Centre push to digitise government services has extended to notary administration, with the Ministry of Law and Justice saying more than 35,000 digitally signed Certificates of Practice have already been issued to newly appointed notaries through its centralised online portal.
The Notary Portal provides a web-based interface for services under the Notaries Act, 1952 and the Notaries Rules, 1956. It allows applicants to seek appointment, undergo eligibility checks and receive practice certificates digitally.
The system is intended to eventually support renewals, changes in practice area and annual returns, creating a paperless channel between notaries and the government.
Currently only the module for verifying documents and issuing certificates is active. Before this system came into use, Certificates of Practice were issued solely in physical form.
Details of the portal’s usage were shared in the Lok Sabha by Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice, who said the platform offers a faceless and more efficient approach to processing applications.
The digital shift in notarial work aligns with broader changes in India’s legal and administrative systems. The Ministry of Law and Justice has in recent years expanded digital infrastructure through initiatives such as the ongoing eCourts programme, which supports e-filing of cases and online access to court records.
Several departments have been moving registration and certification procedures online, reducing in-person visits and document handling.
The Notary Portal currently covers a limited set of functions, but its usage figures suggest practitioners are increasingly using digital platforms for administrative compliance.
According to a senior official, the pace of enabling additional features will determine how much formal legal documentation work moves online as the government continues its transition toward e-governance.
