Thiruvananthapuram: Keralam’s bureaucracy appears to be taking its concern over ink colours to a new level. After directing govt departments to print official materials strictly in blue or black ink, the personnel and administrative reforms department (P&ARD) has now turned its attention to the colour of ink used by citizens when they submit applications, complaints and representations to govt offices.An internal note issued by P&ARD on Sept 7 (accessed by TOI) seeks information on whether there are any govt orders or instructions prescribing the colour of ink to be used by members of the public in applications, complaints, petitions, representations and other documents submitted to govt offices. The department has also sought clarification on the colour of ink to be used for signing such documents.More intriguingly, it wants to know whether an application or representation can be refused or not accepted merely because it has been written or signed in an ink colour other than the one prescribed, if any. The department has also asked for copies of the relevant govt orders or directions on the issue, indicating that the query is being examined at the departmental level.The latest exercise comes soon after a recent circular issued by the chief secretary on standardising the colour of ink used in govt’s own printed materials. The circular had noted that govt letterheads, forms, booklets, notifications, communications and other official printed materials were being printed in colours other than blue or black. It ordered that such materials be printed strictly in blue or black ink, with any use of other colours requiring specific approval from the competent authority.The latest note, however, moves beyond the colour of govt stationery and raises a question about the pen in a citizen’s hand. A senior IAS officer questioned the need for such detailed attention to ink colour at a time when govt itself is moving towards paperless administration.“Why are we spending so much administrative attention on the colour of ink used by a citizen? The substance of an application or complaint should matter, not whether somebody used a blue, black or some other pen. More importantly, we are already moving towards online applications and paperless service delivery. At a time when citizens can submit applications and grievances electronically, this kind of preoccupation with ink colour appears completely out of sync with the direction in which administration is supposed to move.”Keralam’s own digital-governance infrastructure makes the contrast particularly striking. Govt’s e-application portal allows citizens to submit applications to departments online and track their status. The state’s e-services dashboard also records a large volume of applications and grievances handled through online systems, including the chief minister’s public grievance redressal system.More significantly, govt has recently announced process reforms aimed at making paperless service delivery, online applications and digital communication standard practice across departments. The reform programme explicitly envisages reducing the need for citizens to carry documents to govt offices. Against that backdrop, the latest P&ARD query over the colour of ink used in handwritten applications raises eyebrows.
