Report No. 248

13. Government Seal Act, Act 3 of 1862

Category: Residuary Laws relating to Administration

Recommendation: Repeal

The Act was enacted to remove all doubts about the use of seals for certification of certain documents. It allowed the Seal of the local government to be used in place of the Seal of the East India Company. This Act was considered for repeal by the 148th Law Commission Report, 1993.

The Report noted that documents and instruments sealed in accordance with this Act might have given rise to certain rights and liabilities which have been accepted and undertaken by the Government of India/State Government under Articles 294 and 295 of the Constitution.

While the Law Commission did not recommend repeal of this Act, with a savings clause validating documents sealed under this Act, this Act may be validly repealed, since the situation of documents requiring seals of the East India Company can no longer arise.