Delhi government decides to dispense with unnecessary affidavits

NEW DELHI: In its effort to make the services more citizen friendly, the Delhi government today decided to dispense with unnecessary affidavits and undertakings and replace them with self attestation while availing of services.

In a meeting today, Chief Secretary SK Srivastava directed all Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, Head of Departments to ascertain the possibility of abolition of requirement of affidavits while providing the services to the citizens and replace it with the self attestation, a statement from Delhi government said.

Srivastava also asked them to submit the list of services provided by different departments for which the need for affidavits could be waived by August 31 this year.

The HoDs have been asked to submit the list of modified forms after waiving away the condition of submission of affidavit with the format of self attestation and further cautioning the public not to furnish wrong information under self attestation to save them from the legal provisions.

"Government is the representative of the people and bound to deliver the services to the citizens in the best possible manner without any hassle. If the citizen gets services from the government smoothly, they will certainly feel obliged and to fulfill that we should adopt the best practices," said Srivastava.

He said primary focus of the government reforms was to reduce distrust between citizen and the government, and to save the citizen from unnecessary litigation, their time, money and energy.

"By accepting self attestation from citizens will save them from buying stamp papers, locating a deed writer, making payment to notary and executive magistrate. It will save them from pecuniary loss as on an average a person spends Rs 300 to Rs 500 on affidavits and their 2-3 days would be saved," he said.