UDIN is an innovative concept introduced by ICAI to control the fraudulent singing of the documents by any person other than CA.

 

 

UDIN stands for Unique Document Identification Number. All the documents certified by the CA must carry UDIN. Non quoting of UDIN on the documents results in penal consequences for the Member of ICAI.

 

Question is raised, whether UDIN is applicable if the CA certifies the return as “True Copy”.

FAQ issued by ICAI on UDIN in Question No. 102 of FAQ mentions that CA can’t certify ITR returns of their clients as “True Copy”. However, they can make an opinion/ certificate/ report about ITR based on its source, location and authenticity of data from which ITR is being prepared and UDIN is required while doing

Does it mean that the certifying return as “True Copy’ is strictly banned by ICAI. It may not be so.

 

CA Members can certify the return as “True Copy” but need to be duly supported by comments as to its source or location from which the authenticity is established. The comments could be “As verified from Income Tax portal – www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in”

The same logic then need to be stretched further when CA is signing the unaudited financial statements with stamp of “Certified True copy”. It may now be considered that blank signing as “Certified True Copy’ may not be permissible.

 

It means that the unaudited financial statements would also be requiring UDIN and it would be requiring comments as to its source, location and authenticity of such financial statement. The comments could be “As per books of accounts without carrying out the audit of financial statements” or so.