Lawyers with notary nod can now attest public documents
Attorney-General Yagya Murti Banjade said that the authority to authenticate and attest public documents has been given to lawyers having licences of notary public.“The authority was shifted to lawyers yesterday,” Banjade, who is the ex-officio chairman of the Notary Public Council Nepal (NPCN), told journalists. “Now the government officials will not exercise the authority to authenticate and attest any public document,” he added.Before this, gazetted officials used to exercise the authority. The concept of notary public was introduced in the country after the promulgation of the Notary Public Act 2007. A lawyer with the licence of notary public will authenticate public documents like personal licences, passports, citizenship certificates and court documents and also translate them.Yesterday, the NPCN issued licences to over 200 lawyers. The Kathmandu District Court Judge Narayan Prasad Dahal administered the oath of office to them. Other lawyers will get the licences within a few weeks, as 854 lawyers are found to be eligible to exercise the power. A lawyer having seven years of work experience can exercise the authority of notary public.According to the NPCN, 1695 lawyers had submitted forms seeking licences, but 1,377 were found to be eligible to exercise the authority.
1 comment:
Interesting news article. So it seems that in Nepal, notaries are lawyers. In the United States, notaries are not attorneys, although attorneys can apply to be a notary. In the US, notaries are public officials acting in the capacity of uninvolved witness to signers of documents. In some states, such as Florida and Maine, notaries can also perform marriage ceremonies. In California, notaries do not perform marriage ceremonies and can not notarize wills unless under the direction of an attorney.
The office of public notary is actually older than that of lawyers. Notaries date back to Roman times when they were important in putting laws onto paper. The occupation evolved over the years from connection to the church of Rome to serving the King of England when Britain split from the church.
An interesting and ancient profession.
Post a Comment