The Supreme Court today directed the Centre and State governments to pass an order within three months, on giving fixed tenure to civil servants. A bench headed by Justice K S Radhakrishnan said that fixed tenure of bureaucrats will promote professionalism, efficiency and good governance.

Suggesting sweeping reforms in the functioning of bureaucracy, the bench said, Parliament must enact a law to regulate postings, transfers and disciplinary action against bureaucrats. The apex court held that much of the deterioration in bureaucracy is due to political interference. It said that civil servants should not act on verbal orders given by political executives, and all actions must be taken by them on the basis of written communication.

The bench also said, Civil Services Board be constituted at the Centre and State-levels.

The apex court passed the verdict on a PIL filed by 83 retired bureaucrats, including former Cabinet Secretary TSR Subramanian, seeking its directions for insulating bureaucracy from political interference. The petitioners also included former Indian Ambassador to the US Abid Hussain, former Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami and former Election Commissioner TS Krishna Murthy.