What are the basic principles of public life? Illustrate any three of these with suitable examples.

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Ghissu Editorial · Accepted Answer

The basic principles of public life are the seven Nolan values of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership, endorsed by India's 2nd ARC in 2007. Satyendra Dubey, T.N. Seshan and Lal Bahadur Shastri illustrate integrity, objectivity and accountability.

**Introduction**

The basic principles of public life are the values expected of every holder of public office. The UK's Nolan Committee codified seven of them in 1995, and India's 2nd ARC endorsed them in its 4th Report, "Ethics in Governance" (2007), as the base of a code of ethics.

**The Basic Principles of Public Life**

SKETCH: mindmap | Nolan: 7 Principles of Public Life
- Selflessness
- Integrity
- Objectivity
- Accountability
- Openness
- Honesty
- Leadership

1. **Origin**: The committee was set up in 1994 after the "cash for questions" scandal in the British Parliament.
2. **Indian adaptation**: The Draft Public Services Bill, 2007 added Indian values such as allegiance to the ideals of the Preamble and apolitical functioning.
3. **Codified duty**: The 2014 amendment to the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968 made integrity, neutrality, accountability and transparency binding obligations on every officer.

**Three Principles Illustrated**

1. **Integrity**: Satyendra Dubey of the National Highways Authority of India exposed corruption in the Golden Quadrilateral project and was murdered in 2003; his case led to the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014.
2. **Objectivity**: As Chief Election Commissioner (1990-96), T.N. Seshan enforced the Model Code of Conduct against ruling and opposition parties alike, judging each breach on merit.
3. **Accountability**: Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned as Railway Minister after the Ariyalur train accident of 1956, owning moral responsibility for a failure that was not his personal fault.

**Conclusion**

These principles turn public office into a public trust. Dubey, Seshan and Shastri show that ethical governance rests finally on character rather than codes, and that living these values is how public servants uphold constitutional morality.

What are the basic principles of public life? Illustrate any three of these with suitable examples.

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