Public Administration (ES)

Relationship between citizens and administration
CU Registration No: 223-1111-0170-19

CU Roll No: 192223-21-0076
College Roll No: 19A – 450
Paper : Public Administration (ES)
Semester: 6th semester
Relationship between Citizen and
Government
Main course: Public Law: Evolving Relationships Untangled
Module leaders: Dr Elsbeth Loncke, Dr Sofie Hennau
Home institution: Hasselt University, Belgium
Brief description of the module:

In recent decades, the relationship between citizens and the different levels of government has become
strained. Citizens have become increasingly assertive and critical. Firstly, there has been an increase in judicial
disputes between the citizen and the government. The citizen has found his way to the courts as a means to
challenge administrative acts. Secondly, with regard to political governments, citizens strive for more
democratic and transparent decision-making processes, balancing the interests of both the individual citizen
and the society as a whole.
The second part of the public law course aims to clarify the relationship between citizen and government and
the tools and mechanisms that have been developed in order to improve this relationship. From a legal point of
view, the course gives insight into the way the European legislator has influenced the way member states must
organize their (administrative) justice. It also aims to illustrate different means of preventative legal protection
the legislator has developed. This relates to mechanisms European, national and local governments must
apply to ensure proper-decision making in order to avoid the risk of legal disputes. From a political point of
view, the course deals with citizens’ attitude towards classic representative democracy and analyses alternative
ways to involve citizens more directly in public policy-making.
CITIZEN AND ADMINISTRATION:

CITIZEN AND ADMINISTRATION:
Citizens and administration are interconnected and interdependent as the job of public administration is to
protect and provide services to citizens and they receive their salaries and funds from the taxes the citizens pay.
And this relationship has come all the more in the limelight and importance due to the concept of welfare state.
There is generally a hostility between the two due to the rigid and high handed behaviour of public officials and
the illiteracy of the public regarding their rights and political happenings that leads to the alienation between
the two.
Channels of redressal for grieving citizens:
1)Redressal through parliament/legislature: It is the same as discussed above under Legislative control
and accountability topic.
2) Judicial remedies: Same as discussed above under Judicial control and accountability topic. Apart from
that a special mention should be given to Public Interest Litigation (PIL) where citizens who have been denied
their rights due to any reason and maladministration but cannot approach the courts for relief due to social and
economic constraints can approach through a group or NGO on their behalf.
3) Administrative tribunals(special court appointed by the govt): Central Administrative Tribunal
deals with grievances of public or government employees(All India Services) and their service matters whereas
the State & Joint Administrative Tribunals deals with employees of State public services. The Industrial
Tribunals,Income Tax Tribunals,Railway rates tribunals etc deal with citizen’s grievances concerned with that
subject matter.
4) Lok Adalats have been set up to deal with ordinary grievances of citizens against the administration like
pensions,utilities,telephones,compensation,etc and if the parties are not happy with the decision then they can
approach the courts of law.
To deal with administrative corruption:
i) Central Vigilance Commission: It is headed by a Central Vigilance Commissioner and deals with
grievances of citizens involving corruption and lack of integrity on the part of governmental servants.
It takes into matters even complaints against the Union govt who is ruling and is to set up an enquiry or
investigation through the concerned administrative Ministry/dept vigilance officers into the matter or ask the
CBI to take charge. Complaints can come directly from grieving individuals as well s from other sources like
press reports,audit reports,parliamentary committee reports ,etc. Each Ministry/dept has a chief vigilance
officer and he is responsible for coordinating and guiding the activities of other vigilance officers of his
ministry/dept and report to the Commission from time to time. The role of the CVC is advisory in nature.
ii) Ombudsman: Appointed by the legislature and deals with complaints made against the legislature or govt.
In India its forms are known as ‘LOKPAL’ at the central level and ‘LOKAYUKTA’ at the State level. The LOKPAL
is to deal with all complaints of corruption made by any citizen against the ruling govt and the
Union/Central Ministers as well as State Ministers regarding any action taken by them and it should not be
done more than five years ago. After the investigation is complete,the report will be submitted to the Prime
Minister(where complaint is against Union Minister) or a Chief Minister ( Complaint against State Minister) as
the case maybe. If the complaint is frivolous and based on malafide then it can be rejected and the complainant
penalised or tried in a court of law.
However,sadly this bill is yet not passed in both the Houses due to obvious reasons.
The LOKAYUKTA deals with State level corruption complaints against State Ministers. The setting up of
Lokayukta offices in the states is sparse and still many do not have one.
GRIEVANCE CELLS IN VARIOUS MINISTRIES AND DEPARTMENTS:
For speedy justice many ministries and departments of govt n centre as well as state have set up grievance cells
headed by a grievance officer.
CITIZEN AND ADMINISTRATION: - Best IAS Coaching (brainyias.com)
Main Citizens and the Administrative State: From Participation to Power on JSTOR
https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/19217/1/Unit-37.pdf

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Relationship between citizens and administration

CU Registration No: 223-1111-0170-19

Brief description of the module:

CITIZEN AND ADMINISTRATION:

CITIZEN AND ADMINISTRATION: - Best IAS Coaching (brainyias.com)

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