Verdict 2024: Bureaucracy braces for change with hope and apprehension

Officials fear re-emergence of coalition politics may lead to delayed or disjointed decisions

With a coalition government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi poised to take the reins, the country’s bureaucratic machinery — the so-called “steel frame” of India — is rife with both anticipation and anxiety.

The past decade under Modi’s single-party majority government saw a centralised decision-making process. However, the re-emergence of coalition politics, with regional allies championing their own agenda in the ministries led by their representatives, may potentially lead to delayed or disjointed decisions. 

Though the previous two governments were of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, the party had a majority on its own in the Lok Sabha.

Senior government officials expressed concerns about the potential misalignment of views between ministers (particularly non-BJP ones) and secretaries in the absence of absolute centralised power. “Ministers might prioritise policies favouring their home states. And this may conflict with the broader perspectives of key bureaucrats, thereby impacting policy-making,” said a senior official.

The alternative scenario also stirs unease. Coalition governments often trigger significant bureaucratic reshuffles, with alliance partners inclined to appoint bureaucrats from their home cadres to their respective ministries. “Bold reforms might not be easy to approve considering the pressures of coalition politics. Reforms with wider acceptance across states and communities would move ahead,” another official noted.

The extent to which the coalition government will yield to populist measures, the official said, hinges on the “assertiveness” of the coalition partners and BJP leaders’ resistance or acquiescence to pressure.

Officials stay busy in downtime

Amid this uncertainty, many officials are making the most of the lean period in the ministries. Some departments are conducting fire safety mock drills, with officials from almost all ranks assembling on the ground. Some are enjoying the tranquillity by occasional feeding of birds perched on the window panes, a stark contrast to the usual hustle and bustle.

Government department pantries are witnessing increased activity during non-lunch hours, with officials extending their lunch breaks to discuss the unexpected electoral outcome over a cup of tea. Many are also spending more time watching news channels on their official desktops to stay updated on political developments.

At the same time, preparations are underway in some ministry buildings to welcome their new ministers next week. The corridors of key ministries across Shastri Bhawan, Shram Shakti Bhawan, and Rail Bhawan are abuzz with speculation about who their new minister might be. In most of the rooms, this is the only discussion, with most corporate visitors also sharing their guesses. 

The 100-day agenda

Before the general elections, all ministries had prepared their respective 100-day agenda based on the anticipated status quo. However, with the change in the Modi government’s composition, many officials believe the priorities for these agenda will shift, especially for ministries headed by coalition partners.

“In a democracy, it is for the politicians to decide the ministry’s agenda. Some items may have to be reworked as far as reforms go,” a third official commented.

However, officials at infrastructure ministries remain largely confident that their existing plans, including the “100-day agenda”, will remain unchanged. “Some tenders were on hold because of the Model Code of Conduct. So now they will be reopened. Given that the BJP government’s focus has been on clean energy and green growth, it is unlikely that the focus on it will shift,” an official from an infrastructure ministry stated.

Bureaucracy Buzz

> Government officials expressed concerns about the misalignment of views between ministers  and secretaries in the absence of absolute centralised power

> Coalition governments often trigger bureaucratic reshuffles, with alliance partners inclined to appoint bureaucrats from their home cadres to their respective ministries

> Many officials believe the priorities for the 100-day agenda will shift, especially for ministries headed by coalition partners

(Asit Ranjan Mishra, Shreya Nandi, Harsh Kumar, Shiva Rajora, Shrimi Choudhary, Shreya Jai, Dhruvaksh Saha, Ashutosh Mishra, and Ruchika Chitravanshi contributed to this report)