THE Supreme Court of India on Oct 31 directed the government of India and the states to pass an order within three months on giving the fixed tenure to civil servants. It has also issued a directive for constitutig a civil services board at national and state levels for the management of transfers, postings, rewards, inquiries and processes of promotion, punishment and disciplinary matters of bureaucracy.

It also said that the fixed tenure of bureaucrats would help to promote professionalism, efficiency and good governance.

The parliament has also been directed by the court to enact a law to regulate transfers and postings of officers, as well as make laws to discipline the officers and immunise them from political influence.

The decision was taken to end political interference in the bureaucracy and to end regular transfers of civil servants by the political executive.

The bureaucracy in Pakistan is also ineffective due to huge interference by political people. The courts in Pakistan are also requested to take a similar decision. Such reforms would help in eliminating corruption and bad governance from the civil services of Pakistan.

ALI AMAD ABRO

Karachi