CDO saap, please don’t put other seniors through this!

Both of my parents are senior citizens, octogenarians to be precise, born in Kathmandu, holding valid citizenship cards provided by the erstwhile His Majesty’s Government (HMG)’s Magistrate Office of Kathmandu. With the introduction of the mandatory requirement of the National Identity Card (NIC) for receiving pension, I tried to fill out the application form for the card at the District Administration Office (DAO) at Babar Mahal. 

After a swift glance at their citizenship cards, the staff mockingly remarked, “This type of citizenship card exists too?” He added, “We have not seen any identity cards as such. We will have to check the ledger manually.” After I requested them to check the ledger and the consequent long wait, the staff returned and simply wrote on the copy of the card, “Could not find the record of citizenship.”

My parents started questioning the capability of the government after the CDO office asked them to make new citizenship cards. I wondered how the incompetence of the related authority in maintaining records could be translated as the mistake of a citizen, burdening each citizen with extra work. Still, I remained silent and stopped the process.

In accordance with the requirement set by the CDO office, I set out for my ward office a few days later after work. I filled out the Annex 1 form for application of a new citizenship card and the Annex 2 form for the application to acquire a newer copy of an older citizenship card. It is important to note at this point that although my parents had not lost their citizenship cards, I was required to fill out the forms in a manner that presumed that either they needed a new citizenship card or they had lost their cards. But I had no option to choose from; neither the freedom to contest the bureaucratic mechanism, nor the freedom of choice. Although I had to travel back and forth to the ward office and my home for signature and finger-print stamps of my parents, the process was prompt as the staffers at the office were courteous and helpful.

A couple of days after I completed the process at the ward office, I went to the DAO to submit the forms. At different windows, each staff member asked me multiple times to bring the photocopies of Voter’s ID and Senior Citizen ID card. I complied without complaints. 

At one point, a staff member asked, “Are they literate?” and demanded their School Leaving Certificate (SLC). Since my parents took their SLC in the 1960s, I would have needed to call and ask them whether they still had the certificate. Instead of passing them through another tribulation, I simply asked the staff member why the certificate was needed. 

“Their date of birth (DOB) hasn’t been mentioned anywhere,” he said.

“It is mentioned in the citizenship card issued by the Magistrate Office of Kathmandu,” I replied.

He simply said, “That will not work.”

I asked him why they would not consider the document from the erstwhile governmental office and whether they would consider the document since my parents are senior citizens. He simply asked me to apply from the next window.

At the next window, the staffer demanded my parents’ birth certificates where their immediately prior three generations were disclosed.

“Should you not deliver convenient services to seniors? The three generations have been mentioned in the annexes.” I tried to reason with them.

At that moment, my father - with a walking stick in his hand -  lost his patience and asked, “Why are you heaping all this trouble on this 86 year old man? I have not lost my citizenship card, either. You say you do not recognize the Magistrate Office. At least employ some logic!”

After the outburst, we were directed to the window occupied by the assistant CDO.

My parents cannot stand for a long time. They need to go to the bathroom very often. Three hours have elapsed since they arrived here leading to physical difficulties. They need to lie down. I tried to request the assistant CDO for consideration.

Forget consideration, he attempted to counsel me instead: "All the elderly people act the same. Why are you burdening your parents? Care for them instead. Only you should be making runs to the office.”

I lost my cool at such a personal remark and said: "Who are you to say that I am supposed to take care of my parents. Your job is to provide convenient service to those who seek help."

Observing my response, my father told the assistant CDO, “If you need an SLC you probably are looking for the DoB but the DoB is not mentioned in the certificate."

The assistant CDO said, "Old Citizenship card, Voters ID, and Senior Citizenship card is not a valid source for DoB."

I had those three IDs in particular since the officials had previously asked for those IDs, in addition to my father's previous identification card from the Department of Roads. My father retired as Joint Secretary from the Department of Roads.

Then, he demanded my parents’ birth certificate from the ward with details of three generations. He even asked my elderly father, “Do you have the citizenship card of your parents?”

How ridiculous! How could he expect my elderly parents to maintain the citizenship card of their parents?

I wondered whether the concept of DoB was even prevalent in Nepal in the 60s. I pondered over the fact that the officials could not realize that the Election Commission that issues the Voter’s ID is higher in governmental hierarchy than the CDO office. It made no sense for a lower government body to deny the certification from a higher office. In addition, if the Voter’s ID, pension card from the erstwhile HMG, and the Senior Citizen ID were not considered a valid source of information, why were we asked to bring photocopies of those documents?

I asked the assistant CDO the time by which I could get the needed documents to complete the process by the end of the day. He stated a deadline of 2 pm.

So I accompanied my parents to the ward office and the staff helped us by providing the documents promptly. I reached the CDO office at 1:45 pm.

My father handed the SLC of both my parents along with his PhD certificate to the official at the window. As suspected by my father, those documents did not have their DoB mentioned on them. 

Further along the process, when my parents were asked for fingerprint impressions for documentation, the ink on the stamp pad had run dry. Even after multiple attempts at pressing the pad, the pad did not release any ink.

“Our hands shake of old age when we try to provide a signature,” my father remarked, “And we cannot apply enough force to this dried pad for a fingerprint.”

The staff made fun of the situation and started laughing.

I told them, “Please don't laugh.”

I had to request the public service officers to not make fun of the physical condition of elderly citizens. 

What a service for the elderly!

Afterwards, the staff provided us with a new ink pad and we finally received the identity card. 

While leaving the DAO, my father sarcastically said  to the assistant CDO:

“It is only due to your divine grace that I received my citizenship card. I hope you do not make other elderly citizens go through the same hardships you have subjected us to. Do employ your own logic at times!”

After reaching home, I checked my SLC to see if it had any mention of my DoB. Even in my SLC the date was not mentioned! I cannot think of any reasonable excuse for the officials to demand the certificates from my octogenarian parents. What if an elderly citizen had never attended school? Would they be denied citizenship? And how could the DAO deny the credibility of the erstwhile Magistrate Office?

To this day I wonder what problems others would have to face for the same process. In my case, my parents were educated, had their citizenship card from the erstwhile Magistrate Office, and had a daughter who could accompany them. If the DAO staff deal with all elderly citizens in a similar manner, how are others treated?