GoM for code of ethics for ministers and code of conduct for public servants

NEW DELHI: A GoM has asked the government to consider a draft code of ethics for ministers and code of conduct for public servants after it was recommended by the Administrative Reforms Commission ( ARC) to safeguard the political neutrality and impartiality of the civil services.

The Group of Ministers(GoM) headed by Defence Minister A K Antony at its meeting held here yesterday to consider recommendations of the 10th report of the ARC asked the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances to finalise its report before the next date of sitting, official sources said today.

The GoM members, who attended the meeting, felt such a code was imperative and that it will certainly add to the neutral and transparent working relationship between bureaucracy and ministers, they said.

"There is a need to safeguard the political neutrality and impartiality of the civil services. The onus for this lies equally on the political executive and the civil services. This aspect should be included in the Code of Ethics for Ministers as well as the Code of Conduct for Public Servants," the ARC has recommended.

It is pertinent to mention that the government had earlier rejected a recommendation in this regard made by ARC in its fourth report titled 'Ethics in Governance'.