The prohibition against attesting for family members, while not explicitly stated in a single law, rests on a combination of legal and ethical principles, including the Indian Evidence Act, conduct rules, and the concept of judicial notice. The attestation's evidentiary value is based on the attester's impartiality, which is compromised when done for a family member, undermining the document's legal credibility. Furthermore, all government servants are bound by conduct rules to avoid any situation that could lead to a conflict of interest or misuse of their official position.

from attesting family documents and instead have a colleague or another authorized official perform the attestation. Do you need a list of which specific documents

A Gazetted Officer derives their power of verification from the President of India or the Governor of their respective state. When an officer validates a photocopy against an original document, they act as an authorized, objective witness for the state.

The officer's primary duty is to tally the copy with the original and verify its authenticity. If the document is genuine, the relation is legally secondary. Practical Challenges & Best Practices

For the purpose of document attestation (especially for character or identity certificates), the attesting authority must certify that the person is "personally known" to them.

Can a gazetted officer refuses to attest documents - Webflow