Certification of e-forms under the Companies Act, 1956 by the Practicing professionals

Ministry of Corporate Affairs has vide Circular No. 14/2011 dated 8th April 2011 entrusted practicing professionals registered as Members of the professional bodies namely, ICAI, ICSI & ICWAI with the responsibility of ensuring integrity of documents filed by them with MCA in electronic mode. Professionals are now to be responsible for submitting /certifying documents (to be signed digitally by them) and system would accept most of these documents online without approval by Registrar of Companies or other officers of the Ministry. It has also been clarified that strict action would not only be taken against the Company and its officers but also against professionals on receipt of any complaint, anonymous or otherwise.