The Indian Supreme Court irt a landmark judgement on Friday freed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from the Prime Minister's overall administrative control insofar as probing the Hawala scam goes. The ruling comes in response to a petition filed by the civil rights activist Vinit Narain. He had contended that since Narasimha Rao's name was mentioned by the opposition in connection with the scandal he should not be in charge of the CBI. .

By a single stroke of judicial intervention ,at the probing stage of the case, the highest court in India has ensured fair and impartial investigation by the federal agency and put the national leaders, both in the government and the opposition, whose names have figured In the sweeping corruption scandal, on a level ground.

Most of the prominent government ministers and top-ranking opposition leaders arrested earlier on have since been granted ball by the court. They include the BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani and Rao's arch-rival in the Congress s Party. Arjun Singh. So. not only has the Supreme Court eliminated the possibility of any impression of a CBI bias in carrying out the probe, the once jailed leaders on both sides are also on bail to defend themselves without any fetters whatsoever.

Although this has undoubtedly earned adverse publicity for Indian politicians, at home and abroad, there is a positive side to it as well. The very uncovering of the sensational bribery scandal involving top. political leaders of the country could not.but strengthen the belief of the votaries of democracy in the power of public information and disclosures. Expectations of high ethical standards in politics have been resoundingly echoed. .

Here is a supremely transparent Instance of public accountability undergoing a litmus test in a neighbouring democracy which we are hoping would emerge stronger from the experience. The institutional strength of India's democracy has been largely due to the demonstrative Independence of her judiciary, freedom of the press and strong bureaucratic traditions. Unless, however, 'the criminalisation of politics'.in India. featured £y money power and strong-arm tactics, is rolled back sooner than later, it would eventually eat into the vitals of Indian democracy.