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NewsDay

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Deeds Registries, Judicial Laws amendment bills set for debate

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THE Deeds Registries Amendment Bill (2016) and the Judicial Laws Amendment Bill are among several pieces of legislation likely to be tabled for debate when the Fourth Session of the Eighth Parliament opens next Tuesday.

THE Deeds Registries Amendment Bill (2016) and the Judicial Laws Amendment Bill are among several pieces of legislation likely to be tabled for debate when the Fourth Session of the Eighth Parliament opens next Tuesday.

by VENERANDA LANGA

President Robert Mugabe is set to officially open the session on October 4.

The Bills are expected to transform the current paper-based court processes by migrating to computer-based technology.

Expectations are also that when the Deeds Registries Amendment Bill is enacted, an electronic deeds registry will improve the ease of doing business and access to company documents kept at the Deeds Office.

According to the Parliament of Zimbabwe Bill status report, the Deeds Registries Amendment Bill was gazetted on August 12 and remains open for public scrutiny until this month end.

Amendments to clause 3 and 4 of the Deeds Registries Amendment Bill read: “The amendments sought by these clauses (3 and 4) will permit the digitisation of the deeds registry and the eventual establishment of an electronic deeds registry, which will supplement the paper-based one, thereby greatly expediting and facilitating deeds registry administration.

“Access to the electronic registry for the purpose of information-gathering and conveyancing work or notarial practice will be subject to certain safeguards against fraud, violations of privacy and other abuses.”

The Judicial Laws Amendment Bill is expected to amend the High Court Act, Magistrates’ Courts Act and the Small Claims Courts Act with a view to speeding up settlement of certain suits or actions of a commercial nature.

To expedite finalisation of court processes, the Bill seeks to ensure court applications can be made electronically, including authentication of documents, summons by electronic means and digitisation of other records for any judicial proceedings.

Legal specialist Kuda Hove, in his recent paper on information communication technology (ICT) legislation, said there was need for government to provide the necessary ICT infrastructure and trained personnel to successfully implement the plans of digitising court services.