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The questions that need serious debate are as follows:
1)
1) Should policy-makers be treated as employees or as
senior managers of the Government? In the business
world, most companies in the world will not allow an
employee to hold other positions while working on its
business. However, senior management of companies sits
on multiple boards while ensuring their primary
responsibility is not affected. There are strong
checks in businesses on individual performance,
contribution, participation, etc. Do we have such
strict performance-based parameters for policy-makers
in India?
2) Can policy-makers can seriously conceptualize, study,
frame, negotiate, and implement policy when he/she is
busy with other responsibilities? Is there a direct
conflict of interest where a policy-maker can
introduce, make, and influence policies when he or she
can directly gain from such policy?
3) Should there be sufficient disclosure of investments,
holdings, or interests (family, social, and
friendship) in companies, institutions, or businesses?
What should be the penalty for failure to disclose
such conflicting interests? Who should monitor,
manage, arbitrate, and adjudicate such conflicts?
Should there be a bar on positions that will
automatically generate such conflict?
4) What is the role of a policy-maker in an "office
of profit?" What is the expected gain, profit, or
benefits? Does the policy maker disclose those
details? Is the policy-maker the only person who can
do the job or is it possible for others to do as good
if not better job as the policy-maker?
Any amendments to the law will have to answer these
questions. However, many feel that given the stakes
involved where "office of profit" are
actively sought to gain power, influence, bribes,
access, etc. This is precisely why the law was frame
as it was and it was political greed to aggrandize
power, wealth, and influence that compromised the law
and governance.
While political consultations are on, the communists are
cautioning the Congress not to be tempted to call for
snap polls believing that the "Sonia
sacrifice" will win them the vote. Except in New
Delhi, the Congress has not political standing in most
states and it is impossible that they will gain any
more than what they already have.
Meanwhile, many cabinet members are reportedly happy that Sonia
Gandhi resigned her position as Chairperson of the
National Advisory Council as she was seen more as a
"Super Prime Minister." Some allies are even
questioning the so-called sacrifice of Prime
Ministerial position wondering what the logic in
turning down the top job only to lobby and accept
another position that was considered very powerful.
Some Cabinet Ministers privately say that influence
peddlers close to Gandhi were pushing for unreasonable
and impractical policies.
A deluge of petitions are coming to The Election
Commission where parties in opposition are petitioning
it to throw out the party in power and those in power
unseating an inconvenient opponent. Hence, Congressmen
in Jharkhand are seeing the dismissal of the Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP)-led Government; the BJP in
Uttaranchal is looking for the dismissal of 13
ministers in the Congress-led Government; the Tripura
Governor D.N. Sahay has forwarded several petitions
seeking the expulsion of communists.
Since most of the parties are affected at various levels and
the communists pressing the Government for change, an
amended is expected to be circulated, accepted, and
implemented within the few days.
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