Certified copies of public documents.

What this section does

Every public officer having custody of a public document that any person has a right to inspect must, on demand and payment of legal fees, provide a certified copy. The certificate must state it is a true copy, be dated, subscribed with the officer's name and official title, and sealed where the officer is authorised to use a seal. Such copies are called certified copies.

AI-generated plain-language summary. For the binding statutory text, see India Code (official).

The rule in one line

A public officer with custody of an inspectable public document must issue certified copies on demand and payment of fees, with a dated, signed, and sealed certificate of authenticity.

When it applies

• A person requests a certified copy of a registered deed from the Sub-Registrar's office; the officer must provide it with a certificate that it is a true copy, signed and sealed.
• An officer authorised by the ordinary course of official duty to deliver copies of court records is deemed to have custody of those records for the purpose of issuing certified copies.

Derived from IEA s.76.