Not taking any active participation in the politics of the day. There might be changes in political leadership, but the civil servant will be unfailingly offering technical advice to the political master keeping himself aloof from the politics of the day.
Political partiality is passive in nature while political partisanship is active in nature. Partiality does not automatically lead to partisan behaviour.
Politics Administration Dichotomy
- Civil servants and politicians have different genesis, both having distinct characteristics.
- Politicians are non-professional, immature, temporary, partisan etc whereas civil servants are non-partisan, professional and permanent in nature.
- The workplace of politicians is parliament/assembly where civil servants the civil service secretariat.
- The function of politicians is to formulate the policy and the function of bureaucrats is to implement the policy.
Therefore, the two must remain separate and not interfere with each other’s work. Non-partisanship is based on the Politics Administration dichotomy and its objective is to maintain harmony between politicians and civil servants which may lead to good governance.
Consequence of Non-Partisanship
- Public confidence in the non-political character of civil service.
- Confidence of ministers from any political party in the loyalty of civil servants.
- High morale of civil servants as promotion, transfer and other service conditions are based on merit and not on political considerations. SC in 2013 directed the Centre and States to establish Civil Service Board to manage transfers and promotions of bureaucrats. It also said that civil servants should not act on verbal orders and also suggested a fixed tenure for them.
Breach of Political Impartiality And Non partisanship
- Scams take place with the nexus of politicians and civil servants – 2G scam, commonwealth scam, coal gate, Vyapam scam, UP medical scam etc.
- Riots –Sikh riots, Gujarat riots etc.
- Many times government choose bureaucrats on the caste line like Kurmi in Bihar, Yadav in U.P, Mina in Rajasthan, and Reddy in A.P.
- There are some pet civil servants of ministers. E.g.: Rakesh Asthana, and Nripendra Misra Unfortunately, India has seen corrosion of these two values of civil services. This has led to the emergence of personal affiliations between the ministers and the civil servants leading to the politicisation of civil services. Politicisation has further led to corruption and the absence of public service which is central to any administrative system.
- It has led to the frequent use of transfers, suspension, and disciplinary powers by ministers against civil servants who do not act in their favour. It has resulted in factionalism, group rivalry and casteism among ministers and civil servants.
- Lack of confidence b/w politician and civil servant. Public trust is also lost leading to anarchy.
