Cabinet meets might soon go paperless

Law Ministry officials agree to proposal from communications & IT ministry

A proposal by the ministry of communications and information technology (MCIT) which could change the way Cabinet meetings are conducted, by making these paperless, has been endorsed in principle by law ministry officials, with some details needed.

Needing Cabinet endorsement, it is meant to be part of the government's push towards e-governance and Digital India.

MCIT has proposed a structure which envisages preparations for meetings through online sharing of documents among ministries, beside online feedback and suggestions. This would also enable a digital archive of relevant documents for referral. A system designed to ensure restricted access to data.

MCIT expects the proposal, if cleared, can be implemented within six to eight months. Officials say some risks need taking care of. These include unauthorised access, loss or theft of tablets and computers, and fraud.

The advantage expected is to help in cabinet business being conducted from devices such as desktops, laptops, tablets or smartphones. It will eliminate manual distribution of documents and ensure real time information flow on a developing agenda and documents through a secured system, allowing access only through a login. MCIT says the system will be used for ministries to give preliminary notes on a proposal, feedback or objections and digital signature-based authentication.

The plan is for hosting the documents in a central server, setting up a cabinet document management system and sending links to the cabinet note through e-mails and SMS alerts to those authorised.

The department of legal affairs, to which the proposal was referred, has suggested the e-mode should have enough security measure, as cabinet notes are treated as secret. It should be made a responsibility of MCIT and the home ministry.

It has also said the proposal would have repurcussions on implementation of the Public Records Act of 1993 and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, and opinion of the administrative ministries should be sought before a decision. Third, that comments of other administrative ministries be made available, for better examination of the proposal.

Fourth, that legal and constitutional examination of a proposal is a complex function which requires examination and opinions of law officers down the line, after which it is put to those senior for approvals. So, access to documents has to be ensured.