question_answer

"E - commerce is giving way to paperless society and government is supporting it." Substantiate.

Answer:

Ans.     It is right to say that E-commerce is giving way to paperless society. Government is also formulating laws to help in this creation. It is clear from the laws formulated under IT Act, 2000:

1. Legal recognition of electronic records: 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. For example, a company can send notice for AGM using e - mail.

2. Retention of electronic records: 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. For example, if results are preserved in electronic form it will work.

3. Legal recognition of digital signatures: 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 Goverment.

4. Use of electronic records and digital signatures in Government and its agencies: Where any law provides for the filling 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 license, 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. All these provisions of IT Act, 2000 are helping us to move towards a paperless society.