Below are given some of the provisions of Information Technology Act 2000 that have made it possible to have paper less dealings in the business world as well as in the government domain.
1. Legal recognition of electronic
records (Section 4):
Where any law provides that information or any other matter shall be in writing
or in the typewritten or printed form, then, notwithstanding anything contained
in such law, such requirement shall be deemed to have been satisfied if such
information or matter is rendered or made available in an electronic form; and
accessible so as to be usable for a subsequent reference.
2. Legal recognition of digital
signatures (Section 5): Where any law provides that information or any other matter shall be
authenticated by affixing the signature or any document shall be signed or bear
the signature of any person, hence notwithstanding anything contained in such
law, such requirement shall be deemed to have been satisfied, if such
information or matter is authenticated by means of digital signature affixed in
such a manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
3. Use of electronic records and digital
signatures in Government and its agencies (Section 6-1): Where any law provides for the
filing of any form, application or any other document with any office,
authority, body or agency owned or controlled by the appropriate Government in
a particular manner; the issue or grant of any licence, permit, sanction or
approval by whatever name called in a particular manner; the receipt or payment
of money in a particular manner, then, notwithstanding anything contained in
any other law for the time being in force, such requirement shall be deemed to
have been satisfied if such filing, issue, grant, receipt or payment, as the
case may be, is effected by means of such electronic form as may be prescribed
by the appropriate Government.
4. : Where any law provides that
documents, records or information shall be retained for any specific period,
then, that requirement shall be deemed to have been satisfied if such
documents, records or information are retained in the electronic form.
Source:
Information Technology Act, 2000