law: Notaries Act, 1952
  8. Functions of notaries
  (1) A notary may do all or any of the
  
  following acts by virtue of his office, namely,-
  (a) verify,
  
  authenticate, certify or attest the execution of any instrument;
  (b) present any
  
  promissory note, hundi or bill of exchange for
  
  acceptance or payment or demand better security;
  (c) note or protest
  
  the dishonor by non-acceptance or non-payment of any promissory note,  hundi or bill of exchange or protest for better security or
  
  prepare acts of honor under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (XXVI of 1881)
  
  or serve notice of such note or protest;
  (d) note and draw up
  
  ship's protest, boat's protest or protest relating to demurrage and other
  
  commercial matters;
  (e) administer oath
  
  to, or take affidavit from, any person;
  (f) prepare  bottomry and respondentia bonds,
  
  charter parties and other mercantile documents;
  (g) prepare, attest or
  
  authenticate any instrument intended to take effect in any country or place,
  
  outside India in such form and language as may conform to the law of the place
  
  where such deed is entitled to operate;
  (h) translate and
  
  verify the translation of, any document from, one language into another;
  6[(ha) act as a Commissioner
  
  to record evidence in any civil or criminal trial if so directed by any court
  
  or authority;
  ( hb )
  
  act as an arbitrator, mediator or conciliator, if so required;]
  ( i )
  
  any other act, which may be prescribed.
  (2) No act specified in sub-section (1) shall
  
  be deemed to be a notarial act except when it is done
  
  by a notary under his signature and official seal.