A General Power of Attorney grants the agent broad authority to act on the principal's behalf across a range of matters (banking, property, business, court representation). A Special Power of Attorney grants authority for a specific, defined purpose (selling one specific property, representing the principal in one specific court matter, operating one specific bank account). Special POAs are preferred where the scope of authority should be limited, both for the principal's protection and because the agent's authority is then easier to demonstrate to third parties. Verbatra supports both.

Registration requirement depends on what the POA authorises. A POA authorising sale or transfer of immovable property valued above Rs. 100 must be registered under the Registration Act, 1908. A POA for general purposes (operating bank accounts, attending court hearings, signing contracts) generally needs only notarisation. For POAs executed outside India for use in India, additional steps apply: apostille for Hague Convention countries, and consular attestation for non-Hague countries, followed by within-India adjudication.

Yes. The principal can revoke a POA at any time by executing a deed of revocation and serving notice on the agent and any third parties who have been dealing with the agent. A POA also terminates automatically on: (1) death of the principal or agent, (2) the principal becoming legally incapacitated (unless it is a durable POA, which is not generally recognised in Indian law), (3) completion of the specific purpose for which a Special POA was granted, or (4) bankruptcy of the principal. An 'irrevocable' POA coupled with consideration may not be freely revocable under section 202 of the Contract Act.

Yes, but with specific restrictions. The POA must (1) be registered if the property value exceeds Rs. 100, (2) specifically authorise sale and not just management, (3) identify the property with sufficient particularity, and (4) be executed on appropriately stamped paper. Post the Supreme Court's 2011 ruling in Suraj Lamp v. State of Haryana, a sale of property through a General POA alone (without execution of a registered sale deed by the actual owner) does not transfer title. The POA is the mechanism by which the agent signs the sale deed, but the sale deed itself must still be properly executed and registered.

The agent must be in India to perform acts requiring physical presence (registering documents at a sub-registrar office, appearing in court). For acts that can be done remotely (signing documents that do not require registration, operating bank accounts via electronic means, executing affidavits with appropriate authentication), the agent's physical presence in India is not strictly required, though some banks and authorities prefer it. The POA should also specify whether the agent may further delegate to sub-agents.

Yes. Verbatra runs entirely in your browser. The document you build is rendered locally on your device and is never uploaded to Verbatra's servers, stored anywhere, or transmitted to any third party. Verbatra cannot read what you draft. The only data we collect is the contact information you voluntarily provide on the lead-capture form before download.

Verbatra produces a solid, India-specific first draft drafted by a corporate lawyer. For most standard, low-stakes contracts between commercial parties, the generated document is enough. For higher-stakes transactions, contracts that materially deviate from standard terms, contracts involving regulated industries, or anything you would be uncomfortable signing without independent review, you should have a qualified lawyer review the document before execution. Verbatra is not a substitute for advice on your specific facts.

Yes, every generator on Verbatra is free to use, with no payment, subscription, or credit card required. Verbatra was built by a corporate lawyer to give Indian businesses access to enterprise-grade legal drafting without the friction of paying a lawyer for a routine first draft. Verbatra makes money by offering paid contract negotiation and legal-operations services to clients who want a lawyer to take the document further.