Documents in electronic form

>>>>>Central Government Act

Section 4 in The Information Technology Act, 2000

4. 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 h ve been satisfied if such information or matter is-

(a) rendered or made available in an electronic form; and

(b) accessible so as to be usable for a subsequent reference.

>>>>> The forms/formats for various purposes are prescribed.

If the electronic record is in the same formats/forms this should be acceptable.

State Govt. have concurred e.g;

>>>>> Maharashtra IT/ITES Policy-2009

https://www.maharashtra.gov.in/PDF/itpolicy.pdf

3.1.3 Initiatives related to Laws

2)  Exemption from maintaining physical records for attendance and salary.

3)  Option for self-certification and filing of consolidated annual returns under

13 Acts administered by the Labour Department.

2. Provision for IT-ITES units to maintain employee-related records required under various

labour laws in electronic form, and to accept returns in electronic form will be made in

line with the progress of computerization in the Labour Department.

>>>>> GOVERNMENT OF MAHARASHTRA

REVISED DRAFT LABOUR POLICY 2011

https://www.mahashramm.gov.in/maha/download_pdf/labour_policy-2012.pdf

5.1.6  Labour Management System:

“From  the  online  services  to  be  provided  to  the  establishments  and businesses,  user  charges  would  be  collected  which  will  go  into  the  Mahashramm  society

fund  and  the  same  will  be  paid  to  the  total  service  provider  (TSP)  to  register  the  labour force  and  give  financial  inclusion  to  them  at  no  cost  to  the  labourers.    “

All  employers  will  be monitored on the implementation of this mandate in the following manner :

·  All labour will be registered and their biometric captured………..

·  In  case  of  non-compliances  to  various  provisions  of  labour  laws,  including  timely payments,  payments  of  minimum  wages,  payment  of  non  wage  benefits  like

bonus,  gratuity  etc.  automatic  alerts  will  be  generated  and  after  giving  reasonable

opportunity  to  the  non-complying  employers,  visits  of  the  inspection  machinery

will be made. Interoperability  of  labour  registration  with  UID  is  also  provided  for.

The  labour  would  also  be  provided  a  window  to  view  all  his wage and non wage payments, including his cumulative accounts in EPF and ESIC.

Mahashramm,  through  its  softwares  and  automatic  alerts  would  ensure  seamless

implementation  of  labour  laws  at  minimum  cost  to  the  businesses.

Valuable advice of learned experts/members is sought.