Thiruvananthapuram, Sept. 30 -- The Kerala Public Records Bill, unanimously passed by the State Assembly, empowers the government to acquire records not only from public agencies but also from private sources.
The legislation covers a wide spectrum of materials, ranging from ancient palm-leaf manuscripts to modern digital records. It also stipulates provisions governing the transfer of original documents, restrictions on their removal from the state, and penalties for unauthorised destruction.
"Archival records are lighthouses of historical truths and must be preserved with utmost responsibility, especially at a time when there are deliberate attempts to distort or erase history," Kerala Registration, Archives and Archaeology Minister Ram...