(1) Any person may make an application to the Certifying Authority for the issue of a 1[Electronic] Signature Certificate in such form as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
(2) Every such application shall be accompanied by such fee not exceeding twenty-five thousand rupees as may be prescribed by the Central Government, to be paid to the Certifying Authority:
Provided that while prescribing fees under sub-section (2) different fees may be prescribed for different classes of applicants.
(3) Every such application shall be accompanied by a certification practice statement or where there is no such statement, a statement containing such particulars, as may be specified by regulations.
(4) On receipt of an application under sub-section (1), the Certifying Authority may, after consideration of the certification practice statement or the other statement under sub-section (3) and after making such enquiries as it may deem fit, grant the 1[Electronic] Signature Certificate or for reasons to be recorded in writing, reject the application:
2[***]
3[Provided] that no application shall be rejected unless the applicant has been given a reasonable opportunity of showing cause against the proposed rejection.
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1. Substituted vide Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008. Previous text was digital
2. Omitted vide Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008 Prior to omission text read as under :-
"Provided that no 1[Electronic] Signature Certificate shall be granted unless the Certifying Authority is satisfied that
(a) the applicant holds the private key corresponding to the public key to be listed in the 1[Electronic] Signature Certificate;
(b) the applicant holds a private key, which is capable of creating a 1[Electronic] signature;
(c) the public key to be listed in the certificate can be used to verify a 1[Electronic] signature affixed by the private key held by the applicant:"
3. Substituted vide Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008 Prior to substitution text read as under :-
"Provided further"