3.5. Issues with Citizen Charters in India:

♤ Absence of legal backing to charters. The Citizen’s Charter is not legally enforceable and,

therefore, is non-justiciable.

♤ Poor design and content: Critical information that end users need to hold agencies accountable are missing in charters.

♤ Lack of consultation: End-users and NGOs are not consulted when Charters are drafted.

♤ Inadequate groundwork: Non-familiarity of the service providers with the philosophy, goals and main features of charters.

♤ Lack of public awareness: Effective efforts of communicating and educating the public about the standards of delivery have not been undertaken.

♤ Resistance to change: Vested interests work for stalling the Citizens’ Charter altogether or

in making it toothless.

♤ Lack of review: The review and updation exercise of charters have been very poor.

♤ The needs of senior citizens and other special categories including differently abled has largely not been factored in charter exercise.

♤ Charters haven not been prepared in vernaculars.

♤ Details of public grievance officer are not provided in many charters.