How to become a Notary ?

Notary also known as a Notary public in common parlance is a qualified and experienced lawyer appointed by the state or central government on the recommendation of courts under the provisions of the Notaries Act LII of 1952.  who can give an oath to a person and declare the legal document like affidavits and contracts produced before him as authentic, by affixing his seal and stamp on it of course by charging some officially prescribed fee under provisions of notaries act, 1952.

Although an important requirement for all times, the requirement of services of a notary are increasing due to large scale immigration of the persons from one place to another and change in pattern of life style of the society. Their services are required by the persons who do not have any proof of residence, but want to apply for a ration card, domestic gas cylinder or power connection, or wants to include his name in the list of voters as they may do so by filing an affidavit authenticated by a notary. Also, if there has been a gap period in education, the students have to sign an affidavit for readmission to the course. Besides any person intending to change his/her name, want to authenticate a copy of a financial or academic document, or a property sale deed, is required to get the signature and stamp from a notary. Increase in all such requirement in recent few years has increased the demand of Notary public services thereby making the becoming of notary a lucrative career option. 

To become a notary one requires lots of dedication and hard work. The job of a notary public demands intensive training as he is the one on which many legal matter depends. For this one should have discipline, sense of responsibility, commitment and self-confidence. The job requires a lot of hard work, stamina, alertness of mind, and above all honesty towards the society. 

To discharge his duties with commitment he requires a lot of knowledge of the law of the land and plenty of experience.

Eligibility for becoming a Notary

• Ten (seven years in case of reserved categories and women candidates) years of practice as an advocate or 
• A member of the Indian Legal Service or 
• Officer under the Central or State Government, requiring special knowledge of law, after enrolment as an advocate or
• An officer in the department of Judge, Advocate - General or in the armed forces. 

How to become a Notary Public?

To become a Notary Public one has to follow the below given steps:

Step 1

To become a Notary, one has to first possess a degree in LLB. To get the L.LB degree the eligible candidate has to undertake an entrance test conducted by Law departments of various universities of the India or the independent law schools/ Institutions. CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) being one of the most sort after ways to get into law career.

CLAT is conducted every year to admit students into 5 year integrated B.A L.LB Degree Course in top ten of the national law schools.

CLAT consists of questions from the topics such as:-

1. Legal Aptitude

2. Logical Reasoning

3. English including Comprehension

4. General Knowledge/Current Affairs

5. Elementary Mathematics

Step 2

Once degree in hand and after the successful completion of the course every graduate has to complete the mandatory internship as per the norms of the institutions.

Step3

After completion of the internship one has to enroll himself/herself as an advocate in any of the State Bar Council regulated by the Advocates Act, 1961 to become a practicing advocate and get necessary experience to apply for the notary license.

Step 4

After practicing as an advocate for at least 10 years (seven years for Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribe or other backward classes and women candidates as well) one becomes eligible to be appointed as a notary.  

The applicant, if not a legal practitioner, should be a member of the Indian Legal Service or have held an office under the Central or State Government, requiring special knowledge of law, after enrolment as an advocate or held an office in the department of Judge, Advocate-General or in the armed forces.

Step 5

The aspirant has to submit an application in the form of a memorial, as prescribed in the rules, to the competent authority of the appropriate government.  If approved the applicant becomes a notary and a certificate of practice will be issued to him and gazetted in the State or Central Gazette. His name will be entered in the Register of Notaries maintained by the Government 

Fees for the Certification:

The fee for issue of first certificate of practice for 5 years (first appointment as notary) is Rs.1,000 as per the amended rules and for renewal it is Rs.500. A notary public in possession of certificate of practice in a particular area may apply for extension of his area of practice. The fees for extension of area of practice are Rs.750.

Basic Points to be considered before appointing a Notory Public by the competent authority are:- 

• Whether the applicant ordinarily resides in the area in which he proposes to practice as a notary; 
• Considering the commercial importance of the area in which the applicant proposes to practice, the authority should take into consideration the existing number of notaries in the area in question and whether additional notaries will be required; 
• Should consider the fitness of the applicant as to his knowledge and experience of commercial law and, in case of a legal practitioner, his extent of practice, and so on; 
• Whether the applicant belongs to a firm of legal practitioners and, having regard to the number of existing notaries in that firm, whether it is proper and necessary to appoint any additional notary from that firm; 
• Where applications from other applicants in respect of the area are pending, whether they are more suitable than the applicant in question. On receipt of the report from the competent authority, the Government shall consider the report and allow the application in respect of the whole or part of the area, or reject the same. 

