The Comptroller and Auditor General audits government expenditure, the Central Vigilance Commission addresses corruption, and the Lokpal investigates corruption allegations against public functionaries; together they form a multi-layered ______ framework for governance.
- financial
- accountability
- legislative
- judicial
Answer: accountability
India's accountability architecture: (a) CAG: Financial accountability through audit, (b) CVC: Vigilance administration and corruption prevention, (c) Lokpal/Lokayuktas: Independent investigation of corruption against high functionaries, (d) Information Commissions: Transparency through RTI, (e) Parliamentary committees: Legislative oversight. Multi-layered framework ensures checks and balances; effectiveness depends on independence, capacity, and political will for implementation.