ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS: NECESSARY BUT NOT FORTHCOMING

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) January 19, 2007 -- The Government's desire to bring about administrative reforms for better control of governance is not making much headway, developments in the last 12 months are indicating very clearly. As coalition politics in the country deepens roots, the need for consensus is becoming a reality and single party rule and therefore single diktats however beneficial they may be are not being implemented. It also gives the lesser parties, based on caste and religious lines a better say in influencing decisions at the Centre and even states.

The latest point of friction between Centre and states is police reforms. With the states expressing serious reservations, the Centre plans to go ahead and implement key police reforms in the Union Territories under its control. The changes would be in keeping with the Model Police Act drafted by the Soli Sorabjee Committee after the September 22nd, 2006. Supreme Court order calling for police reforms, government sources have said. In its affidavit filed in the Supreme Court in the first week of January, Union Home Ministry has asked for four more weeks to implement the changes. The Ministry, aware that states have reservations on the matter wants to fine tune the model Act so that it can be placed in Parliament for approval and be put in place at least in the Union Territories. It is understood that several states have also sought more time from the apex court to bring in more changes.

Police reforms, particularly the recommendations that directors-general of police have a two year fixed tenure and that they be chosen from a panel of officers drawn up by Union Public Service Commission, have faced strong opposition from most states. West Bengal for instance argued that police reforms should not dilute the executive responsibility of the state government. It does not want the selection of DGs to be confined to a UPSC panel. This is a sore point with many other states who feel this would amount to Central interference in what is essentially a state government domain. The recommendation that these officers should have a two year fixed tenure is also seen as unwarranted, with states keen that they should retain the power to transfer an officer if something goes very wrong under his jurisdiction. The fixed tenure recommendation is applicable to inspector-generals of police, deputy inspector generals of police and station house officers. Andhra Pradesh on its part had also raised strong objections to the slew of directions issued by a three member apex court Bench in September 2006.

Differences in political perceptions of different parties are another major hurdle for development of the country. Necessary and deserving not approachable is the matter of Women's Reservation Bill. The Congress Party president Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has told partners of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) that she was "disappointed" that the Women's Reservation Bill" could not be tabled in Parliament yet again.