Case 9.6: The party flag at the camp

Difficulty: Medium
Syllabus point: 3: impartiality, non-partisanship (political neutrality)
Values and laws tested: Neutrality, impartiality, public trust, restraint under political pressure; Rule 7(1) of the Rajasthan Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1971; Article 14; Nolan's "objectivity"

Illustrative exampleThe party flag at the camp

Kavita is a Block Development Officer in a district of Rajasthan. The panchayat samiti has called a government camp in a village to verify pensions and ration cards. She arrives in the morning and finds flags and posters of a political party behind the stage. The party's workers sit at the tables handing out forms and pushing some names forward, saying, "Our workers' list first." A local leader says, "It is our government, the workers are only helping. What is wrong with that?" A sarpanch linked to another party says angrily, "Is this a government camp or a party rally?" Hundreds of elderly people stand in the sun, and the camp is for today only. Kavita's superior had phoned that morning: "Do not annoy the leader."

Stakeholders: the elderly and eligible people in the queue (the weakest party), the party workers and leader, people and the sarpanch linked to the other party, the superior, Kavita, the department.
Issue: impartial and equal service against political pressure and the argument "it is our government". The real question is whose queue a government service is.
Options: A. Do not annoy the leader and let it run (peace; but bias, public trust breaks, and Kavita herself becomes answerable later). B. Have the flags torn down, throw the workers out publicly and stop the camp (the principle is high; but confrontation, and the elderly suffer in the sun). C. Tell the leader politely that the camp belongs to everyone, remove the party symbols, keep workers as spectators or information helpers, call names only by token number or eligibility order, and inform the superior in writing (a little harder; but every side is protected).
Best: C. Under Conduct Rule 7(1) a government servant may not be associated with a political party, and under Nolan's "objectivity" decisions must rest on merit. Article 14 gives equality to all.

Lesson

Action: Short term: remove symbols, serve by token slips, shade and water for the elderly, a written report. Long term: announce camp lists and venues in advance, give all parties and sarpanches the same notice, a one-page "impartiality instruction" for camps, a social audit.

Practice Questions

Practice questionabout 100 words

(10 marks, 100 words) What should Kavita do? Solve with the five-step card.

Model answer

The weakest stakeholders are the elderly in the queue; party workers, the other party's people, the superior and the department are involved too. The issue is impartial service against political pressure. I have three routes: let everything run, confront and stop the camp, or politely keep the camp for everyone. The first is bias; the second punishes the elderly. I choose the third, because Conduct Rule 7(1) bars association with a party and Article 14 guarantees equality. Now I would remove the symbols, serve by token slips and write a report. Long term: advance notice to all parties and a social audit.

Practice questionabout 50 words

(5 marks, 50 words) What does political neutrality mean for a government officer? Explain with this case.

Model answer

Neutrality is not a ban on holding views; it is not favouring any party in work and treating every government alike.

Practice questionabout 50 words

(5 marks, 50 words) Suggest long-term measures to keep such camps impartial.

Model answer

Notice in advance and to all, token-based service, clear limits on workers' role, social audit, an instruction sheet.