Collusion of excise officials, bar owners exposed in Kerala

Ethical Dimensions of the Issue

1. Violation of Rule of Law

   • Excise officials are duty-bound under constitutional morality and Article 14 (Equality before Law) to enforce licensing and excise rules fairly.

   • Their collusion with bar owners undermines the principle of impartial governance.

2. Abuse of Public Office

   • Public officials are trustees of citizens’ interests (Doctrine of Public Trust).

   • Accepting bribes in cash, liquor, or digital transfers represents misuse of authority for private gain, contradicting probity in governance.

3. Erosion of Ethical Governance

   • Goes against the Nolan Committee Principles: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership.

   • Also violates Kautilya’s Arthashastra dictum that a king’s foremost duty is protecting citizens from exploitation.

4. Doctrine of Equity and Justice

   • Corruption creates an uneven field where compliant bar owners or small entrepreneurs are disadvantaged, violating the principle of fairness and distributive justice.

5. Impact on Society

   • Encourages proliferation of illicit liquor, risking public health and safety, especially during festivals like Onam.

   • Weakens trust in institutions, leading to moral relativism where citizens begin to see corruption as ‘normal’.

6. Failure of Accountability Mechanisms

   • Lack of transparency and oversight violates the Right to Good Governance and principles of administrative accountability.

Ethical Correctives

• Strengthening Vigilance & Social Audits → Ensures transparency and accountability.

• Rotation of Officers & Whistleblower Protection → Reduces scope of collusion.

• Value-based Training in Ethics (Integrity, Objectivity, Courage) → Reinforces civil service code of conduct.

• Community Participation (Gram Sabhas, Resident Forums) → Embeds participatory governance and citizen oversight.

• Technology (Digital Excise Monitoring, Cashless Transactions) → Prevents rent-seeking behaviour.

Ethical Keywords to Use

• Rule of Law, Constitutional Morality, Public Trust Doctrine, Probity in Governance, Integrity, Equity, Transparency, Accountability, Social Justice, Ethical Leadership.