THE INSTITUTE OF
Company Secretaries of India
IN PURSUANT OF PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE
Statutory body under an act of parliament
(Under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Corporate Affairs)
ICSI:PFP: 2020
July 29, 2020
Ms. Barnali Mukherjee
Chief General Manager
Corporate Finance Department
Securities and Exchange Board of India
SEBI Bhavan, Plot No.C4-A, ‘G’ Block
Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (East)
Mumbai – 400051
Dear Madam,
Sub: Clarification regarding the use of digital signatures w.r.t. authentication/certification of filing /submission made to stock exchanges under the SEBI LODR due to the COVID – 19 pandemic
The SEBI after considering the gravity of the conditions prevailing in the country due to COVID 19 pandemic has provided various relaxations from compliance with the provisions of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements), Regulations, 2015 and extended the due dates vide its Circular nos. SEBI/HO/CFD/CMD1/CIR/P/2020/38 dated March 19, 2020, SEBI/HO/CFD/CMD1/CIR/P/2020/48 dated March 26, 2020, SEBI/HO/CFD/CMD1/CIR/P/2020/63 dated April 17, 2020 and other Circulars.
The SEBI vide its Circular no. SEBI/HO/CFD/CMD1/CIR/P/2020/63 dated April 17, 2020 has also clarified that authentication/certification of any filing/submission made to stock exchanges under the SEBI LODR may be done using digital signature certifications until June 30, 2020.
We wish to draw your kind attention that the due to COVID -19 pandemic and the precautionary measures for its curtailment being prescribed in the country, still there are many operational challenges being faced by the Company Secretaries while carrying out certification and authenticating the documents in the physical form.
Accordingly, we request your good-self to kindly consider issuing further clarification regarding the use of digital signatures w.r.t. authentication/certification of any filing/submission made to stock exchanges under the SEBI LODR until October 31, 2020.
We shall be pleased to provide any further information in this regard on hearing from your goodself.
Thanking you Yours faithfully
(CS Ashish Garg)
President, ICSI
CC : Shri Pradeep Ramakrishnan
General Manager
Corporation Finance Department
Compliance and Monitoring Division-1
Securities and Exchange Board of India
SEBI Bhavan, Plot No.C4-A, ‘G’Block
Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (East)
Mumbai – 400051
Shri Amarjeet Singh
Executive Director
Securities and Exchange Board of India
SEBI Bhavan, Plot No. C-4A, G Block
Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (East)
Mumbai 400 051
