Digital Signature for MCA21
MCA21 Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
  • Ease in filing of Forms/ Returns
  • Better compliance management
  • Total transparency through e-Governance
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NCode Class2 Application Form.
NCode Class2B Application Form.
NCode Class3 Individual Application Form.
Ncode Class3b Application Form
Ncode DGFT Application Form
NCode Renewal Application Form.
eMudhra Class2 Application Form.
eMudhra Class3b Application Form.
Essential Downloads.


With the launch of MCA21, e-filing and e-governance is the buzzword. This has made possible for Company Directors, Professionals, Financial Institutions and other Authorized Signatories to do e-filing with the MCA. After MCA income tax also went online by launching its website for filing e-returns. Filing of e-returns require digital signatures though not mandatory but it saves the hassle of physically sending the documents to department if digitally signed. Further by the initiative of the Govt. a lot many organisations like IREPS, Northern Railways, ONGC, GAIL, IFFCO have started the process of e-tendering & other online processes.

One of the pre-requisites for e-filing is Digital Signature Certificate (DSC).

Digital Signature Certificates to individuals:

Through (n) Code Solutions & E-mudhra we offer an entire range of Individual Certificates tailored to address various needs of the Market. These Certificates are used for a host of purposes like secure authentication, signing documents or transactions, etc. Digitally signed documents or transactions have the same legal validity as physically signed documents in any Indian court of law as per the Indian IT Act 2000, provided they have been signed via a Digital Signature Certificate issued by a licensed Certifying Authority in India.

Various kind of individual digital signatures are as follows:

  • (n) 21 DSC Class-II signatures - For Income tax & ROC filing

  • (n) Pro DSC Class-III signatures - For companies to file e-tender for organizations like IFFCO, IREPS. ONGC, For Stock Broking companies for signing contract notes.

  • (n) eXIM signatures - For EXIM community to interact with DGFT. (Only (n) code & safescrypt provide these signatures. 
  • (n) Rail DSC signatures - For IRCTC agents for e-ticketing.
  • (n) Serv Signatures-  A 128 bit SSL certificates for websites. It is a class III certificate issued to websites having live I.P. One can authenticate the identity of the website and carry out transactions securely

DIGITAL SIGNATURE CERTIFICATE :
A Digital Signature Certificate, like hand written signature, establishes the identity of the sender filing the documents through internet which sender can not revoke or deny. Accordingly, Digital Signature Certificate is a digital equivalent of a hand written signature which has an extra data attached electronically to any message or a document. Digital Signature also ensures that no alterations are made to the data once the document has been digitally signed. A DSC is normally valid for 1 or 2 years, after which it can be renewed.

These certificates are accepted for IFFCO, Northern Railway, MCA 21, E-filing, E -tendering etc...

There are basically 3 types of Digital Signature Certificates  Class-1, Class-2 & Class-3 each having different level of security.

All the authorized signatories of company under MCA21 require Class-2 Digital Signature Certificate.

Similarly any document filed by CA/CS/CWA & TAX PRACTIONERS under MCA21 require  Class-2 Digital Signature Certificate.
 

A Digital Signature is a method of verifying the authenticity of an electronic document. Digital signatures are going to play an important role in our lives with the gradual electronization of records and documents.

The IT Act has given legal recognition to digital signature meaning, thereby, that legally it has the same value as handwritten or signed signatures affixed to a document for its verification.

The Information Technology Act, 2000 provides the required legal sanctity to the digital signatures based on asymmetric cryptosystems. The digital signatures are now accepted at par with handwritten signatures and the electronic documents that have been digitally signed are treated at par with paper documents.

What can I use digital certificates for?
Three uses are outlined here. Your digital certificate could be used to allow you to access membership-based web sites automatically without entering a user name and password. It can allow others to verify your "signed" e-mail or other electronic documents, assuring your intended reader(s) that you are the genuine author of the documents, and that the content has not been corrupted or tampered with in any way. Finally, digital certificates enable others to send private messages to you: anyone else who gets his/her hands on a message meant for you will not be able to read it.

Sending Digitally Signed Mail : You can use your Digital Certificate to digitally sign your emails sent through Outlook Express / MS-Outlook etc. Digitally signing the mail authenticates your identity and enables the receiver to ensure that the mail has come from you only. It also ensures that the content of the mail is not tampered in the transit and the mail received by the receiver is the same what you have sent.

WHO NEEDS A DIGITAL SIGNATURE CERTIFICATE ?

Under MCA21 Every person who is required to sign manual documents and returns filed with ROC is required to obtain a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC). Accordingly following have to obtain Digital Signature Certificate:

1. Directors
2. Auditors
3. Company Secretary - Whether in practice or in job.
4. Bank Officials - for Registration and Satisfaction of Charges
5. Other Authorized Signatories.

