Guidelines to be followed to Ensure Political Neutrality

• Politics and policy are separated from governance. Therefore, politicians make policy decisions; government officials implement these policy decisions.
• Civil servants are selected and promoted on the basis of merit, rather than by party affiliation or donations.
• Public servants do not engage in any political activity.
• Public servants do not express their views on government policies or administration.
• Public servants give clear and unambiguous advice to their political leaders in private and in confidence. In return, political leaders protect the anonymity of public servants by openly accepting responsibility for the department’s decision-making.
• Public servants make policy decisions honestly and diligently, regardless of party affiliation and plans without their opinions. As a result, public servants enjoy a sense of security while living in a morally clean and productive manner.
• Neutral public service can only be maintained if the employment system is protected from political influence, the eligibility system is firmly entrenched, and professional commitment is low.

Nolan Committee on Ethics in Public Life: 

• Public officials are required to behave in accordance with the highest ethical norms, and an ethical code serves as a reference to help them do so. The Committee on Standards in Public Life, also known as the Nolan Committee, was established in the United Kingdom in 1994 to provide guidance on ethical standards in public life.
• The report of this committee was first time made public in 1995 in which he explained about 7 principles to be followed by the Public Servant when he/she in “Public Life”. These principles are also called “Nolan Principles”.

⇒ Accountability: One of the prime virtues of the any person who is holding any of the public office is to always ready for any kind of scrutiny for the decisions they have taken and their conducts etc.

⇒ Openness: The openness in decision making is another prime quality that a Civil servant must have. The openness means he/she presents reasons and why this decision was taken with proper explanation. This practice will definitely enhance public confidence and involvement of common citizens in the policy making and bringing transparency in policy implementation.

⇒ Integrity: It is true virtue of the public servant that he or she is not involved in any of the acts outside organisation. Any of the outsider interests may influence the decision-making process and policy formulation and it overall impacts administration negatively from performing his/ her official duties.

⇒ Objectivity: The office bearers always make decisions based on objective points. For example, making appointments in office should be an objectively made merit list and this merit based objectivity needs to be followed in granting contracts, distributing performance incentives, benefits and selection for the same purpose.

⇒ Honesty: Honey is the biggest virtue of any public servant hence whatever the things a public servant has outside his/ her official responsibilities may possibly interfere in official work or task should be disclosed. Needed action or penalties should be taken if public interest is largely compromising.

⇒ Leadership: This the quality of the any higher public officials to set examples true leadership and one of the main qualities is to promote and support to the values of his/her organisation and the subordinate official who is following the qualities.

⇒ Selflessness: This is gem of all the values that public official must possess. As this may help in bringing impartiality, transparency, accountability etc in the administration system by keeping aside his/her private interest or act that benefits his/her close ones for financial or material betterment.