Government Issues 36,269 Digital Notary Certificates, Strengthening Justice Access

The Government of India has issued 36,269 digitally signed Certificates of Practice to newly appointed Notaries across the country, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal informed the Lok Sabha on Friday. The certificates, issued as of March 6, 2026, mark a shift from the traditional physical format to a fully digital system.

Meghwal said the certificates are being provided through the newly launched Notary Portal, a dedicated online platform designed to facilitate services under the Notaries Act, 1952, and the Notaries Rules, 1956. The portal offers a faceless, paperless, and transparent system for notarial services, including submission of applications, verification of eligibility, renewal of certificates, change of practice area, and submission of annual returns.

Currently, only the module for verifying documents and eligibility and issuing digitally signed Certificates of Practice is operational. Before the portal’s launch, Notaries received their certificates in physical form. The digital initiative is expected to enhance efficiency and reduce administrative delays across the country.

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In a separate response, Meghwal highlighted the government’s efforts to ensure affordable and accessible justice through the DISHA scheme (Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice). The scheme aims to strengthen access to justice for citizens in line with the Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987, and incorporates innovative components to reach citizens at the grassroots level.

Under the Tele-Law component of DISHA, citizens can obtain pre-litigation legal advice through video or teleconferencing. The service operates via a network of approximately 2.50 lakh Common Service Centres (CSCs) across Gram Panchayats in 777 districts, including 112 Aspirational Districts and 500 Aspirational Blocks, covering all 36 States and Union Territories. As of February 28, 2026, over 1.12 crore pre-litigation advices have been delivered.

Another component, Nyaya Bandhu, promotes a pro bono culture among advocates and law students, offering free legal assistance and representation in court for eligible beneficiaries under Section 12 of the LSA Act. As of February 28, 10,263 advocates have registered under the programme, further reinforcing the government’s efforts to strengthen equitable access to justice.

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