TYPES OF DIGITAL SIGNATURE CERTIFICATE

There are 3 types of Digital Signature Certificates, having different security levels, namely :- 

Class-1
Class-2
Class-3

For filing documents under MCA21, a  Class-2 Digital Signature Certificate issued by a Licensed Registration Authority is required. We also offer Class 1 and 3 besides Class 2 certificates.

QUESTIONS RELATED TO DIGITAL SIGNATURE
  1. What is a Digital Signature?
  2. How legal is a Digital signature?
  3. I don't have a Digital Signature. Does this mean I cannot file online?
  4. Do I need a fresh digital signature in case I already have one?
  5. How much does a digital signature cost?
  6. UPLOADING WITH DIGITAL SIGNATURE CERTIFICATES: there is no way of affixing the certificate onto the form.
  7. The Web site accepts Digital signature certificates in the formats: .pfx/ .p12. Other formats like .cer are not being accepted. Thus Persons who use USB tokens for securing their signature certificates are unable to use them for e-filing.
  8. It is not clear what class of Digital signature certificates should be used: Class 1/2/3
  9. It is also not clear as to whose Digital signature certificate should be used: Director (as in the case of MCA) / Company (as in the case of DGFT)
QUESTIONS RELATED TO DIGITAL SIGNATURE
  1. What is a Digital Signature?

    Answer: A digital signature authenticates electronic documents in a similar manner a handwritten signature authenticates printed documents. This signature cannot be forged and it asserts that a named person wrote or otherwise agreed to the document to which the signature is attached. The recipient of a digitally signed message can verify that the message originated from the person whose signature is attached to the document and that the message has not been altered either intentionally or accidentally since it was signed. Also, the signer of a document cannot later disown it by claiming that the signature was forged. In other words, digital signatures enable the "authentication" and non-repudiation of digital messages, assuring the recipient of a digital message of both the identity of the sender and the integrity of the message.

    A digital signature is issued by a Certification Authority (CA) and is signed with the CA's private key. A digital signature typically contains the: Owner's public key, the Owner's name, Expiration date of the public key, the Name of the issuer (the CA that issued the Digital ID), Serial number of the digital signature, and the digital signature of the issuer. Digital signatures deploy the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology.

    If you file electronically using digital signature you do not have to submit a physical copy of the return. Even if you do not have a digital signature, you can still e-File the returns. However, you must also physically submit the printed copy of the filled up Form along with the copy of the Provisional Acknowledgement Number of your e-Return

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  2. How legal is a Digital signature?

    Answer: India is one of the select band of nations that has the Digital Signature Legislation in place. This Act grants digital signatures that have been issued by a licensed Certifying Authority in India the same status as a physical signature. Digital signatures deploy the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology.

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  3. I don’t have a Digital Signature. Does this mean I cannot file online?

    Answer: In case you do not have a Digital Signature, you can still e-File the returns. However, you must also physically submit the printed copy of the filled up Form along with the copy of the Provisional Acknowledgement Number of your e-Return.

     

  4. Do I need a fresh digital signature in case I already have one?

    Answer: A person/company who already has the specified Digital Signature for any other application can use the same for filings for the Income tax return and is not required to obtain a fresh Digital Signature.

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  5. How much does a digital signature cost?

    Answer: The Digital Signature certificates are typically issued with one year validity and two year validity. It includes the cost of medium (a UBS token which is a one time cost), the cost of issuance of Digital Signature and the renewal cost after the period of validity. The issuance costs in respect of each Certification Agency vary and are market driven.

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  6. UPLOADING WITH DIGITAL SIGNATURE CERTIFICATES: there is no way of affixing the certificate onto the form

    Answer: The website allows the assessee to use digital signature as an option. Therefore it is not possible to embed the digital signature feature in the software utility /form. However, the assessee can browse and attach the digital signature at the time of submission of the e-return at his option.

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  7. The Web site accepts Digital signature certificates in the formats: .pfx/ .p12. Other formats like .cer are not being accepted. Thus Persons who use USB tokens for securing their signature certificates are unable to use them for E-Filing.

    Answer: Digital Signature Certificates in USB tokens are also accepted.

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  8. It is not clear what class of Digital signature certificates should be used: Class 1/2/3

    Answer: Digital Signature certificate should be of Class 2 or 3 only. It should also be ensured that the Digital certificate should be obtained only from among Certifying Authorities in India.

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  9. It is also not clear as to whose Digital signature certificate should be used: Director (as in the case of MCA) / Company (as in the case of DGFT).

    Answer: In case the electronic return is being signed digitally using a digital certificate, then the digital certificate should be that of the Authorized Signatory in accordance with the provisions of Section 140 of the IT Act. Therefore, for company returns, the digital certificate should be that of the Managing Director or the Director of the company.

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