Answer:

Introduction

Impartiality in public service demonstrates unbiased decision-making based on fairness and objectivity, free from favouritism or prejudice whereas Non-partisanship means abstaining from political biases or affiliations, ensuring decisions and actions are guided solely by ethical considerations and the public interest, not political agendas or pressures. 

Body 

Roles of impartiality and non-partisanship in promoting fair policy implementation:

Impartiality:

• Promoting Inclusivity: Impartiality in policy implementation ensures that marginalized and minority groups are not discriminated against. Eg: Implementation of schemes like the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act showcases this commitment.
• Facilitating Fair Resource Allocation: Impartiality ensures that resources are allocated fairly and efficiently, without favoritism. Eg: Implementation of the Public Distribution System in India aims to ensure fair distribution of resources to the needy.
• Objective Decision-Making: Impartiality leads to decisions based on facts and evidence rather than personal or political considerations. Eg: Implementation of the Right to Information Act by Civil Servants demonstrates objective decision-making.
• Ensuring Policy Continuity: Impartiality helps in ensuring continuity in policy implementation, regardless of changes in the political landscape. The continuity of programs like the National Health Mission across different governments is an example of this.

Non-partisanship:

• Building Public Trust: Non-partisanship helps in building trust among the public that decisions are made in the public interest and are not influenced by political biases. Eg: role of the Indian judiciary, often seen as a non-partisan institution, enhances public trust in its verdicts.
• Preventing Corruption: Non-partisanship helps in preventing corruption by ensuring that decisions are not influenced by political affiliations or pressures. Eg: Lokpal and Lokayukta play a key role in maintaining non-partisanship to prevent corruption in government departments.
• Enhancing Credibility: Non-partisan actions enhance the credibility of public institutions. Eg: Reserve Bank of India’s non-partisan stance in monetary policy decisions is crucial for maintaining its credibility.
• Maintaining Professional Ethics: Non-partisanship is integral to professional ethics in public service. Civil servants like Ashok Khemka have demonstrated commitment to these values, even in the face of political pressure.

Mechanisms and institutions for ensuring and safeguarding Impartiality and Non-partisanship

• Independent Judiciary: The Constitution of India establishes an independent judiciary to interpret and uphold the Constitution. The judiciary is expected to be impartial and free from political influence, ensuring impartial and non-partisan decison making by executive.
• Election Commission of India (ECI): The ECI is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering election processes. It ensures free and fair elections by conducting them impartially, without any influence from political parties.
• Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG): The CAG is an independent authority responsible for auditing government expenditures. It ensures financial accountability and transparency, contributing to the non-partisan functioning of the government.
• Central Vigilance Commission (CVC): It is an apex Indian governmental body created to address governmental corruption, ensuring impartiality in public service. It plays a key role in maintaining integrity and preventing corruption in government departments.
• Central Information Commission (CIC): The CIC ensures transparency and accountability by overseeing the implementation of the Right to Information Act. It operates independently to safeguard impartiality.
• Public Service Commissions: Bodies like the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and State Public Service Commissions ensure impartial recruitment of civil servants, based solely on merit and ability.
• Administrative Tribunals: Institutions like the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) provide a mechanism for redressing grievances of government employees, ensuring fair treatment, and safeguarding against partisan actions.
• Ethics Committees in Legislature: Ethics committees in Parliament and state legislatures oversee the conduct of legislators, ensuring adherence to non-partisan and ethical standards.
• Code of Conduct for Civil Servants: The Government of India has established the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964 for civil servants, outlining expectations for maintaining impartiality and non-partisanship in their duties.
• Whistleblower Protection: Laws and mechanisms that protect whistleblowers who expose corruption or bias in government, like the Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014, play a crucial role in safeguarding these principles.
• Training and Capacity Building: Regular training programs for civil servants on ethics, integrity, and the importance of impartiality and non-partisanship. Institutions like the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) conduct such training for IAS officers.

Conclusion 

Impartiality and non-partisanship are not just principles but ethical imperatives for effective public administration. Upholding these values through robust mechanisms and institutions enhances the integrity and credibility of public services, fostering an environment of trust, efficiency and fairness and realizing the broader objectives of equity and justice in society.