Sections 13, 14, 15, 16 and 16A of the Registration Act, 1908
The Registration Act, 1908 establishes the administrative framework for registering documents in India. Sections 13 to 16A address the reporting of acting appointments, staffing of registration offices, official seals, maintenance and protection of register-books, and electronic storage of registration records.
These are central provisions of the Act; State amendments, rules and notifications may add requirements for particular jurisdictions. For the legislation and amendments, consult the India Code legislative repository and the relevant State Registration Department.
Section 13: Reporting appointments to State Government
Section 13 requires the Inspector-General of Registration to report appointments made under Sections 10, 11 and 12 to the State Government. The report may be special or general, as the State Government directs.
The provision ensures governmental oversight of temporary arrangements made when a Registrar or Sub-Registrar is absent or an office is vacant. The former subsection (3) was repealed by the Adaptation of Indian Laws Order, 1937.
Section 14: Establishments of registering officers
Under Section 14, the State Government may allow proper establishments for the several offices functioning under the Act. In practical terms, this concerns the staffing and administrative support required to operate registration offices. Subsection (1) was repealed by the Adaptation of Indian Laws Order, 1937.
Section 15: Official seals of registering officers
Section 15 requires Registrars and Sub-Registrars to use an official seal bearing the prescribed inscription in English and in any other language directed by the State Government:
"The seal of the Registrar (or of the Sub-Registrar) of".
The relevant office or place is identified in connection with that inscription. The seal is an official means of authenticating registration-related acts and records; its use must comply with applicable registration rules.
Section 16: Register-books and safekeeping of records
Section 16(1): The State Government must provide every registering officer with the books necessary for the purposes of the Act.
Section 16(2): The books must contain forms prescribed from time to time by the Inspector-General with State Government sanction. Their pages must be consecutively numbered in print, and the issuing officer must certify the total number of pages on the title page.
Section 16(3): The State Government must provide every Registrar's office with a fire-proof box and make suitable arrangements in each district for the safe custody of registration records.
These requirements protect the integrity, traceability and preservation of public registration records.
Section 16A: Electronic storage of registration books
Section 16A(1): Notwithstanding Section 16, the books provided under Section 16(1) may also be maintained in computer floppies, diskettes or any other electronic form, subject to the manner and safeguards prescribed by the Inspector-General with the sanction of the State Government.
Section 16A(2): Notwithstanding the Act or any other law for the time being in force, copies or extracts from those electronically maintained books, issued by a registering officer under the officer's hand and seal, are deemed copies under Section 57 for the purposes of Section 57(5).
Section 16A was inserted by the Registration and Other Related Laws (Amendment) Act, 2001 (Act 48 of 2001), effective 24 September 2001. Electronic maintenance is subject to the applicable safeguards and State-specific rules; this section does not dispense with statutory authentication requirements.
How the provisions work together
Sections 13 and 14 support administration and staffing; Section 15 provides official identification through the prescribed seal; Section 16 requires organised and secure physical records; and Section 16A permits regulated electronic recordkeeping and provides for authenticated copies and extracts. Their operation must be read alongside applicable rules and other provisions governing registration and certified copies.
Legislative notes and official resources
Section 13 was affected by the Adaptation of Indian Laws Order, 1937, including repeal of its former subsection (3). Section 14(1) was repealed by the same Order. References to the State Government reflect the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1950. Section 16A was inserted by Act 48 of 2001 with effect from 24 September 2001.
Official sources: India Code; Legislative Department, Government of India; Gazette of India.