This refers to the editorial, “Empowering the honest” (November 2). We have seen how Ministers maltreat honest bureaucrats and how the latter are victimised by their political bosses.
Mr Ashok Khemka and Ms Duga Shakti Nagpal are only two examples of that, as you have rightly pointed out. The system requires that bureaucrats write down their proposals and recommendations which form the basis of a final decision. A verbal order has no validity in Government business, as everything should be on record.
The Supreme Court has delivered a landmark verdict by directing the bureaucrats not to act on the verbal directions of their political bosses, ordering fixed tenure for bureaucrats and the establishment of civil services boards at the Centre and in the States to monitor transfers and postings of public servants. These measures will shield dedicated bureaucrats against the high-handedness of politicians who will no longer be able to shuffle civil servants like a pack of cards.