Destruction of Records Act, 1977

No: -- Dated: Apr, 01 1978

DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS ACT

    An Act to consolidate and amend the law providing for the destruction or other disposal of certain documents in the possession or custody of Courts and Revenue and other public officers.

    WHEREAS it is expedient to consolidate and amend the law providing for the destruction or other disposal of certain documents in the possession or custody of Courts and Revenue and other public officers ;

it is hereby enacted as follows :––

1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be called the Destruction of Records Act, 1977.

(2) It extends to the whole of Jammu and Kashmir State. It shall come into force on the 1st day of Baisakh, 1978.

2. Omitted.

3. Power to certain authorities to make rules for disposal of documents .–– (1) The authorities hereinafter specified may, from time to time, make rules for the disposal, by destruction or otherwise, of such documents as are, in the opinion of the authority making the rules, not sufficient public value to justify their preservation.

(2) The authorities shall be ––

(a) in the case of documents in the possession or custody of the High Court or the Courts of Civil or Criminal jurisdiction subordinate thereto,–– the High Court ;

(b) in the case of documents in the possession or custody of Revenue Courts and officers,–– the Government or any officer specifically authorised in this behalf by the Government ; and

(c) in the case of documents in the possession or custody of any other public officer––the Government or any officer specially authorised in that behalf by 1 the Government .

(3) Rules made under this section by any authority other than the Government shall be subject to the previous approval of that  the Goverment.