The statement highlights a crucial distinction in the functions performed by various public authorities. A 'certifying officer' typically performs duties that are administrative rather than quasi-judicial. Understanding this difference is essential for appreciating the scope of their powers and the legal remedies available against their decisions.

Administrative Functions: Administrative functions are generally ministerial, involving the application of established rules, procedures, and policies to specific cases. A certifying officer, in an administrative capacity, primarily focuses on:

1. Applying Pre-defined Criteria: They assess applications or situations against a set of objective standards or rules laid down by statute or regulation. Their role is to verify compliance, not to interpret complex legal principles or weigh conflicting evidence in a discretionary manner.
2. Record Keeping and Documentation: Many certifying roles involve maintaining registers, issuing licenses, permits, or certificates based on factual verification, without needing to adjudicate disputes.
3. Lack of Discretionary Power: While some discretion might exist in minor procedural matters, the core decision-making process is usually bound by clear guidelines, leaving little room for subjective judgment or policy formulation.
4. No Requirement for Natural Justice (in its full form): Unlike quasi-judicial bodies, administrative officers may not be required to provide a full hearing, allow cross-examination, or give reasoned decisions in the same rigorous manner, although principles of fairness and transparency are still expected.

Quasi-Judicial Functions: Quasi-judicial functions, on the other hand, involve elements of judicial decision-making, but are performed by bodies that are not courts. These functions typically include:

1. Adjudication of Disputes: The authority is empowered to hear and decide disputes between parties, often involving rights and liabilities.
2. Application of Legal Principles: They interpret laws, apply legal precedents, and exercise discretion in reaching a decision.
3. Requirement of Natural Justice: Bodies performing quasi-judicial functions are generally bound by principles of natural justice, such as the right to be heard (audi alteram partem), the rule against bias (nemo judex in causa sua), and often the requirement to give reasoned decisions.
4. Evidentiary Process: They typically receive evidence, allow parties to present their cases, and make findings of fact based on the evidence presented.

Why a Certifying Officer is Administrative: Consider a 'certifying officer' under the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946. Their role is to certify standing orders submitted by employers, ensuring they are in conformity with the model standing orders and are fair and reasonable. While there's an element of checking for fairness, their primary duty is to ensure compliance with the Act's provisions and the model standing orders, rather than adjudicating a full-blown dispute between employer and employee with extensive evidence and legal arguments. They act more as a gatekeeper ensuring regulatory compliance. Similarly, an officer certifying a birth or death certificate simply verifies facts against records, not adjudicates a claim.

In essence, the distinction lies in the nature of the power exercised. An administrative function executes policy and law, while a quasi-judicial function interprets and applies law to resolve specific controversies, often with a degree of discretion and adherence to judicial norms. A certifying officer's role is predominantly about execution and verification within established parameters, making it administrative in nature.