Letters: Managing civil servants

This refers to the editorial "Dismissal decorum" (February 3). It is true that a civil servant serves at the pleasure of the President. But that does not account for a peremptory removal. There are other ways and means to sideline or punish the recusant individual.

The dismissal will only affect the officers' morale and initiative, and in the long term, even their efficiency. With a powerful political boss hovering over their heads, bureaucrats will look over their shoulders all the time. In order to be in the good books of their bosses, they will try to check all the boxes or sign on the dotted line. This scenario will only make people vegetate. Moreover, from their reports, it will be difficult to analyse any situation or development correctly.

Quoting the previous cases of precipitate removals by the powers-that-be to cover up their current high-handed behaviour will not serve any purpose. Instead, our leaders should learn a lesson from the mistakes of their predecessors, who were used to taking no prisoners.

Tarsem Singh Hoshiarpur

Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number