THE CASE FOR QUALITY CERTIFICATION OF AGENCIES

THERE has been much public discourse around the performance of India's constitutional authorities, statutory bodies and enforcement agencies.

- RENUKA CHIDAMBARAM

Some argue that organisations like the Election Commission, CBI, Enforcement Directorate and the income tax department have been "politically weaponised". Such assertions are difficult to dismiss in the absence of definitive and verifiable performance parameters regarding the work of these agencies.

So, is there a case for such agencies to be accredited by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)? Do such organisations need a quality certification? Importantly, is it possible, and if so, how does one go about it? To answer the first part, it would seem there is a definite need for agencies to be quality-certified. Public institutions have vast, overarching powers over citizens.

They are also tasked with ensuring equal treatment, to serve the cause of the nation.

If they are instead made to serve a partisan cause, it would defeat their purpose.

Certified quality standards can ensure that an organisation's principles and civic orientation stay on track. It can also guarantee the agency's autonomy and fairness.

Such standards will also prevent the easy shifting of responsibility from politicians to the agencies if things go wrong.

The response to the second question is complicated. On the one hand, examples of successful quality standards certification of public agencies are found in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, which show that it is possible. On the other hand, the current state of Indian politics does not offer much hope for such certification to yield the desired results.