By ranking bureaucrats as " Most Powerful", are we not taking the entire bureaucracy for a ride? I would like to treat them as the "most manipulative, pliable,compromising" who are always eager to please the political class for their career progression.

They have always been holding coveted positions in the GOI by pulling the right strings at right time. 

They never seem to retire.They are fit to be addressed as the 'Field Marshals" of bureaucracy,ending up as MPs , Members UPSC, CEC or even Governors.

This way, the mediocrity is perpetuated,the merit takes the back seat. There are examples galore.I would not like to name anyone

The Supreme Court’s verdict on commuting death sentences of 15 murder convicts on ground of “inordinate delay in deciding their mercy pleas” (by the Executive) merits deep appreciation . These had earlier  been rejected by the President of India. The Court does not question the power of the President to reject mercy petitions. But, it can  go into the issue of whether the Executive violated the rights of the death row convicts due to the inordinate delay. The capital punishment has been on the Statute book for over 150 years.  The   terror-related cases like : 26/11 convict Ajmal Kasab and Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru ,were processed expeditiously and as per law of the land and  executions took place in 2012 and 2013 respectively. The Supreme Court concluded that those sentenced to death for terror offences could not invoke the argument about inordinate delay in disposing of mercy petitions. Former President Pratibha Patil  during her five year tenure , commuted  sentences of 35 death row convicts to life imprisonment. The execution rate in India has declined considerably during the past few decades.

In these circumstances, the moot point is : Whether  capital punishment should continue ? It has been there on the Statute for a number of serious offences for over 150 years. It is high time the Law makers had a re-think on whether to retain death penalty or abolish it save in terror-related cases. While,98 countries have abolished death penalty, 58 are retaining it.The  inordinate delay in  executing death penalty ( except in terror  related cases) amounts to  double Jeopardy. Waiting for death verdict  for long , is also a punishment. The extent of political pressures and those of  business houses exerted on GOI while processing  mercy petitions, is beyond  one’s imagination.GOI’s decision to seek a review of decision by SC, is misplaced.

Rahul Gandhi was at his worst while answering questions in Times Now interview. Even despite months of intensive tutoring by his mentors, the guy looked frightened, out of focus, dodging questions on serial scams ,inflation and corruption, invoking sympathy by citing successive killings in family. He memorized answers to questions framed by his mentors, not Arnab Goswami, Rahul Gandhi responded to questions that wer never asked. These were like RTI, Women empowerment, system, fundamentals. The Times Now gave extra-ordinary prior publicity  to Rahul’s interview as though something spectacular would emerge.But,it turned out to be a ” KHODA PAHAAD NIKLAA CHUHA”. A damp squib. The viewers were disillusioned. The Congress mentors must be cursing Ra Ga privately.

And all this lacklustre performance by Rahul Baba   after intensive tutoring, pre-recoding followed by editing .by  Congress chaatukaars. The grapevine has it that there  was  also a tele-prompter  also to assist him? Arnab Goswami merely succeeded in getting  the worst out of  Ra Ga..God save the country. One thing is clear that the TIMES NOW’s TRP got hit in the process.

After the UPSC aspirants staged a protest outside Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's residence for demanding new UPSC exam pattern, Rahul Gandhi agreeing with the protestors said that the pattern of the UPSC civil services exam is wrong and he will take up the issue.

DOP&T headed by PM had approved the new pattern.Rahul Gandhi is the boss now.

I  served as Joint Secretary in UPSC and am familiar with ts functioning.

 it is learnt from a source claiming anonymity  that the situation is not hunky dory. 

The Commission is vertically divided against itself.There has been a face-off  between groups of former bureaucrats and academicians, both now now Members of UPSC.

Changes made by UPSC effective from  2013  Civil Services(Main) exam had excluded foreign languages from its course.The aspirants  alleged that they were left with little time to prepare and also the changes are discriminatory against students from the rural background.The charge is not without a basis.

Charges of arrogance,arbitrariness,extravagance and nepotism are flying thick and fast against the top echelons.The CBI is reportedly aware about this. 

The situation could reach the flash point any time.

This is the wake-up call for our good-for-nothing PM.It is due to his and MOS (DOP&T)'S non-application of minds that the IAS aspirants were forced to approach the political class for redressal of their grievances.

 India is presently ruled by the dispensation  of “ a ceremonial head”(President) , a de jure head of government     ( PM) and the de facto CEO ( Congress Supremo).Ministers are invariably appointed on political considerations irrespective of criminal charges slapped against them. Key positions are filled on extraneous considerations:  political loyalty, pliability, pecuniary etc. The problem of “dynasticism” has subverted inner-party democracy in the mainstream and regional  parties. 

A K Saxena (A retired civil servant)

The new CM of Delhi has turned all Delhiites into undercover agents to entrap corrupt govt. servants through sting operations. He has virtually crowd-sourced vigilance functions without ascertaining the legal admissibility of  evidences collected  through undercover operations. Consider other implications. What steps have been taken to: (a) Maintain the anonymity of sting operator; (b) Give protection to complainants; (c) Prevent blackmailing by complainants. How far would the populist scheme result in actual prosecution of corrupt officials is a million dollar question. Considering the scale of operations of undercover operations, one could see huge impact on  sale of hi-fi mobile phones. Covert operations by decoy officials of anti-corruption cell of NCT Delhi, would prove far more effective than entrusting the job to the poor, illiterate aggrieved who are non-professionals. The sting operation is  a complicated confidence game planned and executed with great care.

Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) ,a government funded 

autonomous body located at Mumbai, has become the refuge for civil 

servants.Former CEO ,one Pankaja Thakur was from the Customs Service and

the present ,one Ramesh Kumar from the Railway Accounts Service. 

To hell with this government.

Such positions should be reserved for eminent persons from the 

theatre/,Film world/ Writers/journalists fields.There will be many 

takers.

Selecting persons from the civil services ,is criminal.They merely follow orders from politicians. It is a man-made disaster.

Instead of simplifying the traditional tax structures, the GOI is imposing new taxes. Service tax was started with 1% with few services and now it is 10% in almost all services. Abolition of income tax is not feasible unless alternative sources of making up revenue deficit,are created. There are more income tax evaders than avoiders. The govt. will be well advised to demonetize 1000 rupee notes.But,this  will adversely impact  all political parties and builders mafia across the board. They will have to ferry the cash in trucks. This way, transparency will prevail.

Docks have not been cleared in higher Judiciary. After A K Ganguly, it is now Swatanter Kumar, former judge Supreme court in the dock. He has been charged with sexual felony by another intern. His offence is graver as the alleged  misconduct reportedly  took place while he was sitting judge of Supreme court.Strangely, several law interns have prepared affidavits discounting the possibility of such sexual misconduct by the accused. Is this character assassination or a reality?

The frequency of sexual innuendos against top judiciary has shaken  public faith . The LAWMAKERS  cannot mutely watch the paradigm shift from their comfortable cocoon of arrogance, insensitivity and know-all mindsets.

Eminent jurists must step in and assist the Supreme court in framing guidelines for sitting and retired judges.

Salman Khurshid’s chauvinistic remarks: “I will not return to Parliament, till I bring back Devyani”, was puerile, jejune and politically naive. While refusing to withdraw human exploitation charges,the USA has warned  that Devyani would be arrested on her return to US. Why should then MEA gloat over “conquering” the US ? While, the Indian and US media have locked horns on the issue , the Indo-US relations are reminiscent of cold war. Against this backdrop, could Devyani not be posted in AMS (Americas) Division in South Block that handles all matters relating to USA. A dose of retaliatory diplomacy is necessary.