While working on a case related to the Essential Commodities Act, I happened to read a notable judgment authored by Justice K. J. Vaidya, arising from an appeal by the State of Gujarat against the order of the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Nadiad, in Criminal Case concerning Kiritbhai Maganbhai Patel, tried under Sections 3 and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, the Court made a striking observation.
Justice Vaidya lamented the malignant and dishonest device of “shifting responsibility” among public servants, a tendency which, he remarked, has been steadily increasing and has now assumed the character of a chronic disease, draining the very vitals of public interest.
To illustrate this malaise, Justice Vaidya invoked a timeless anecdote:
“This is the story of four people – Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important task to be done. Everybody was certain Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did. Somebody grew angry, for it was Everybody’s responsibility. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody would not. In the end, Everybody blamed Somebody, when Nobody did what Anybody could have.”
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