Accountability refers to the state of being responsible or answerable for one’s actions, decisions, and policies. It means that individuals or organizations have a moral or legal obligation to explain and justify their actions, and to accept the consequences if they fall short. 

Accountability is often considered a key aspect of transparency and good governance.

In the context of governance, accountability signifies the duty and responsibility of individuals in power to explain their actions and decisions to the public or a higher authority. This means that they must provide explanations and justifications for their behaviour, and be held accountable for any wrongdoings or breaches of trust. It also means that they are answerable to the people they serve, and that there is a system in place for them to be held accountable for their actions. This helps to ensure that those in power act in a transparent, responsible and ethical manner, and that there are consequences for any abuse of power. 

Accountability as a relational concept: The obligation of power holders to be answerable for their actions might stem out of a moral-ethical need to account for one’s behaviour, or out of a legal requirement. It’s a relational notion as it relates to the interaction between those who take action or provide services and those affected by those actions or services. Actualising accountability involves two critical aspects: 

• The first step is determining who is accountable to whom and for what, and  
• Second is developing the institutional mechanisms and incentive-sanction structures on the basis of which accountability is realised.

Elements in accountability: There are various elements that come together in the notion of accountability, including 

• Answerability: the necessity for justification regarding actions taken, 
• Enforcement: the sanctions which could be imposed if the actions or justifications for the actions are found to be unsatisfactory, and 
• Responsiveness: the ability of those being held accountable to address the demands made upon them. More importantly, accountability requires transparency so that actions can be scrutinised and performance assessed.

Overall, accountability means that the power holders must provide explanations and justifications for their behaviour, and be held accountable for any wrongdoings or breaches of trust. It also means that they are answerable to the people they serve, and that there is a system in place for them to be held accountable for their actions. This helps to ensure that those in power act in a transparent, responsible and ethical manner, and that there are consequences for any abuse of power. 

Accountability in Governance Ensuring Transparency and Responsibility of Political Executives

At the national level, the council of ministers led by the Prime Minister, and at the state level, the council of ministers led by the Chief Minister, constitutes the political executive. The political executive at both levels possesses substantial authority concerning policy formulation, legislation, schemes, and programs. Such wide powers without accountability would result in rampant corruption and decay of democracy. Thus, it is essential for our political executive to be accountable to the citizens of India for their actions.

Institutional Mechanisms of Accountability in Parliament

The parliament acts as the constitutional body that enforces accountability of the ruling government. It provides accountability for the political executives through various mechanisms:

Collective responsibility

The council of ministers, led by the prime minister, is collectively accountable to the parliament generally and the Lok Sabha specifically. The Lok Sabha has the power to initiate a no-confidence motion against the government for failing to meet the public’s expectations. Such a mechanism keeps check on arbitrary use of the power by those running the government. A similar system of collective accountability exists at the state level. However, the government with a strong majority in the lower house of the parliament cannot be removed with the use of no-confidence motion.

Individual Responsibility

Ministers hold their positions at the discretion of the president. The prime minister has the authority to request the resignation of a minister or recommend their dismissal if they do not adequately perform their responsibilities. Non-performance on the part of ministers can result in their removal from their respective office. This system guarantees the proper use of power and authority by ministers. 

Parliamentary questions

The question hour in both houses of parliament serves as a means for representatives of the public to hold the political executive accountable for their actions. Question hour provides a platform to members of parliament to inquire into the working of different ministries and departments. The answerability and accountability of ministers is ensured when they are made to respond to questions pertaining to their work.