Forms , forms and more forms. Despite numerous reforms by many governments to make way for a paperless way of administration , no government happens without forms. Take for instance the very cant do-without’ driving license( DL). The ever important collection of papers or a card which lets you use the option of being mobile on something other than your feet. When you apply for a new license you are supposed to fill what they call a Form-2. If you happen to have a license already even then you fill form-2. And just in case you do not want to fill any of these then get ready to sign on a form which says “YOU’RE FINED” , generously given by the cops.

But consider this, if you already have a license for a two-wheeler in this country, then if you need zip by your new luxury car, then you need another license. This may sound fair enough but once you get it done, look for mistakes ,as that is what the government has license to do. Whats hard to digest is the fact that if the government can get away with mistakes why can’t respectable individuals like you and me? At least what many offices in small town India silently seem to suggest. One such small town called Mangalore (read Mangabore!) in Karnataka is typical of this.

A citizen of this town applied for a 4-wheeler DL. Considering the fact that he already had a 2-wheeler DL the applicant had to still use Form-2. Conveniently ignoring whether the applicant already obtained a two-wheeler license , the form had no query about it. Thus it makes it seem as though the applicant is applying freshly for a DL. After all the anxious waiting and whining , on obtaining the license the applicant realises that his prior possession of a 2- wheeler DL is not recorded in his fresh DL. I guess 2+2 = 4 .whatever!

Bureaucratic red-tapism in its mildest form is what the citizen witnesses next. He approaches the transport authorities with his case. After tossing him from one officer to another , he is only made to realize that his only two options are pay up or shut up!
Guess the reasons are interesting. Correcting a mistake , by endorsing the pre-existence of a license costs an official time and effort. An old-school of thought would suggest that the official is paid for it, but he would still ask you for Rs 300 ! How you look at Rs 300 is a matter purely of perception. If it means a fee , then good; if it means bribe ,then bad; if it means an officer’s worth, then a licensee’s time is more worthy.

Well, you may still what ever happened to the license amidst all this? Thankfully it stands valid , but there’s another catch to it. The citizen notices that the address mentioned on the license is an old one. When the licensee approaches the officer for a second time to have it changed he is asked for a proof of residence. On producing his telephone bill as proof , to the officers , they refuse to accept it. Instead they ask him to produce either his ration card or voter’s ID.

Here’s where the entire public administration of small towns slowly begins to surface.On the pretext that fresh ration cards are to be issued, the rations department is busy clicking photographs of its applicants. How sweet of them! This would take them three months and another three months for processing. Alternatively the applicant can produce his Voter’s ID card or his passport. But he cannot do so as he is waiting for the election officers at the City Corporation to issue them. And unless the state headquarters in Bangalore trickles down its powers to the District Commissioner , that would not trigger off. This trickling would not take less than two months. The last alternative left now is that of the passport. But since the applicant has an old address recorded even on his passport it gets ruled out. For this to change he would have to spend few weeks outside his town.

Six months, 2 months or a few weeks is a lot of time in one’s life. The Road transport , food and passport departments have made life for a license bearing citizen a little more complex. Does the government have a license for smooth, co-ordinated functioning between its administrative departments? We, the public can easily deny them this license if asked for , as we do not need a license to exercise democratic opinions