Digital Signature Certificate made mandatory w.e.f 1st July 2011 for Firms and Individuals whose accouns are required to be audited u/s 44 AB of the Income Tax Act' 1961.
What is a Digital Signature ?
A digital signature or digital signature scheme is a mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of a digital message or document. A valid digital signature gives a recipient reason to believe that the message was created by a known sender, and that it was not altered in transit. Digital signatures are commonly used for software distribution, financial transactions, and in other cases where it is important to detect forgery or tampering. The Government of India has issued a notification in this regard as described below:-
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
[CENTRAL BOARD OF DIRECT TAXES]
Notification
New Delhi, the 1st July, 2011
INCOME-TAX
S.O.1497(E).- In exercise of the powers conferred by section 295 read with section 139 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), the Central Board of Direct Taxes hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Income-tax Rules, 1962, namely:-
1. (1) These rules may be called the Income-tax (Sixth Amendment) Rules, 2011.
(2) They shall come into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the Income-tax Rules, 1962, in rule 12, in sub-rule (3), in the proviso, for clauses (a) and (aa) the following clause shall be substituted, namely: – “ (a) a firm required to furnish the return in Form ITR-5 or an individual or Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) required to furnish the return in Form ITR-4 and to whom provisions of Section 44AB are applicable, shall furnish the return for Assessment year 2011-12 and subsequent Assessment Years in the manner specified in clause (ii);” [Notification No.37/2011/ F.No.149/68/2011- SO (TPL)]
(Ashis Mohanty)
Under Secretary to the Government of India
Note.- The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part-II, Section 3, Sub-section (ii), vide number.S.O.969(E), dated the 26th March, 1962 and last amended by Income-tax (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2011 vide number S.O. 1214(E) dated 26.05.2011.
