Information Technology Act, 2000

Preamble

An Act to provide legal recognition for transactions carried out by means of electronic date interchange and other means of electronic communication, commonly referred to as "electronic commerce", which involve the use of alternative to paper-based methods of communication and storage of information to facilitate electronic filing of documents with the Government agencies and further to amend the Indian Penal Code, the India Evidence Act, 1872, the Banker’s Books Evidence Act, 1891 and the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto;

WHEREAS the General Assembly of the United Nations by resolution A/RES/ 51/162, date 30^th January 1997 has adopted the Model Law on Electronic Commerce adopted by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law;

AND WHREAS the said resolution recommends, inter alia, that all States give favorable 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;

AND WHEREAS it is considered necessary to give effect to the said resolution and to promote efficient delivery of Government services by means of reliable electronic records;

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Fifty-first Year of the Republic of India as follows: 

Comment : In view of the progressive use of computer networking and internet it was imperative that India have some regulatory law in regard to the present modes of information exchange which impinge not only upon the economic but also social values. 

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