Kolkata, 11 June (H.S.) : The West Bengal Legislative Assembly is set to adopt a fully digital and paperless system of functioning in the coming days as part of the Centre’s National e-Vidhan Application (NEVA) project. Assembly Speaker Rathindranath Bose on Thursday announced that the state legislature would align its operations with the digital platform, while a comprehensive training programme would also be organized for newly elected legislators.

Addressing reporters, Bose said that nearly 200 first-time MLAs are part of the current Assembly and would be provided training on legislative procedures and the new digital system after the Budget Session. The programme will be attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, along with the Speakers of the Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan Legislative Assemblies, who will guide the legislators on parliamentary practices and digital governance.

The Speaker said that once the e-Vidhan system is implemented, most Assembly proceedings and legislative processes will be conducted digitally, significantly reducing the use of paper. He noted that the transition would make legislative functioning more transparent and accessible to citizens.

According to Bose, the paperless initiative will allow the public easier access to Assembly documents, proceedings, and information, thereby strengthening transparency and accountability in the democratic process.

The Centre has been working for several years to bring Parliament as well as the legislatures of all states and Union Territories under the NEVA platform. About five years ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged the then Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal to join the initiative. However, the state government at the time did not participate in the project.

Following the change in government in the state, the administration led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre within weeks of assuming office, formally bringing West Bengal under the NEVA framework.

The NEVA platform enables Members of Parliament and legislators to submit notices, raise questions, move resolutions, and carry out various legislative functions through a digital interface. It also allows citizens to monitor legislative proceedings, submit suggestions and feedback, and watch live broadcasts of Assembly sessions.

Experts believe that the implementation of the digital system will enhance transparency, improve adherence to procedural rules, and make legislative functioning more efficient while substantially reducing paper consumption and administrative delays.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh