The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India is gearing up to cross another milestone in its long historical journey towards technological advancement by adopting the e-hearings in its Disciplinary processes which is instrumental in bringing out cost-effective disciplinary mechanism. The newly introduced e-hearings would pave the way for expeditious disposal of Disciplinary cases. The Institute, for the first time, fixed to conduct e-hearing of disciplinary proceedings on February 9, 2019 through Video-conferencing in terms/compliance of the recent amendments made to the Chartered Accountants (Procedure of Investigations of Professional and Other Misconduct and Conduct of Cases) Rules, 2007. The e-hearings are earmarked to provide an edge/ incentives to the parties also which would cut down their associated travel time and costs.

CA. Naveen N.D. Gupta, President, ICAI said “ICAI always strived to embrace the technological progress and innovations to achieve its long cherished objectives. And by enabling hearing of disciplinary case through electronic mode we have moved one step ahead in achievement our objectives.” The Council of ICAI approved the proposal for conducting of e-hearings of Disciplinary proceedings in May, 2018 and to implement the decision moved the Ministry of Corporate Affairs with proposed amendments to the aforesaid disciplinary Rules and modalities thereof which are in addition to the extant procedure. The proposed amendments were considered, approved and notified by the Ministry in the Gazette of India on October 29, 2018.

Consequent to the Ministry’s nod for e-hearings, ICAI as a pilot project decided to commence, initially from its five regional headquarters located at New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Kanpur which would be gradually extended to other locations.