Why in news?
In May 2026 the West Bengal Legislative Assembly signed a memorandum of understanding to implement the National eโVidhan Application (NeVA), becoming the 33rd legislature in India to join the initiative. NeVA aims to make lawโmaking processes paperless and improve public access to legislative information.
Background
NeVA is a missionโmode project under the Digital India programme. It follows a โOne Nation, One Applicationโ principle, providing a cloudโbased, deviceโagnostic platform hosted on the MeghRaj (Government Cloud) infrastructure. Legislators can use tablets, phones or laptops to access session schedules, notices, questions, bills, committee reports and other documents in real time. The system maintains a digital repository of all legislative business and enables live updates on house proceedings.
The mobile app (mNeVA) allows members to view agendas, cast votes and refer to rule books from anywhere. Training and orientation workshops are organised for members and secretariat staff to familiarise them with the platform. The project is funded jointly by the central government and participating states, with the Union government providing financial and technical support.
Features and benefits
- Paperless sessions: By digitising notices, questions, bills and debates, NeVA saves thousands of reams of paper and reduces printing costs. Members can annotate documents and access archived records instantly.
- Realโtime information: The platform provides realโtime updates on the list of business, question hour, zero hour and committee meetings. Alerts keep members informed of any changes.
- Single data repository: NeVA stores rules, legislative reports, committee documents and audioโvideo recordings in a secure, searchable digital vault. This enhances transparency and allows citizens to access legislative information online.
- Training and handโholding: Orientation programmes and demonstrations help legislators, especially those new to technology, use the system effectively. Continuous support ensures smooth adoption across states.
- Replication across legislatures: With more than thirty legislatures signing MoUs, the project promotes uniformity and best practices nationwide. States can customise certain modules while retaining a common core.
Conclusion
NeVA represents a significant step towards modernising Indiaโs lawโmaking institutions. By providing deviceโneutral access, digitising records and encouraging paperless proceedings, it enhances transparency and public participation. Successful implementation depends on regular training, user support and ongoing investment in secure digital infrastructure.