Companies [Appontment and Qualifications of Secretary] Amendment Rules, 2009 [India]

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has vide notification dated January 5, 2009 [please refer to the text below] has raised the limit of paid up share capital for compulsory appointment of a company secretary (under wholetime employment) in an Indian company, from Rs. 2 crores to Rs. 5 crores.

This notification shall come into force from the 15th day of March, 2009.

Companies [Appointment and Qualifications of Secretary] Amendment Rules, 2009 - Amendment in Rule 3

NOTIFICATION NO. G.S.R. 11 (E), DATED 5-1-2009
In exercise of the powers conferred by clauses (a) and (b) of sub-section (1) of section 642 read with clause (45) of section 2 and section 383A of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Companies (Appointment and Qualifications of Secretary) Rules, 1988, namely :—

1. (1) These rules may be called the Companies (Appointment and Qualifications of Secretary) Amendment Rules, 2009.

(2) They shall come into force from the 15th day of March, 2009.

2. In the Companies (Appointment and Qualifications) of Secretary) Rules, 1988, in rule 2,
(i) in sub-rule (1) and in the proviso to sub-rule (4), for the words "rupees two crores" the following words shall be substituted, namely:—
"five crore rupees";
(ii) in sub-rule (3), the second and third proviso shall be omitted;
(iii) after sub-rule (3), the following sub-rule shall be inserted, namely:—

"(3A) A company having a paid up share capital of two crore rupees or more but less than five crore rupees may appoint any individual who possesses the qualification of membership of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India constituted under the Company Secretaries Act, 1980 (56 of 1980), as a whole-time secretary to perform the duties of a secretary under the Companies Act, 1956:

Provided that where a company has appointed under sub-rule (3) or this sub-rule, a whole-time company secretary, possessing the qualification of membership of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, such a company is not required to obtain a certificate from a secretary in whole-time practice under rule 3 of the Companies (Compliance Certificate) Rules, 2001."