Information Technology Act, 2000 is India's mother legislation regulating the
use of computers, computer systems and computer networks as also data and
information in the electronic format. This legislation has touched varied
aspects pertaining to electronic authentication, digital (electronic) signatures,
cyber crimes and liability of network service providers.
The Preamble to the Act states that it aims at providing legal recognition for
transactions carried out by means of electronic data interchange and other
means of electronic communication, commonly referred to as "electronic
commerce", which involve the use of alternatives to paper-based methods of
communication and storage of information and aims at facilitating electronic
filing of documents with the Government agencies.
This Act was amended by Information Technology Amendment Bill, 2008 which
was passed in Lok Sabha on 22nd December, 2008 and in Rajya Sabha on 23rd
December, 2008. It received the assent of the President on 5th February 2009
and was notified with effect from 27/10/2009.
The IT Act of 2000 was developed to promote the IT industry, regulate ecommerce,
facilitate e-governance and prevent cybercrime. The Act also sought
to foster security practices within India that would serve the country in a global
context. The Amendment was created to address issues that the original bill
failed to cover and to accommodate further development of IT and related
security concerns since the original law was passed.
The IT Act, 2000 consists of 90 sections spread over 13 chapters [Sections 91,
92, 93 and 94 of the principal Act were omitted by the Information Technology
(Amendment) Act 2008 and has 2 schedules.[ Schedules III and IV were
omitted by the Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008].