Has the Notary Portal Really Issued 34,900 Digitally-Signed Certificates by July 31?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 34,900 digitally-signed Certificates of Practice issued.
- Notary Portal enhances online services for Notaries.
- Facilitates paperless and efficient operations.
- Part of broader digitization efforts in Indian judiciary.
- Phase III of e-Courts Project approved with Rs 7,210 crore budget.
New Delhi, Aug 7 (NationPress) The government has successfully issued 34,900 digitally-signed Certificates of Practice to newly-appointed Notaries across various States and Union Territories via the new Notary Portal, as reported to the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, provided this information in a written response, emphasizing the platform's features designed to streamline online services related to the Notaries Act of 1952 and the Notaries Rules of 1956.
According to Meghwal, the Notary Portal aims to establish a digital connection between Notaries appointed by the Central Government and the Government of India. It offers various services, including application submissions for Notary appointments, eligibility verification, and issuance of digitally signed Certificates of Practice.
Additionally, the Portal facilitates the renewal of practice certificates, modification of practice areas, and submission of annual returns.
Meghwal stated that the Notary Portal operates as a faceless, paperless, transparent, and efficient system.
“Currently, the module concerning document verification and eligibility, along with the issuance of digitally signed Certificates of Practice to newly appointed Notaries, is operational,” he mentioned.
Earlier, Meghwal informed Parliament about ongoing digitization initiatives within the judiciary. Under the e-Courts Project Phase III, a total of 213.29 crore pages in High Courts and 307.89 crore pages in District Courts had been digitized by June 30, 2025.
In response to a Lok Sabha query on August 1, the MoS revealed that the e-Courts project, initiated as an integrated Mission Mode Project since 2007, focuses on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) advancements within the Indian Judiciary, part of the National e-Governance Plan.
Phase III of the e-Courts Project (spanning from 2023 to 2027) received approval in September 2023 with a budget of Rs 7,210 crore.
This phase includes multiple initiatives aimed at enhancing court management processes and digitizing services for various stakeholders, such as lawyers, litigants, and judges.
One component of Phase III involves the scanning, digitization, and digital preservation of case records, for which Rs 2,038.40 crore has been allocated.