Major Principles of Public Life

1. Integrity

• Definition: Integrity involves honesty, truthfulness, and consistency in actions.
• Example: Satyendra Dubey, an engineer in the National Highways Authority of India, demonstrated integrity by exposing corruption in highway projects. His actions led to increased awareness and reforms in how corruption is tackled in public projects.

2. Accountability

• Definition: Accountability means being responsible for one’s actions and decisions, and being answerable to the public.
• Example: The Right to Information (RTI) Act empowers citizens to seek information from public authorities, ensuring that officials are accountable for their decisions and actions.

3. Transparency

• Definition: Transparency refers to the openness and clarity in government processes and decision-making.
• Example: The e-NAM (Electronic National Agriculture Market) platform was introduced to make agricultural trading transparent by providing real-time information on prices and transactions, reducing corruption and inefficiencies in the market.

4. Fairness

• Definition: Fairness involves impartiality and equitable treatment of all individuals.
• Example: The Supreme Court’s order on the decriminalization of same-sex relationships in Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India reflected fairness by upholding the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and ensuring equal treatment under the law.

5. Responsibility

• Definition: Responsibility entails fulfilling duties and obligations with diligence.
• Example: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the proactive measures taken by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to manage health crises and provide support to vulnerable populations exemplified the principle of responsibility in public service.

In summary, integrity, accountability, transparency, fairness, and responsibility are crucial principles of public life, as demonstrated by recent examples of ethical conduct and reforms in governance.