SRINAGAR: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has decided to roll out an online notary portal and has directed the formation of inspection teams to carry out physical verification of notaries across the Union Territory to enhance transparency, accountability and efficiency.
As per a circular issued by the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Directors of Litigation in Jammu and Kashmir have been instructed to constitute inspection teams under the supervision of District Litigation Officers. The teams have been tasked with physically verifying notaries in their respective districts and collecting the required details within a week to enable their registration on the proposed online portal.
The circular states that any discrepancies detected during the verification process must be reported to the department for appropriate action under the Notaries Act, 1952, and the Notaries Rules, 1956. It further mandates all notaries appointed by the Jammu and Kashmir government to cooperate fully with the inspection teams within the stipulated timeframe, warning that failure to do so will invite action as per law.
The department said the online portal will facilitate registration and appointment of notaries, renewal of certificates of practice and online submission of annual returns. It will also place all notary-related information in the public domain with round-the-clock access and provide a platform for lodging grievances related to notarial services.
The circular reiterated that, under existing rules, every notary is required to submit an annual return of notarial acts in the first week of January each year and apply online for renewal of the certificate of practice within the prescribed period. -(KL)