Main services provided by a Notary Public are: 

• Verify, authenticate, certify or attest the execution of any instrument; 
• Present any promissory note, hundi or bill of exchange for acceptance/payment, or demand better security; 
• Note/protest the dishonour by non-acceptance or non-payment of any promissory note, hundi or bill of exchange, protest for better security, prepare acts of honour under the Negotiable Instruments Act or serve notice or such protest; 
• Note and draw up ship's protest, boat's protest or protest relating to demurrage and other commercial matters; 
• Administer oath to, or take affidavit from, any person; 
• Prepare bottomry and respondentia bonds, charted parties and other mercantile documents; 
• Prepare, attest or authenticate any instrument intended to take effect in any country or place outside India in such form and language as may conform to the law of the place where such deed is intended to operate; 
• Translate and verify the translation of any documents from one language into another; 
• Act as a Commissioner to record evidence in any civil or criminal trial if so directed by any court or authority; 
• Act as an arbitrator, mediator or conciliator if so required; and 
• Any other act which may be described; 

Notary Public Income/Salary

Financial success of a Notary depends entirely upon his experience and knowledge complemented by his public relation. On an average a  Notary can earn as good as Rs.1000 per day or more for his services.  

Cancer-Causers to Remove From Your Home

Here in the 21st century we live in a world where the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat can be carcinogenic (i.e. cancer-causing). It seems that if we are to lead normal lives and not head for the mountain tops, we will inevitably be exposed to some of these substances while going about our business.

And while we can work to make the air, water and food we consume cleaner and healthier, there are limits to what we can do to remove these carcinogens from our environment.

Something that is firmly under our control, however, is the presence of cancer-causing substances in our homes. I have taken steps to remove as many of these kinds of things from my home environment, and so should you – at least you will know that your home surroundings are free from common carcinogens.

Your utility shelves are dangerous.

The typical garage or laundry room has a large metal utility shelf unit where all the miscellaneous necessities of life tend to congregate. Knowing what we now know about carcinogens, it is quite likely that these storage units are chock full of cancer-causing substances.

Automotive fluids and cleaners are common culprits containing all the toxic chemicals that household cleaners contain and much more. Pet supplies such as shampoos, treatments for fleas and ticks, and anything else you use to keep Fido clean and smelling fresh are generally not good for him, or for you.

All those cans of paint, varnish, brush cleaners and brushes that have accumulated should be gotten rid of – toxins abound in those cans. If you have a garden or just a yard, chances are that you have insecticides, herbicides, and other supplies that are extremely unhealthy for humans and animals, causing cancer and other maladies.

There are green, safe, and effective substitutes for all of these dangerous products, so take some time and do your homework to make your home safer for all its inhabitants.

Of course there are other cancer causers to remove from your home, and you should seek them out wherever they may be lurking. Many common art and office supplies, for example, are full of toxic carcinogens. Again, look for products that do the job in an environmentally friendly way, and you’ll be able to say with confidence that your own home at least is free of the stuff. Now if we could just do the same with the world outside the house…

Air fresheners: 

Often contain napthelene and formaldehyde. Try zeolite or natural fragrances from essential oils

Carpet and upholstery shampoos: 

Use only wet-clean, natural ingredients. For DIY carpet cleaning

Basic household cleaners should be homeless.

Look under your kitchen sink or on your utility shelf, and you’ll probably see what I’m talking about here. All the media-promoted items lining the supermarket shelves, the stuff my mother and your mother used to clean the house and its contents, is full of toxic cancer-causing chemicals. Powders, sprays, liquids, pastes and creams, most of the common arsenal should be thrown out and never allowed back in the house.

If you regularly clean your own carpets, rugs and upholstery, commonly used products for these tasks are also likely to be dangerous. Clean out your stashes of these products, look for green cleaners that do just as good a job, and breathe easier.

Dry-cleaning:

 Choose clothes that don’t need perchlorethylene to clean them. Ask for the wet-cleaning option at you local cleaners, or seek dry-cleaners that use liquid C02 or citrus juice cleaners.

