Mentor’s Comment:
In the first part of the answer discuss, why this debate exists in administration with relevant examples.
Second part of the answer should focus on why accountability is a necessary condition to ensure good governance and final part of the answer should focus on the fact that accountability and effectiveness can exist together and this should be the desired outcome.
Answer:
Accountability is the obligation of an individual or organization to account for its activities, accept
responsibility for them, and to disclose the results in a transparent manner. It also includes the
responsibility for money or other entrusted property. Accountability therefore checks the abuses of
power such as corruption, fraud, the insolence of office, arbitrary and unauthorised exercise of
authority, violating rights and neglecting duties.Most importantly, while the measures of effectiveness
keep continuously changing, accountability is a universal and perpetual virtue in governance.
Effectiveness is the degree to which objectives are achieved and the extent to which targeted problems
are solved.
It is viewed that greater focus on accountability hampers effectiveness. Effectiveness requires wider managerial discretion while accountability calls for tighter central control. It has been advocated that an attempt to increase transparency and public participation will invariably result in delay in decision-making and promote risk aversion resulting in a compromise on effectiveness.
However, this view of effectiveness is shortsighted.
Decisions taken through bypassing clear and transparent procedures seem to be effective in short
run but such decisions suffer backlash in many cases. For example, in the case of involving
construction of dams, not eliciting public opinion or providing for rehabilitation and resettlement
will ultimately result in protests leading to delays in implementation. Hence, a short compromise on
accountability may seem to be effective in many cases it can very well hamper the same
effectiveness in long run.
Accountability also checks the abuse of power such as corruption, fraud, the insolence of office,
arbitrary and unauthorised exercise of authority, violating rights and neglecting duties.
Most importantly, while the measures of effectiveness keep continuously changing, accountability is
a universal and perpetual virtue in governance.
Further, accountability and effectiveness are not contradictory, but may act as complementary to each
other. For example, the use of egovernance has been very effective in citizen services delivery and has
also provided an impetus for social and industrial sector along with maintaining the accountability of
government departments. Effective use of right to information, citizen charter etc. ensures transparency
in governance and checks the menace of corruption and abuse of power. Thus it could be very well said
that both accountability and effectiveness are an integral part of good governance and its utility should
be seen w.r.t. the results produced in the long run.
reason for the debate:
1.the prime ministers Narendhira Modi’s decision to make India as “one nation one poll”
2.from 1951 to 1967 India had the Lok Sabha and the state assembles election as at the same time .
3.After that a few crises arises among the parties so that these policy can be followed after that
4. the prime minister of India discussing the concept to reduce the work of election commission and the logistic challenges such as transfer of electronic voting machine and security forces
5.these concept improves the focus on governance instead the focus on election
6. but in my opinion there is some advantages are here to discuss the concept but we need to consider some demerits
7. when national emergency occurs the national parties get the full dominance so that the regional parties are affected by this concept
8.it leads to reducing accountability
9.misuse of article 356 occurs which is presidency rule to reduce or extend the election
concept of accountability:
1.the accountability is essential for every citizen
2. if the accountability loss by any representative leads many crises
3.its a key frame for our nation
way ahead:
the one nation one poll concept gives very few merits and there is a lot of chance to reduce accountability of representative
kindly review my answer . its my first attempt !!