Sir — This refers to the report, “Forget affidavit hassles, Modi for self-certification” (August 2). Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to do away with the system of affidavits and attestation of certificates by gazetted officers or other specified authorities, and to allow self-attestation of documents by the person concerned, is a big relief to students, job-seekers and others who have to run from pillar to post to get copies of their documents attested by the prescribed authority.
Under the self-certification system, people would need to produce the original documents only at the final stage. The practice of seeking affidavits would continue in areas where it is mandated by law.
Submitting false self-certifications would attract legal action against the person doing so. The Prime Minister may consider providing similar relief to pensioners too, who are required to furnish the certificate of their being alive from specified authorities to the drawing and disbursing authority every year. Finding a gazetted officer or a prescribed authority knowing the pensioner personally is difficult for most pensioners. Senior citizens deserve better treatment.