Form-16 with digital signature

This query is : Resolved

Yadagiri Bhoopathi (Querist)
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20 May 2013 As per Income tax rules, Form-16 can be verified with manual sign or by using digital signature. We are having thousands of employees and it is very dificult to sign manully Part-A, Part-B and Form-12BA for all thousands of employees by one person. hence we are exploring to affix digital sign to Form-16 (A, B & 12BA) and distribute the digitally signed hard copies to the employees. If digital signature is used for verification for the above purpose, if prinout (hard copy) of the same is valid in the eyes of law? Generally, digital signature authenticates a document when it is in digital form. whether is it still valid in hard copy form? Will it satisfy the income tax rules requirement?