Use of electronic records and electronic signatures in Government and its agencies
Section 6 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 deals with use of electronic records and electronic signatures in Government and its agencies. Where any law provides for-- (a) the filing of any form, application or any other document with any office, authority, body or agency owned or controlled by the appropriate Government in a particular manner; The Act came into force on 17 Oct 2000.
6. Use of electronic records and 1 [electronic signatures] in Government and its agencies.--(1) Where any law provides for--
(a) the filing of any form, application or any other document with any office, authority, body or agency owned or controlled by the appropriate Government in a particular manner;
(b) the issue or grant of any licence, permit, sanction or approval by whatever name called in a particular manner;
(c) the receipt or payment of money in a particular manner,
then, notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, such requirement shall be deemed to have been satisfied if such filing, issue, grant, receipt or payment, as the case may be, is effected by means of such electronic form as may be prescribed by the appropriate Government.
(2) The appropriate Government may, for the purposes of sub-section (1), by rules, prescribe--
(a) the manner and format in which such electronic records shall be filed, created or issued;
(b) the manner or method of payment of any fee or charges for filing, creation or issue any electronic record under clause (a).
Section 6, The Information Technology Act, 2000 (Act 21 of 2000).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Union of India vs G. S. Chatha Rice Mills
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
A notification issued under Section 8A of the Customs Tariff Act 1975 increasing import duty takes effect prospectively from the time it is published in the e-Gazette, not from the commencement of the day on which it is issued. The rate of duty applicable to imported goods entered for home consumption is determined with reference to the date and time of presentation of the bill of entry under Section 15 of the Customs Act 1962 read with Regulation 4(2) of the Bill of Entry Regulations 2018. Bills of entry presented before the notification is published in the e-Gazette are assessed at the rate of duty in force at the time of their presentation. Subordinate legislation issued under Section 8A cannot have retrospective effect unless the parent statute expressly or by necessary implication authorizes it. The General Clauses Act 1897 Section 5(3) does not apply to delegated legislation. In the electronic age, the precise time of publication of notifications in e-gazettes and the precise time of filing of bills of entry on the customs automated system are legally significant for determining the applicable rate of duty.
On this section: Provides for use of electronic records and electronic signatures in government agencies; filing requirements can be satisfied through electronic means
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Union of India vs Devansh Overseas
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
A notification issued under Section 8A of the Customs Tariff Act 1975 increasing import duty takes effect prospectively from the precise time of its publication in the e-gazette and cannot apply retrospectively to bills of entry presented before such publication. The rate of duty applicable to imported goods entered for home consumption under Section 46 of the Customs Act 1962 is determined with reference to the date and time of presentation of the bill of entry as crystallized by the deeming fiction in Regulation 4(2) of the Bill of Entry (Electronic Integrated Declaration and Paperless Processing) Regulations 2018. Once a bill of entry is deemed to have been presented and self-assessment completed under Regulation 4(2), the rate of duty stands crystallized and cannot be altered by a subsequently issued notification. Customs authorities cannot reassess bills of entry under Section 17(4) on the basis of a subsequently issued notification where the self-assessment was correctly done at the time of presentation based on the rate of duty then in force.
On this section: Provides for use of electronic records and electronic signatures in government agencies; filing requirements can be satisfied through electronic means
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Made under this section, and citing it
5 instruments state that it was made under this provision — the power to make it comes from here, so a change to any of them changes what this section requires in practice. Newest first.
- Information Technology Department — e-Governance — Electronic Delivery of Services in the State — Tamil Nadu Information Technology (Electronic Service Delivery) Rules, 2016 - Notified - Orders - IssuedOrder 2016
- Tamil Nadu Information Technology (ESD) Rules, 2016Notification 2016
- Tamil Nadu Information Technology (Electronic Service Delivery) Rules, 2016Rule 2016
- National capital Territory of Delhi Information Technology (Electronic Service Delivery) Rules, 2012Rule 2012
- Information Technology (Use of Electronic Records and Digital Signature) Rules, 2004Rule 2004
Another 1 instrument names this provision in its title or its text without being made under it.
Questions about Section 6
What have the courts held on Section 6 of the Information Technology Act?
Union of India vs G. S. Chatha Rice Mills (23 Sep 2020) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Provides for use of electronic records and electronic signatures in government agencies; filing requirements can be satisfied through electronic means. Another 1 judgment on this section is set out below, all of them from the Supreme Court.
How do I find court cases under Section 6 of the Information Technology Act?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: IT Act 6, section 6 IT Act, section 6 of the Information Technology Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 2 reported judgments on this section are set out on this page, beginning with Union of India vs G. S. Chatha Rice Mills (23 Sep 2020).
What should I read with Section 6 of the Information Technology Act, and has it changed?
3 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it. The rules and notifications made under it are where it actually bites, and there are 5: most recently Information Technology Department — e-Governance — Electronic Delivery of Services in the State — Tamil Nadu Information Technology (Electronic Service Delivery) Rules, 2016 - Notified - Orders - Issued (2016), then Tamil Nadu Information Technology (ESD) Rules, 2016 (2016), and 3 more.
When did Section 6 of the Information Technology Act come into force?
Section 6 of the Information Technology Act, cited as IT Act 6, came into force on 17 Oct 2000, having been enacted on 09 Jun 2000. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
- 2. Definitions1304 words
- 87. Power of Central Government to make rules877 words
- 43. Penalty and compensation for damage to computer, computer system, etc506 words
- 46. Power to adjudicate370 words
- 89. Power of Controller to make regulations345 words
- 70B. Indian Computer Emergency Response Team to serve as national agency for incident response326 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 14 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.