Good smells can be hazardous to your health.

Air fresheners are a ubiquitous and heavily-promoted part of modern life. And products are sold not just to freshen the air in the bathroom or kitchen, but to make your furniture, closets, clothing and carpets smell better. Many of these contain carcinogens and should be avoided. Candles seem innocent enough, but are made with petroleum bases, and are proven cancer-causers. Look for products with natural oils, pure beeswax candles, and for organic, naturally made incense if you want to make your home environment smell better safely.

Candles: 

Avoid artificially scented paraffin candles that produce combustion by-products, including soot. Beeswax only, with cotton wicks. 

Automotive supplies:

 Most are toxic. Keep them safely away from the house and dispose of at a hazardous waste disposal center.

Paints and varnishes: 

Always chose low- or no-VOC finishes.

Microwaves:

 Never microwave or heat food in a plastic container.

Physical Symptoms of Depression

There are obvious signs of depression, like feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety–but depression can also cause unexplained physical symptoms. Physical pain and depression are closely related. Simply put, pain can be depressing, and depression causes and intensifies pain. Some research shows that pain and depression share common pathways in the limbic (emotional) region of the brain. In fact, the same chemical messengers control pain and mood. According to an article published by the Harvard Medical School, people with chronic pain have three times the average risk of developing psychiatric symptoms–usually mood or anxiety disorders–and depressed patients have three times the average risk of developing chronic pain.

Many people suffering from depression never get help because they don’t realize that pain may be a symptom of depression. The importance of understanding the physical symptoms of depression is that treating depression can help with the pain–and treating pain can help with depression.

The 10 most common physical symptoms of depression are:

Headaches: 

Most people get headaches every now and then but a persistent thumping headache or a migraine is a very common sign that you might be depressed. Even if you are already prone to headaches, a depressive episode can make it worse.

Digestive problems:

 Remember being a kid and feeling sick in your stomach before an exam or when you felt you were in trouble? It can still happen now, when you’re depressed. Vomiting, nausea and diarrhea can all be present. Other digestive problems such as stomach ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome might become worse.

Mysterious aches and pains: 

There is a strong link between depression and physical aches and pains. This may be down to a combination of factors such as not sleeping too well, not eating right, not getting proper nutrition and a higher presence of cortisol, the stress hormone.

Tiredness: 

If you have depression, tiredness, exhaustion and fatigue are probably a part of your daily experience. You may feel lethargic and generally just drained of energy. Or indeed, you may feel the opposite and feel...

Excessive energy: 

It’s very possible that rather than feeling drained, you feel a very restless energy which makes it difficult for you sit down or relax or stay in one place for very long. This is a surprisingly common physical symptom of depression. You may feel the constant need to do something and keep yourself busy as much as possible.

Chest pains: 

Chest pains should always be taken seriously. Stabbing pains or a tightness in the chest is very common in depressed people whose stress levels are much higher than normal.

Back pains:

 Depression and back pain is a bit of a chicken or the egg scenario. Back pain is a common symptoms of depression but people with chronic back pain are also 4 times more likely to end up suffering from depression than those who don’t.

Changes in the menstrual cycle: 

This is a very common physical symptoms of depression in women. Periods tend to become irregular or can be heavier or lighter than before and its not uncommon for them to stop completely for a while. If this has happened to you and you are sure there is no other reason for it such as pregnancy, you might want to see a doctor about it. Once your depression is gone, your cycle should return to normal.

Weight loss or gain: 

Depression causes a change of appetite in many people. Some lose their appetite completely while others take refuge in comfort foods. A corresponding noticeable weight loss or gain results from this, along with other problems caused by bad nutrition such as dull hair, bad skin and weak nails.

Changes in speech patterns: 

This one is often overlooked but still a common physical symptom of depression. It might not be so obvious to you if you’re feeling depressed but you may notice it in others who are. Their speech tends to be either very slow and spoken in a very low voice you need to strain to hear or they might talk at top speed, each word tripping over the other. Whether the speech is fast or slow should be compared to the person’s normal speech patterns.

As well as visiting a professional if you notice any of the above, there’s also a wide range of natural products you can take to help relieve the physical symptoms of depression. Again, you should talk to a professional before trying any of them. The good news is once your depression fades, any of these physical problems should disappear along with it.