In a bid to simplify legal procedures and bolster the role of notaries and advocates in Odisha’s justice delivery system, Law, Works, and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan chaired a high-level meeting today, issuing directives for the immediate initiation of the new notary appointment process.
The discussions centred on creating a comprehensive online ecosystem, including a dedicated web portal and mobile app, to digitise notary and advocate services.
The meeting, held at the Law Department’s conference hall, emphasised the pivotal contributions of notaries and lawyers in making legal processes more accessible and efficient. “Notaries and advocates play a crucial role in easing the burden on our judicial system,” Minister Harichandan stated, underscoring the need for technological integration to reduce paperwork and enhance service delivery.
Key highlights from the meeting include the development of a dedicated web portal for registering all notaries and advocates in the state. This platform will serve as a centralised database, maintaining complete online records of professionals to ensure transparency and easy verification. Aspiring notaries will be able to submit applications for new appointments directly through the portal, streamlining what has traditionally been a cumbersome offline process.
Further, the minister directed that notaries submit regular reports of their activities via the portal to promote accountability and monitor compliance with professional standards. To make the system user-friendly, Harichandan suggested the parallel development of a mobile app, allowing professionals and the public to access services on the go. “We must leverage technology to make legal services as convenient as possible,” he added.
Senior officials present at the meeting included Principal Secretary, Law, Manas Ranjan Barik; ACS Shiba Prasad Mohapatra, Arun Kumar Sahu; and Joint Secretary Anshuman Mohanty. Their inputs focused on implementation timelines, data security, and integration with existing government platforms.
