Paperless Assembly Session

The decision to make the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly's autumn session, beginning 21 September in Srinagar, largely paperless through the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) portal deserves unreserved welcome. It is, quite simply, a right and overdue initiative - one that brings the functioning of a constitutional institution in step with the realities of a digital age. Governance, like every other sphere of public life, cannot remain frozen in old ways merely for the sake of familiarity. Technology has advanced immensely over the past decade, and its judicious use in legislative proceedings is not a matter of novelty but of necessity. The circular issued directing all departments to route questions, bills and other Assembly business exclusively through NeVA marks a firm and welcome departure from the cumbersome paper trail that has for long defined legislative housekeeping.

The merits of the move are manifold. With a single, unified portal handling questions raised by MLAs and the corresponding answers furnished by departments, the entire exchange becomes not only swifter but demonstrably more accountable. No longer will departments be able to hide behind the age-old excuse of a reply having been "despatched but not received", nor will officials be able to plead delays caused by the physical movement of files between offices. NeVA brings with it a digital clarity that leaves little room for ambiguity or evasion. There is also a substantial saving of time and manpower to be had. Officials who would otherwise spend hours physically ferrying documents between the Secretariat and various departments can now be more usefully deployed elsewhere. The savings extend further still - less fuel consumed in transporting paperwork and far less paper used altogether, both of which translate into a smaller carbon footprint. In an era when institutions everywhere are being urged to reduce their environmental impact, a Legislative Assembly leading by example is no small thing.

Equally significant is what this frees up for the Assembly itself. Time that was hitherto lost to the mechanics of paper movement can now be redirected towards more constructive and substantive debate - precisely the purpose for which the House exists. The requirement that departments access their NeVA accounts daily and appoint a Nodal Officer for coordination is a sensible administrative safeguard, ensuring that the shift to the new system does not itself become a source of delay. Departments must ensure their technical arrangements are in place well before the session begins.