Published Paper Details:

ABSTRACT Legislative commitment has been an important factor in ensuring the success of Civil Service and its reform initiatives in several countries during the last seven decades. Legislative support provides not only a legal framework for Civil Service reform but ensures the continuity of these reforms. Such legislation plays a pivotal role in describing and establishing the core principles which Civil Servants should imbibe. It also provide a clear unified framework within which the Civil Servants can perform their roles and discharge their responsibilities. A new law is often needed to create and empower institutions which would ensure that the Civil Servants discharge their duties while upholding the principles enshrined in the Constitution. A Civil Service law can also provide the basis for bringing about necessary reform in the Civil Service. In this context, an Administrative Law serves three important purposes. First, it provides the necessary explanations for the proposed reform initiatives. When the Bill is introduced in the legislature, there is extensive debate as a result of which issues are clarified and doubts are set at rest. Second, when the reforms are given legislative cover, there is political support and the political parties become committed to the changes. Third, Civil Servants normally take notice of legislation and in this case the Civil Service legislation sends down the important message to the Civil Servants that the reforms are permanent in nature.