Push for Inclusion: Company Secretaries Seek Recognition as Accountants

Apex bodies representing company secretaries and cost accountants in India are lobbying for their inclusion under the definition of 'accountant' in the Income Tax Bill, 2025. They argue that this inclusion is crucial for recognizing their role in the financial and compliance landscape of the country.

Apex organizations representing company secretaries and cost accountants are advocating for their inclusion under the 'accountant' category in the upcoming Income Tax Bill, 2025. This move emphasizes their significant role in the financial and compliance sectors.

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) have made a compelling case to the government. Both institutes, established under Acts of Parliament, are pushing for recognition of their members as integral professionals in the taxation system.

The lack of inclusion is deemed a missed opportunity for acknowledging the strategic function that company secretaries play. ICSI President Dhananjay Shukla and ICMAI President Bibhuti Bhusan Nayak have assured their members of continued advocacy for their rightful place in the statutory framework.