Printing Our Own Service Agreements: Legal Concerns and Cost in Andhra Pradesh?

Hi All, I am working for a mid-sized organization as an HR Manager. We have been receiving the service agreements from the company advocate for the last 2 years. Now, we are thinking of printing it ourselves as it is the same text and all that is needed is a Govt. Stamp Paper to be bought. However, I am not very sure if this does not invite any legal complications.

It would be great if someone can please help me with the following:

1. Does the service agreement need the signature of the company advocate for it to be valid?
2. If not, what are the factors that need to be considered if it has to be legally valid?
3. What is the minimum cost of the Stamp Paper that needs to be used in Andhra Pradesh for the Employee Service Agreement?

Thank you all in advance.

You cannot print the agreement on stamp paper in advance. How is it possible? In order to make a document legally valid, it should be signed by the company's directors or owners of the establishment and not by an advocate who is only a consultant to draft a document.

Service Agreement vs. Appointment Letter

Now, what is the meaning of preparing a service agreement on stamp paper when an appointment letter on the company letterhead is sufficient to create a binding contract? Moreover, an agreement restraining an employee from leaving within a specified time or joining a competitor, or imposing such negative covenants, is illegal and not enforceable.

Regards,
Madhu.T.K

Admissibility of Agreements in Evidence

An agreement is not admissible in evidence unless it is executed on proper stamp paper. Anything written in a company's letter, duly signed by the authorized signatory, may serve as a good supporting document for the purpose of evidence.