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It is not just the common man who has to put up with the deadly bureaucratic bloopers. There have been innumerable instances of citizens being recorded dead in documents of civic and municipal administrations, even when they are alive.

This one beats them all. The family of N V Patil, former MLA of the Ramdurg constituency, were in for a shock of their lives when they received a letter from the Karnataka Legislative Assembly secretariat on Tuesday, pronouncing him dead. The letter, signed by Under Secretary N Gopalkrishnarao on July 10, said Patil had died on July 7. He was a member of the Assembly between 1999 and 2004.

The letter reached the ex-MLA’s house at Sunnal village in Ramdurg taluk, at a time when he had been to Belgaum for official work in the court. Patil’s kin heaved a sigh of relief after he reached home later in the day.

Giving details of the episode, Patil told reporters on Wednesday that he would file a defamation case against those responsible and that he had begun legal consultations for the purpose.

The letter stated that the pension and other benefits should be given to his family up to July 8 and the pension documents, including orders, should be returned to the secretariat. Copies of the letter were marked to State Bank of Mysore, Ramdurg branch, and members of his family.

Patil termed the letter pronouncing him dead the height of irresponsibility of the secretariat and the government.  “Had I been abroad or lost touch with my family, they would have been in an unenviable situation. Such incidents should not recur and those responsible should be taught a lesson. I will file a defamation case after completing the legal consultations.”

Patil quit the Congress and joined the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in 2009. Reacting to the goof-up, JD-S State general secretary Ashok Pujar said the unsavoury episode was a reflection of the state of affairs in Karnataka and that the legislature had lost control over the executive.

Legislative Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah also said he would soon initiate action against an officer in the assembly secretariat who had sent the letter seeking family pension details to Patil’s house.