The Delhi Government is considering doing away with affidavits except in cases where it is a statutory requirement and instead making a provision for self-attestation while providing services to citizens.
At a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary S.K. Shrivastava, heads of departments from across the government were asked to examine the possibility of abolishing the requirement of submitting affidavits.
Officials have been asked to look into drafting application forms for the provision of various services in such a way that it contains an undertaking that states that facts stated are correct and informs service seekers that they may be penalised for providing wrong information.
Mr. Shrivastava has asked them to submit the list of services provided by different departments for which affidavits could be waived by August 31. The move is seen as helping citizens from locating a deed writer, buying stamp papers, and saving from making payments to notary and executive magistrate and a pecuniary loss of Rs. 300-500 on average per person. Further, the Chief Secretary said requirements of various documents at the time of admissions may be dispensed with only self-certification and attestation and asked the officers to launch awareness campaigns to give wide publicity to the reforms through websites, banners and boards and the laws that will apply in the event a citizen submits false information.
