There have been several instances, wherein the Government functionaries in the Union or State Government usually are discourteous to the elected representatives of the people, the MPs or the MLAs. This is definitely the cause of irritation between the functionaries and the elected representatives. Government functionaries have yet to understand clearly and convincingly that in a democratic system, elected representatives of the people owe big responsibility of responding to the needs of the people and their respective constituencies. This often makes them approach Government functionaries for information, data and response etc. in such matters as pertain to their constituencies. Of course, there are definite guidelines and rules which the functionaries are required to observe while dealing with the queries of the MPs or MLAs but despite that adherence to the rules and their implementation is the crux of the issue.
The Department of Personnel and Training felt it necessary to remind all Central Government Departments and Chief Secretaries of states that the Government functionaries have to be courteous to the MPs, quickly respond to their queries and reply their letters in clear and legible words and not just send cyclostyled replies by way of their response.
The essential purpose of the Government is to inculcate culture of courtesy and efficiency among the Government functionaries. They have to understand that they are the important cogs in the democratic machinery and if they do not function properly, it is to be remedied. The Government has proper mechanism to take care of the interests of its employees and allow them many privileges that accrue to them under rules. But the functionaries have the obligation to behave as functionaries responsible to the civil society. The hangover of the British bureaucratic culture has to be given a send off and new culture of becoming integral part of the civil society has to be cultivated.
If an MP or an MLA wants some information, the Government functionary should not construe it as infringement of rules and trespassing on his domain. Under various mandatory provisions of service and administrative functions, they are supposed to provide the information unless it is denied by law. The law of transparency makes it obligatory on the part of the functionary to provide the information asked for. They have to remember that the organs of the State have to work in unison as the primary requirement of good governance.
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