The political parties are a link between the citizens and the government and give meaning to the electoral process in a democracy. Since independence, political parties in India have been playing an important role in sustaining India's democracy. A question may, however, be asked 'how have they fared compared to their counterparts in other democracies?' A comparison is perhaps possible based on the respective visions of the political parties as reflected in their election manifestoes.

The present book examines the vision of political parties with respect to 'administrative reforms'. Significantly, the two Administrative Reforms Commissions in the past identified a host of areas needing reforms. While a good many of their recommendations have been implemented, a larger number of them have remained unimplemented. 'Lack of political will' has often been held responsible for their non-implementation. The book attempts to draw attention to issues relating to administrative reforms at the level of the Central Government, the State Government and the Local Bodies.