align="left">The State Cabinet announced a series of legislative initiatives aimed at combating corruption. The three Bills under consideration are the AP Performance Accountability Bill, Corrupt Public Servants Forfeiture of Properties Bill and AP Transparency in Public Procurement Bill.

If we keep quiet now, the politicians of the country will soon enact a law to deny us the fundamental Right to Information about our prospective candidates.  And we will have only ourselves to blame. Today it is our Right to know, tomorrow it could be our liberty. If murderers and rapists and dacoits are not disqualified, the worst of things becomes possible.

The recent Supreme Court judgment on compulsory declaration of criminal record, assets, liabilities and educational qualifications by candidates for elective office is a shot in the arm for all enthusiasts of democratic reform.  There is a German saying which describes politics as the patient drilling through thick planks.  This judgment typifies the hard work and collaboration required to get anything moving in a large and plural democracy. Relentless and single-minded pursuit of specific goals is what yields enduring results.

In a democracy the citizen is the sovereign. The elected representatives and appointed employees are public servants whose job it is to govern on behalf of citizens and provide quality services. Obviously, the public servants should be accountable to the people. The most vital tool of accountability is information on what the government agencies are doing and why.