UDIN by PCS for e-Form MGT-7 Certification for ROC Filing

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) has put up The Unique Document Identification Number (UDIN) to authenticate, be transparent and trustworthy document attested by practicing company secretaries. For certifications in relation to E-FORM MGT-7(Annual Return) filed with the ROC:- Creation of UDIN by certifying PCS is mandatory in such cases where there is a certification of the e-Form MGT-7 required by a PCS so that the regulator and other stakeholders are able to check the validity of the attestation made by the Professional.

Table of Contents

What is UDIN?

UDIN (Unique Document Identification Number) A Unique Document Identification Number (UDIN) is a system-generated alphanumeric number for the documents certified, attested and issued by a Practising Company Secretary.

The primary objectives of UDIN are:

To verify the authenticity of certified documents.
To prevent forgery and misuse of professional certifications.
To improve transparency and accountability.
To enable regulators to verify documents online.

What is e-Form MGT-7?

e-Form MGT-7 is the Annual Return prescribed under the Companies Act, 2013. It contains important information relating to:

Registered office details
Shareholding pattern
Directors and Key Managerial Personnel (KMP)
Members and debenture holders
Meetings held during the year
Indebtedness
Penalties and compliances

Certain companies are required to have the annual return certified by a Practicing Company Secretary before filing it with the ROC.

Is UDIN Mandatory for MGT-7 Certification?

Yes, When a Practicing Company Secretary authenticates any e-Form MGT-7 for the generation of UDIN is required as per The Institute of Company Secretaries of India, UDIN Guidelines 2018. UDIN shall be quoted along with COP number. In some of the e-forms, say MGT-7 wherein there are no specific fields for UDIN. UDIN is typically included by way of an attachment (Optional unless any specific provision for its inclusion in form exist).

Why is UDIN Important?

Mandatory generation of UDIN helps to:

Authenticate certifications issued by PCS.
Prevent fake or forged professional certificates.
Enable easy online verification by regulators and stakeholders.
Improve confidence in corporate filings.
Promote professional accountability and ethical practices.

When Should UDIN Be Generated?

A Practicing Company Secretary should generate the UDIN:

At the time of signing the certification.
Before filing the certified e-Form MGT-7 with the ROC.
In accordance with the timelines prescribed under the ICSI UDIN Guidelines. For e-forms, the generated UDIN remains valid for a limited period for digital signing.

How to Generate UDIN for MGT-7 Certification

The process is simple:

Log in to the ICSI UDIN Portal.
Select the applicable certification service.
Enter the required company and certification details.
Verify the information.
Generate the system-created UDIN.
Mention the UDIN along with the certification and retain it for future reference.

Where UDIN Should Be Mentioned in e-Form MGT-7?

For e-Form MGT-7, where no specific UDIN field is available, the UDIN should be mentioned by attaching it in the optional attachment of the e-form, unless the law provides a dedicated field in future.

Consequences of Non-Generation of UDIN

Failure to generate or mention UDIN may lead to:

Non-compliance with ICSI Guidelines.
Professional disciplinary consequences for the PCS under the applicable regulations.
Questions regarding the authenticity of the certification.
Regulatory issues during verification.

Benefits of Mandatory UDIN

Ensures authenticity of certifications.
Enhances transparency in ROC filings.
Prevents misuse and forgery of professional documents.
Facilitates online verification by regulators.
Strengthens confidence in corporate compliance.
Upholds professional standards of Practicing Company Secretaries.

Conclusion

It is compulsory to generate UDIN for the certifications provided by practicing company secretaries in an annual report of companies- e-form MGT- 7 and the generated UDIN is then reflected in the body of the same report (Paragraph 70.ii of ICSI guidance), while filing it with Registrar. UDIN certification for e-Form MGT – 7 with Registrar is another important aspect to increase the reliability and verifiability of the submitted documents.

By generating a UDIN, practitioners assure that they are complying with the provisions laid out by ICSI and at the same timeline an assurance to the authorities.

The need to ensure prompt submission with the UDIN standards and other due date compliance strengthens governance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is UDIN?

UDIN means a Unique Document Identification Number, is assigned by the Practicing Company Secretary at the time of issuing any certified report / other document and /or other document using his / her credentials on the ICSI UDIN portal and / or using any other authorized portal issued / updated by the Institute, where mandate such as of UDIN.

2. Is UDIN mandatory for e-Form MGT-7?

Yes, e-Form MGT-7 certified by a Practicing Company Secretary must be generated with UDIN in compliance with the ICSI UDIN Guidelines.

3. Who generates the UDIN?

The UDIN can only be generated by the Practicing Company Secretary whose UDIN gets imprinted at the time of signing the certification.

4. Can the UDIN be verified?

Yes, you can always use the portal i.e “ICSI UDIN portal” to confirm the genuineness of a UDIN.

5. Is there any fee for generating UDIN?

No, the facility of UDIN generation is absolutely free and no charge is levied by ICSI.