What is a document?
According to DK Illustrated Oxford Dictionary, a document is a piece of written or printed matter that provides a record or evidence of events, an agreement, ownership, identification, etc. It is a way of providing a proof or evidence. The word “document” comes from the Latin word, documentum, which means “proof.” In our present context, documents also include information stored on electro-magnetic devices, such as, hard disks, floppy disks, pen drives, cloud, and other digital formats and include documents filed electronically using digital signatures.
Documentary means “consisting of documents” (e.g., documentary evidence), providing a factual record or report.
Documentation is the accumulation, classification and dissemination of information relating to a process or event.
From Written to Electronic Documents
According to Indian Evidence Act 1872, a fact (word or action) must be authenticated by verifiable proof and evidence, preferably in written form. With fast-moving times, the Information Technology Act 2000 brought sweeping changes to the understanding of the word “document” and the way business can be conducted. ITA 2000 provides legal recognition to transactions carried out by means of electronic data interchange and promotes e-commerce, eliminating to a great extent the paper method of communication and storage of information. With this legal recognition was also granted to e-filing of documents, electronic form of book-keeping, transactions done in electronic mode, and digital signatures for accepting agreements and documents. However, some transactions must be done physically only, for example, attestation for giving power of attorney of property, contract of sale of immovable property, for making a will, and for creating a trust.
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Fr Trevor D’Souza OFM
