ICAI plans 'e-hearing' of disciplinary cases

To ensure faster disposal of cases as well as reduce overall costs, chartered accountants' apex body ICAI plans to conduct hearings of disciplinary proceedings through video conferencing.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has sent the proposal for 'e-hearing' of disciplinary cases to the Corporate Affairs Ministry.
ICAI expects the whole process of approval and rule making to be complete in the next 3-6 months.
"It (e-hearing) will lead to faster disposal of cases. It will help reduce costs for the parties and the institute," ICAI President Manoj Fadnis told PTI in an interview.
Currently, the disciplinary committee holds meetings where the respondent belongs to or the nearest place to him or her.

Normally, such hearings happen at the regional headquarters as well as the headquarters here.

"Our council has approved those rules. We have given our recommendations to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs for necessary amendments and their concurrence... This will become a reality," Fadnis said.
Once the e-hearings system is put in place, the parties concerned can be heard through video conferencing platform and they would be required to file the relevant documents for hearings in advance.
Some of the courts and tribunals, such as Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), have already set up e-benches in Delhi and Mumbai where parties concerned appear from different cities using video conferencing facility.

Meanwhile, ICAI's disciplinary committee has disposed off 100 cases since February 2015. At the start of February last, there were 129 cases, out of which proceedings in three were stayed by high courts.
Depending on violations, ICAI has powers to even debar a member from practicing as a chartered accountant.