Karnataka HC notice to chief secy over e-Vidhan project

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Chief Secretary on a PIL filed by former MLC and advocate Ramesh Babu, seeking directions to the state government for implementing the e-governance project through National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) instead of implementing it through a private agency identified by Keonics at Rs 254 crore.  

A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Ashok S Kinagi issued the notice after hearing the petition. The petitioner contended that the Centre-sponsored scheme, NeVa, which envisages covering all state assemblies pan-India, has a total comprehensive outlay of Rs 60.84 crore, as against the state government-envisaged state-level scheme covering only its assembly and council with an outlay of Rs 254 crore, which is without any competitive bidding process. This project is sought to be implemented by a private entity identified by Keonics, causing unnecessary burden to the state exchequer, the petitioner alleged.

The total outlay of the scheme is Rs 673.94 crore. The Secretariat of the Legislative Assembly had accorded initial acceptance to the said scheme. Presently, the Secretariat wants to rescind the acceptance and it seeks to proceed with its e-Vidhan programme, with an estimated cost of Rs 254 crore.

Therefore, “I addressed a letter dated May 5, 2022, to the Speaker, Karnataka Legislative Assembly, highlighting the benefits of implementation of NeVA and bringing the aspect of the burden on the state exchequer. But no action was taken,” the petitioner alleged.