In view of the Enforcement Directorate raids over alleged bank fraud in multiple cities, what administrative challenges do anti-corruption agencies face in coordination, autonomy, and accountability?

The ongoing difficulties facing India’s anti-corruption apparatus are highlighted by the latest ED searches in a ₹70 crore bank fraud case that took place in Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Mumbai. (The Times of Economics) Such measures demonstrate attentiveness but they also draw attention to the administrative and institutional limitations that organisations like the ED and CBI face.

Principal obstacles:

• Coordination between agencies: Several entities (police, banking regulators, tax and state authorities) frequently need to take action in criminal investigations. Investigations are delayed by overlapping mandates, jurisdictional turf battles and poor cooperation.
• Oversight vs. autonomy: To act boldly, agencies need institutional and statutory independence. However they also require accountability since too much political influence or control can undermine integrity and too much insulation might make people less responsive.
• Capacity & Specialisation: Digital audits, cross-border tracing, forensic accounting and specialised personnel are all necessary for complex financial crimes. There are still too few employees in many agencies.
• Legal and procedural protections: It’s difficult to strike a balance between strict enforcement and citizens’ rights. Administrative duties include safeguarding innocent people, preventing abuse of search and seizure and ensuring due process.
• Public trust and openness: Raids with a lot of media coverage draw attention. Clear communication, checks and transparent processes are necessary for agencies to prevent the impression of political vendettas or selective targeting.

Interagency procedures, protected tenure for agency heads, strengthened forensics wings, judicial oversight and robust internal audit/legal oversight frameworks are some measures that could increase efficiency. This falls under the categories of Law & Order, Accountability, Institutional Design and Administrative Reforms in UPSC Public Administration.

Prominent enforcement operations demonstrate India’s anti-corruption apparatus’s strength and limitations. Deterrence and due process, as well as independence and accountability, are delicate balances that agencies like the ED and CBI must maintain. To ensure that anti-corruption initiatives inspire public trust and endure political constraints, the way forward consists of institutional strengthening, improved coordination and openness. Only then will enforcement organisations be able to transform from reactive tools to the cornerstones of transparent and trustworthy government.

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