Governance, bureaucracy & Chief Secretary’s hot seat
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: March 26 2018 -

It needs no reminder that bureaucracy or bureaucrats are central to successful implementation of any Government policy or execution of any State project.

It is for these very reasons that the best brains are selected for civil services and civil services exams are the most competitive exams in the country.

It was German sociologist Max Weber who charted our present system of bureaucracy from the more traditional forms of rule like feudalism had described it as a fixed system of labour where jurisdictional areas were clearly demarcated with specific set of official duties for each area which cannot be changed without adequate reason.

He envisaged a hierarchy with the senior most person taking decisions but also laying down a set of rules which permitted the lower echelons a right to appeal against decisions.

Weber laid special emphasis on the fact that bureaucrats are selected based on merits, not elected. Personal integrity is another area where the acclaimed sociologist gives extra emphasis.

This is understandable because any public official whose integrity is doubtful can pose serious obstacles to public administration.

Amongst the three wings of government – Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, executive is responsible for governance/administration of a country.

Executive consists of elected representatives of the people and bureaucracy. But elected representatives are not permanent.

They come and go whereas bureaucrats are more or less permanent at least until retirement.

In fact, bureaucracy is an indispensable part of each and every political system be it a democracy, monarchy or aristocracy.

It can exist in any type of society, be it a dictatorial or a democratic society.

Its role is crucial everywhere whether the political system where they operate is communism or socialism or capitalism.

The role of bureaucracy is quite complex and tricky in the State of Manipur which is often described as a melting pot of ethnic divisions and diverse aspirations.

Like the elected representatives, they must be fully aware of each and every sensitive issue.

Even though policies and programmes of any State are formulated by elected representatives, it is the bureaucrats who implement the policies and programmes.

Again, it is the bureaucrats who guide and advise their political bosses.

It is a tragedy but a hard fact that bureaucrats often face threats, intimidations and coercion from their political bosses when they fail to fall in line prescribed by the latter.

If Government is said to be a continuous process, it is the bureaucrats who serve as the crucial link of continuity.

The de facto head of the entire administrative machinery of any State is the Chief Secretary even though elected representatives often preside over him/her.

Reports say that the State’s incumbent Chief Secretary is retiring this month.

If this is the case, people would like to see a capable, competent and sincere man or woman on the Chief Secretary’s seat who has thorough knowledge of Manipur, the intricate inter-community relationships, the common aspirations of her people and the myriad problems besieging the State.

In as much as stability is crucial for any Government to perform to its full potential, replacement of the Chief Secretary after a year or two would be detrimental to the interest both the Government and the governed.

We hope all these points would be taken into account before the Government names a successor to the incumbent Chief Secretary.