Electronic Record
Any data, record, image, or sound stored, received, or sent in electronic form — legally equivalent to a paper document under the IT Act.
Full Definition
Section 2(t) of the IT Act defines 'electronic record' as data, record, or data generated, image or sound stored, received or sent in an electronic form or micro film or computer generated micro fiche. The critical legal consequence flows from Section 4: wherever any law requires information to be in writing, an electronic record satisfies that requirement if it is in electronic form and is accessible for future reference. This single provision made e-commerce, e-filing, e-contracts, and e-governance legally possible in India. The definition is format-neutral — PDFs, Word documents, emails, database entries, WhatsApp messages, and scanned files all qualify.
In Indian Law
IT Act Section 2(t) (definition) and Section 4 (legal recognition). Admissibility of electronic records in court is governed by Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act (Section 63 BSA 2023) — a certificate from the responsible person is mandatory to admit electronic records as evidence. The Supreme Court in Anvar P.V. v. P.K. Basheer (2014) and Arjun Panditrao Khotkar v. Kailash Kushanrao Gorantyal (2020) clarified that Section 65B certificate is a mandatory precondition for admissibility of electronic records in court proceedings.
Related Legal Sections
Landmark Cases
Trimex International FZE Ltd. v. Vedanta Aluminium Ltd. (2010) — Email exchange constitutes valid contract
Arjun Panditrao Khotkar v. Kailash Kushanrao Gorantyal (2020) — Section 65B certificate mandatory
Anvar P.V. v. P.K. Basheer (2014) — Electronic records require proper certification
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a WhatsApp message an electronic record?
Yes. Section 2(t) covers any data received, stored, or sent in electronic form. A WhatsApp message is an electronic record, but to produce it as court evidence, a Section 65B certificate from the person responsible for the device or system is required.
Do electronic records need a physical signature to be valid?
No. Section 4 gives electronic records the same legal effect as written documents. An electronic signature or digital signature (Sections 3 and 3A) authenticates them where a signature is required.