Section 15 of ITA, 2000 : Section 15: Secure Electronic Signature

Explanation using Example

Let's consider a hypothetical scenario to understand the application of Section 15 of The Information Technology Act, 2000.

Imagine Mr. John, a bank manager, is preparing a loan agreement for a client, Mr. Smith. To finalize the agreement, Mr. John needs to put his electronic signature on the document. According to Section 15:

1. Mr. John, while affixing his signature, must ensure that the signature creation data (his private key in case of a digital signature) is under his exclusive control. This implies that no other person, including his colleagues or Mr. Smith, should have access to his private key at the time of signing.
2. Moreover, the way Mr. John stores and affixes his signature should be in an exclusive manner as prescribed by the relevant authority. This means he should follow the standard procedures and guidelines set by his bank or regulatory body when creating and applying his electronic signature.

If these conditions are met, Mr. John's electronic signature will be deemed as a secure electronic signature as per Section 15 of The Information Technology Act, 2000.