Ethics Theory, GS 4, TLP-UPSC Mains Answer Writing
Political neutrality is different from political abstinence. Do you agree? Substantiate your views.
राजनीतिक तटस्थता राजनीतिक संयम से अलग है। क्या आप सहमत हैं? अपने मतों की पुष्टि कीजिए।
Approach –
In this question candidates need to write their opinion on how political neutrality is different from political abstinence .In second part substantiate their views.
Introduction-
If a person or country adopts a neutral position or remains neutral, they do not support anyone in a disagreement, war, or contest its called political neutrality however When an individual or country has the ability to vote, but chooses not to do so, and abstaining from voting its defined and political abstinence .
Body –
Political Neutrality-
- It can be defined as the status of being detached or disinterested towards any kind of profit or self-gain.Like particular group rich vs poor and social pressure of caste and religion.
- In the context of public administration, neutrality refers to political neutrality or non-partisanship. It indicates that you are not owned or linked with any one group, party, or cause
- Non-partisanship is attitude. Impartially is behavior.
- Political impartially is neutrality-Civil servant must not be associated with any political party or ideology.
- Officer is expected to cooperate any political party in power. He must not allow his political values/ideology to interfere in day to day work.
- He must faithfully implement the public policies, even If they’re contrary to his beliefs.
- Neutrality is required to keep-Public confidence in civil services.
- Political executives’ confidence in civil services after regime is changed. if there is lack of mutual trust, they can’t work for larger interest.
- Nowadays, ‘trust’ is lost. Therefore, after every election, the new ruling party will begin mass-transfer of the officers from previous regime.
Example –
- Sachin Vaze, was a so-called ‘encounter specialist’ in the Mumbai Police force. He was suspended from the force 16 years ago, due to a case of custodial death.
- After suspension he associated himself with Shiv sena, which allegedly reinstated him in the Police force in 2020.
- Such cases of Civil Servants being associated with Politicians have come up many times throughout the length and breadth of the Nation.
- This requires civil servants to maintain political neutrality and Non partisanship.
Political Abstention –
- When an individual has the ability to vote, but chooses not to do so, that individual is abstaining from voting.
- A voter may abstain from voting for many reasons, e.g. they do not think they know enough about the issue at hand to make an informed decision, they believe voting on a particular issue represents a conflict of interests, they are withholding their vote in protest, etc.
Example-
- At various points throughout the Brexit process, parties have used abstentions to move/block measures and legislation. This tactical use of abstention can be a valuable political tool, though it can come with risks such as other parties passing legislation in spite of abstentions.
- Although abstaining from a vote may seem straightforward, its implications and consequences can be significant
- India’s Stand on Russia-Ukraine War-India’s response to Russia’s invasion on Ukraine condemnation of the civilian killings without any name calling, and abstention from UN votes is not fundamentally different from this historic.
- India abstained on a US-sponsored United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution that deplores in the strongest terms Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Political Neutrality is different from political abstinence –
- In the context of public administration, neutrality refers to political neutrality or non-partisanship. It indicates that you are not owned or linked with any one group, party, or cause.
- Neutrality depicts that public officials are not slaves to either the politicians or any other authority other than the moral authority of the Constitution.
- It shows that the principle of neutrality implies a measure of independence both from the partisan interests of the government of the day and the exogenous agenda that prompts certain social groups to cow others down to humiliating vulnerability.
- However political Abstention is a term in election procedure for when a participant in a vote either does not go to vote or, in parliamentary procedure, is present during the vote, but does not cast a ballot.
- Abstention must be contrasted with “blank vote”, in which a voter casts a ballot willfully made invalid by marking it wrongly or by not marking anything at all. A “blank voter” has voted, although their vote may be considered a spoilt vote, depending on each legislation, while an abstaining voter has not voted.
- Both forms may or may not, depending on the circumstances, be considered to be a protest vote also known as a “blank vote” or “white vote .
- An political abstention may be used to indicate the voting individual’s ambivalence about the measure, or mild disapproval that does not rise to the level of active opposition.
- Abstention can also be used when someone has a certain position about an issue, but since the popular sentiment supports the opposite, it might not be politically expedient to vote according to their conscience.
Conclusion-
The principle of political neutrality,and political abstinence in which requires the state to remain neutral on disputed questions is an extension of traditional liberal principles of toleration and independence of opinion. Thus, political neutrality and abstinence’s casts duties not only on constitutional offices but also on government of the day.
