Summary: The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), through a representation dated September 23, 2026, has requested the Registrar of Firms, Kerala, to include Practising Company Secretaries among the recognised Attestation Officers on the Egroops Portal for registration of Partnership Firms. ICSI noted that the portal presently permits specified professionals, including Chartered Accountants, Advocates, Gazetted Officers and Income Tax Practitioners, to act as Attestation Officers, while Company Secretaries are not included. The Institute has sought suitable amendment of the Egroops Portal framework so that Company Secretaries can certify and submit applications relating to partnership firm registration. The representation states that Company Secretaries, constituted under the Company Secretaries Act, 1980, are trained in business and commercial laws, regulatory compliance, legal documentation, corporate governance and business entity administration. ICSI also highlighted the compliance and certification responsibilities entrusted to members of the profession by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and other regulatory authorities. According to the Institute, inclusion of Company Secretaries as Attestation Officers would expand the pool of qualified professionals, improve access to professional services, strengthen documentation quality and facilitate quicker processing of registration requests. TaxGuru’s detailed guide on registration of Partnership Firms through Kerala’s Egroops Portal also explains the attestation stage and categories of attesting officers. request-for-inclusion-of-practi… request-for-inclusion-of-practi…
THE INSTITUTE OF COMPANY SECRETARIES OF INDIA
IN PURSUIT OF PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE
Statutory body under an Act of Parliament
(Under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Corporate Affairs)
CS Pawan G. Chandak
PRESIDENT
ICSI: G&CL: SEPT: 02/2026 | Dated: September 23, 2026
Hon’ble Registrar of Firms
O/o Inspector General of Registration
Vanchiyoor
Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala
Respected Sir/Madam,
Subject: Request for Inclusion of Practising Company Secretaries as Attestation Officers on Egroops Portal for Registration of Partnership Firms
Greetings from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India!
The Institute place on record its appreciation for the Government of Kerala for establishing the Egroops Portal and creating a robust online mechanism for registration and administration of Societies and Partnership Firms. The initiative has substantially contributed to digital governance and ease of compliance for citizens and businesses.
We wish to draw your kind attention to the existing framework governing registrations on the Egroops Portal, under which only specified categories of professionals, including Chartered Accountants, Advocates, Gazetted Officers and Income Tax Practitioners, are authorised to act as Attestation Officers for registration-related activities. However, Company Secretaries have not been included within the list of recognised professionals despite possessing qualifications and expertise directly relevant to such assignments.
ICSI Submission
In view of the above, the Institute respectfully requests that the Egroops Portal framework be suitably amended to include Company Secretaries among the recognised Attestation Officers authorised to certify and submit applications relating to registration of Partnership Firms.
Justification
Company Secretaries are professionals constituted under the Company Secretaries Act, 1980 and are extensively trained in business and commercial laws, regulatory compliances, legal documentation, corporate governance and business entity administration. Their professional responsibilities routinely involve examination, certification and authentication of statutory documents, ensuring legal accuracy and compliance with applicable laws.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs and several other regulatory authorities have entrusted significant compliance and certification responsibilities to members of the profession in recognition of their expertise and professional standards.
The exclusion of Company Secretaries from the category of recognised Attestation Officers deprives entrepreneurs and partnership firms of access to an important class of qualified professionals who are fully capable of assisting them in registration and compliance matters.
Inclusion of Company Secretaries as Attestation Officers would enlarge the pool of skilled professionals available to applicants, improve access to professional services, strengthen the quality of documentation and facilitate quicker processing of registration requests.
We shall be happy to provide any further information or clarification that may be desired in this regard.
Thanking you
Yours faithfully
(CS Pawan G. Chandak)
President
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India
