Today
is the Digital Society Day of India.
On October 17, 2000, India stepped into a new era
by creating a legally accepted digital society. It was on this day
that the Information Technology Act 2000 (ITA 2000) was notified.
The notification of ITA 2000 meant that an
electronic document, became recognized in law subject to the
restrictions of Section 1(4). Similarly, a system of authentication
called "Digital Signature" also became legally recognized for
authentication of digital documents. The two provisions together
meant that legally accepted digital contracts became possible in
India from October 17, 2000.
The significance of this development cannot be
under estimated. Contracts being the life blood of Commerce and
Digitization is the order of the day, the legal recognition brought
the entire digital society into the main stream of commerce.
Though it is the tenth anniversary of this
momentous occasion, worthy of a national celebration, "Digital
Society Day" is not as well remembered by our society as it should
be.
Cyber Law College started the practice of the
celebration of the Digital Society Day with some activity such as a
workshop on Cyber Laws for a few years. This year the celebration of
the Digital Society Day-2010 would be combined with the holding of
the Workshop on "Implications of ITA 2008 on Bankers" which is being
held
at ITC Windsor Manor, Bangalore on 25th October 2010
for a workshop. (Details available at
http://www.workshop.cyberlawcollege.com).
The notification of ITA 2008
which was another watershed event in the history of digital
revolution in India. It was significant to note that this happened
again in the month of October on 27th October 2009. We are therefore
approaching the first anniversary of ITA 2008 which brought in the
"Cyber Security Focus" to our legislation and is aimed at providing
assurance of a Trusted Cyber Society. The workshop is timed to
remember both the historic events of October 17, 2000 and October
27, 2009 which has changed the profile of the Indian society.
I invite all Netizens to join
in the celebration.
Naavi
October 17 2010
