The Tamil Nadu Document Writers’ Welfare Fund Act, 2022

What the Act governs

The Tamil Nadu Document Writers’ Welfare Fund Act, 2022 creates a welfare fund for document writers in Tamil Nadu. A document writer is defined as a person licensed under the Tamil Nadu Document Writers’ Licence Rules, 1982. A licensed document writer must also be admitted to the fund to become a member entitled to its benefits.

Money credited to the fund includes:

• Amounts collected from document writers for admission to membership.
• An amount prescribed for each document presented for registration at a Sub-Registrar’s office, subject to a maximum of fifty rupees per document.
• No such per-document amount applies to documents presented on behalf of the Central Government, State Government or a qualifying local authority.

The supplied text does not identify who must pay the per-document amount or state the actual prescribed amount. Property buyers and owners presenting documents for registration should therefore check the applicable prescription before assuming that the maximum amount is charged.

Administration and decision making

The Tamil Nadu Document Writers’ Welfare Fund Committee administers the fund. Its ex-officio Chairman is the Inspector General of Registration, Registration Department. Other members include Registration Department officials and four nominated representatives from document writers’ associations.

Key administrative requirements include:

• Admission and re-admission applications must be received through the District Registrar (Administration) and decided within ninety days.
• Benefit claims from members, nominees or legal representatives must be decided within five months.
• Decisions must be recorded and communicated to applicants by registered post.
• Committee accounts must be audited annually by a Chartered Accountant and forwarded to the State Government with the audit report.
• The Committee may review its own decision or consider an application from an interested person made within ninety days of the decision.

Welfare benefits and associations

The Tamil Nadu Document Writers’ Welfare Fund Committee may provide benefits after verification, at the rates in the Schedule and subject to availability of money in the fund. The listed benefits cover accidental or natural death, disability, marriage, maternity, spectacles, children’s education, pensions for former members and funeral assistance for a member or spouse.

Document writers’ associations functioning in a district may apply to the Committee for recognition and registration. Associations formed after commencement may also apply in the prescribed form and manner.