The aam aadmi’s right to timely goods and services is being hindered by the need to pay speed money to tackle low-level ‘babu’ corruption
The citizens’ charter was an idea whose time came long ago. Late as it may have been when we stumbled upon it thanks in part to Anna Hazare’s campaign for a Lokpal, it’s never too late to put a good statute on the books to serve the common man.
The citizens’ charter envisages the right of citizens to timely delivery of common services that they require, like getting a passport, caste certificate, a driving licence, etc and it should not be mixed up in the politics of the land.
There is potentially a jurisdiction problem between the Centre and the states, which the main Opposition BJP has pointed out. Even so, the Right of Citizens for Time-Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011, which strives to serve the common man, should not suffer from lack of universal support from our legislators whose corrupt practices may, in the first place, have seriously led to the germination of such ideas as the Lokpal and its offshoots.
While we may presume in a somewhat cavalier and very Indian manner that the common man may not be directly affected even by the huge scams that have been unearthed in most recent times, the aam aadmi’s right to timely goods and services is being hindered by the need to pay speed money to tackle low-level “babu” corruption, rendering his day to day life burdensome. And that is good enough a reason for the bill to become law.
The problem with even well-meaning legislation ahead of elections is the fear in political parties as to who would garner the credit for getting a model law through. Of course, the difficulties with regard to a stable federal structure being threatened cannot be wished away. The point is it should have been possible to find a way through the maze provided Parliament takes a true bipartisan view of the bill after it gained Cabinet approval.
While the formation of a National Counter-Terrorism Centre might be a prickly territorial issue when it comes to such matters as who will make the arrests when the state police forces have their jurisdiction, to see a common man’s bill being held up by politics is anathema to the basic principles of democracy. It would suffice to say that since it is the citizen who is going to benefit, legislators must clear the charter bill first. If passing a bill is an issue by itself, just imagine what the implementation will be like even if accountability criteria may apply with provisions to fine the bureaucracy for not responding in time. It is indeed time for India to get modern and the citizens’ charter will
certainly help take it there.
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