By: Ashraf Meraj

Public accountability is the hallmark of modern democratic governance. Democracy remains a paper procedure if those in power cannot be held accountable by the people for their acts and omissions, for their decisions, their policies, and their expenditures. The account giving is done in public, i.e. it is open or at least accessible to citizens (Mark Bovens). Public accountability has also been a central component of the new public management agenda worldwide (Mulgan 2003). It is a vital facet of governance, enabling ordinary citizens to be kept aware of the performance of institutions controlled by government on behalf of the people (Lodhia, S. K. and Burritt, R.L.2004).

In the traditional public administration model direct accountability to the public was only political and ensured through the process of elections. Public officials and the bureaucracy were largely immune from public accountability. Their accountability to the public was considered to be indirect through the political head. But public management reforms have given a new dimension to the traditional model of public accountability by making the bureaucrats directly accountable to the public for their own performance (Owen E. Hughes, 2003). Public management reforms helped in recognizing the important role of the bureaucrats and the public officials in the policy formulation and implementation; and also their direct and individual accountability to the public for their acts of omission and commission.

The system of direct accountability of public officials is ensured by empowering the citizens with legal rights to have access to government information. In the last decade or so, more than seventy countries have enacted formal statutes guaranteeing their citizens' the right to information. These statutes not only guarantee access to information but also contain penal provisions that apply on public officials in case of failure to provide the requested information. Institutionalising and legalizing the citizen’s right to know and making public officials answerable for their acts is intended to give a real meaning to the concept of public accountability.

Once upon a time there lived a respected devout Hindu Brahmin in a village on the foot hills of Himalayas. He devoted all his time either in praise of the God or acquiring knowledge for human good.

Over the period he became so knowledgeable that he could not only see past events but could also predict the future. His predictions were so accurate that he earned a reputation of a living God repository of all knowledge for a purposeful life.

One morning, he became curious about his own future. Since he knew everything about his current life, he thought of exploring his next birth as a Hindu believes that each being has an immortal soul, and migrates to another body after death.

So he closed his eyes in meditation. In a couple of minutes he saw himself on his death bed. He could see his serene face resting comfortably on a clean new dazzling white pillow. His sons and his little granddaughter whom he loved the most were by his side. The feeling was of immense bliss and contentment. Suddenly a strange dazzling blue light like a huge ocean turf began surging towards him. The light gradually grew in circles as if it wished to touch his feet for blessings. In a fraction of a second it cuddled and embraced him giving him profound pleasure never ever experienced.

By Uttam Prakash

“We would prefer a Dog visit our house than a Politician”; “US Politicians from Yale Ours from Jail” read placards in Mumbai on 3^rd December by angry helpless citizens protesting the Mumbai attacks. The most startling was the sms doing rounds on these very days that read “Just think who is more dangerous those who came through boats or those who came through votes?”

Sometimes one wonders if it is the same land where politicians like Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Bhagat Singh ever existed. Is it the same country where people sacrificed one meal on the call of the Prime Minister during difficult times of war? One also wonders if it is the same land where people enthusiastically faced brutal lathi charge responding to calls of “satyagraha”.