"Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it" -William Pitt, the Elder, The Earl of Chatham in a speech to the UK House of Lords in 1770"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."
Lord Acton, expressed this opinion in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887.
Controversies in ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption, an institution similar to yet to be enacted Lokpal)
After the big purges of the 1970s, many thought that the ICAC would take a reduced role in society, but despite the fact that their main job was done their influence remained pervasive. Short of voluminous numbers of dramatic cases many ICAC officers left Hong Kong, others remained to enjoy a less taxing life. However, the Devil makes work for idle hands, and in 1993 their Deputy Director of Operations Alex Tsui Ka-kit was suddenly sacked by Governor Patten who stated that he had 'lost confidence' in Mr. Tsui - a euphemism that strong evidence of corruption or significant wrongdoing existed. The 'Alex Tsui Affair' caused a huge stir in the mid-1990s as Tsui did not go quietly. Indeed he made counter-allegations of misconduct within the ICAC, one of which was that Director of Operations Jim Buckle had 'squashed' an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment by an officer called Michael Croft (who was later transferred and forced out of the service). Alex Tsui's continued rantings in the media and Legislative Council did little for the image of ICAC.
A year later at Christmas 1995 an ICAC assistant director - a well known carouser - was arrested for drinking and driving. Following conviction he mysteriously avoided strong punishment and received only a 'reprimand' from the Commissioner of the ICAC.
Link to the Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Commission_Against_Corruption_(Hong_Kong)
(The idea is not to denigrate any person, institution or its efforts, but to highlight the practical difficulties that an institution or a concept faces, so as to learn and improve upon it, with due respect to all).
Best Regards,
Sunil.
P.S.
RTI Act empowers every single citizen of our country to take up the cause as averse to an Institution with a small set of people who promises to take up the cause on their behalf.
Transparent Appointment of Information Commissioners (in compliance with Article 16(1) of the Constitution of India), The Process of Appointment of Judges to be made transparent under the RTI Act & Implementation of Section 4 of the RTI Act are the needs of the day.
Transparency in a Democracy is the KEY.
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