Information Technology Act

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The Information Technology Act 2000 (ITA-2000) is an Act of the Indian Parliament (No 21 of 2000) notified on October 17, 2000.

1 History of the Act
2 Specifics of the Act
- 2.1 Essence of the Act
3 Latest developments
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] History of the Act

The General Assembly of the United Nations by resolution A/RES/51/162, dated the 30 th January, 1997 has adopted the Model Law on Electronic Commerce adopted by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. This is referred to as the UNCITRAL Model Law on E-Commerce.

The said resolution recommended inter alia that all States give favourable consideration to the said Model Law when they enact or revise their laws, in view of the need for uniformity of the law applicable to alternatives to paper-based methods of communication and storage of information.

The Ministry of Commerce Government of India created the first draft of the legislation following the UNO termed as "E Commerce Act 1998".

After the formation of a separate ministry of Information Technology, the draft was taken over by the new ministry which re-drafted the legislation as "Information Technology Bill 1999".

This draft was placed in the Parliament in December 1999 and passed in May 2000. After the assent of the President on June 9, 2000, the act was finally notified with effect from October 17, 2000 vide notification number G.S.R 788(E).

A major amendment was made to the Act with effect from 6th February 2003 consequent to the passage of a related legislation called Negotiable Instruments Amendment Act 2002.

[edit] Specifics of the Act

Information technology Act 2000 consists of 94 sections seggregated into 13 chapters. Four schedules form part of the Act. The latest version of the Act after the amendments dated 6th February 2003 is available at Naavi.org. [1] The rules accompanying the Act along with latest amendments is also available at Naavi.org [2]

[edit] Essence of the Act

Information Technology Act 2000 addressed the following issues. 1. Legal Recognition of Electronic Documents 2. Legal Recognition of Digital Signatures 3. Offences and Contraventions 4. Justice Dispensation System for Cyber Crimes

[edit] Latest developments

The Government of India has proposed major amendments to ITA-2000 which have been passed by the Cabinet Committee of the Government of India and are ready for being placed before the Indian Parliament for discussion. Arguments in opposition of the amendments are available at Naavi.org [3].