District Collector declaring assets annually to prevent conflict of interest.
3. Citizen-centric governance	Lokpal receiving complaints against public servants.
4. Justice with consequences	Disqualification of MLAs for office-of-profit cases.
5. Conscience as compass	As CAG of India, Vinod Rai exposed the 2G Spectrum Scam despite political pressure.

Ethical Issues of Accountability in Public Services

Keywords	Examples
1. Corruption & Misuse of Office	PDS leakages due to collusion between officials and middlemen.
2. Red Tapism & Lack of Responsiveness	Pension approvals stuck for months due to bureaucratic apathy.
3. Conflict of Interest	Government contracts awarded to relatives of officials.
4. Opacity in Decision-Making	Non-disclosure of environmental clearance reports for industries.
5. Erosion of Citizen Trust	Failure of regulatory agencies in preventing bank scams.

Measures to Ensure Individual & Collective Accountability in Public Services

Keywords	Examples
1. Institutional Mechanisms	CAG audit exposed 2G spectrum irregularities → accountability fixed.
2. Performance Appraisal & Citizen Charters	Sevottam model in Railways improved service quality.
3. Social Accountability & Community Monitoring	Social audit under MGNREGA revealed ghost beneficiaries.
4. Whistleblower Protection	Whistleblowers Protection Act (2014) ensures the safety of informants.
5. Ethical Leadership & Training	Lal Bahadur Shastri’s resignation post train accident → moral accountability.

“All power is a trust, and must be exercised for the good of the people.” - John Locke 

“Accountability is the bridge between governance and trust. Without accountability, power becomes arbitrary; with it, governance becomes ethical service to people.”

Ethical Governance

Ethical governance refers to a system of governance where decision-making and administrative processes are guided not only by laws and rules but also by ethical values such as integrity, transparency, accountability, fairness, justice, and service to the public good.

Key Components of Ethical Governance

Keywords	Examples
1. Institutional Mechanisms for Accountability	CVC inquiry into Commonwealth Games 2010 irregularities → accountability fixed on officials and contractors.
2. Performance Appraisal & Citizen Charters	Passport Seva Kendras with the citizen charter & m-Passport app reduced delays and corruption.
3. Integrity in Public Life	Morarji Desai (then Finance Minister, 1950s) returned gifts and cash offered by industrialists, refusing to compromise on ethical standards in public office.
4. Social Justice	Navtej Singh Johar vs Union of India (2018) → decriminalized homosexuality, advancing LGBTQ+ social justice.
5. Rule of Law & Equality before Law	Kesavananda Bharati Case (1973) → upheld the Basic Structure doctrine, ensuring that arbitrary political power cannot override constitutional principles.
6. Protection of Individual Liberty	Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) vs Union of India (2017) → Supreme Court declared Right to Privacy as a Fundamental Right under Article 21, reinforcing citizens’ autonomy and dignity against excessive state surveillance.
7. Secularism & Religious Tolerance	S.R. Bommai vs Union of India (1994) → upheld secularism as a part of constitutional morality, restricting misuse of Article 356.

“Ethical governance is not merely about laws and institutions, but about cultivating trust, integrity, and justice in public life.”