I. Introduction: It has been emphasised almost unanimously that governance has to be based on the principle of accountability of those who are responsible for it. Accountability, in fact, implies that the bureaucracy should be answerable for what they do or don't do? This is sought to be administered in a parliamentary system through questions, debates, discussions, budgetary approvals, committees and such other methods by parliament.

II. Accountability of the executive: The executive is to be responsive to the people through their representatives. It is,however,also true that this mechanism has increasingly proved to be ineffective for reasons of decline in the quality and character of debates and the representatives, transformation of parliamentary system into a cabinet system of government,criminalization of politics and fragmentation of society and politics.

III. Judicial Review and Accountability:

(a) Accountability is also ensured through judicial review of the governmental decisions or laws. The citizens are also seeking judicial intervention through Public Interest Litigation (PIL) for prompt action on certain issues affecting the common life. Such practices are in vogue, directly or indirectly in several countries like New Zeeland, Canada, Australia and India.

(b) Recently, a more effective mode of public accountability is the system of citizens' charter. The idea is to change the bureaucratic culture to include people friendly attitudes instead of patriarchal, indifferent, casual and callous behaviour to citizens. The old feudal value must give place to modern democratic values in bureaucracy.

IV. Accountability and the Civil Servants: An accountable system of governance, thus, presupposes the following functional and behavioural traits of the civil servants:

1. Achievement Oriented Behaviour.

2. Judicious use of authority.

3. Pursuit of happiness of the people.

4. Use of reason and experience as the basis of decision.

5. Shirking of work to be identified and punished.

6. Time bound implementation of policies and plans.

7. Strength of character, intelligence, perseverance and extensity of civil servants.

8. Uprightness,friendliness and firmness of devotion in dealing with others.

9. Capacity for doing a work which should be supplemented by the skill-in-action and question for perfection.

V. Position of Accountability:

In every country a number of institutional and legal arrangements have been made to secure the prevalence of the characteristics of an accountable administration. For example, in India setting up of institutions like Central Vigilance Commission and national commissions for Women, Schedules Tribes, Schedules Castes, Minorities and Backward Classes, National Commission, National Commissions for Human Rights and Minorities.

Comptroller and Auditor General of India are some such efforts or steps to administer social, legal, constitutional and systemic commitments in bureaucracy. It seeks to remove the tendencies of administrative bias, corruption, alienation and secrecy. The aim is to make administration poor-sensitive, gender-sensitive and more sensitive to the demands and grievances of the public.