[Application for registration of charitable or religious trusts, etc.
(1) An application under sub-clause (i) or sub-clause (ii) or sub-clause (iii) or sub-clause (iv) or sub-clause (v) or sub-clause (vi) of clause (ac) of sub-section (1) of section 12A for registration of a charitable or religious trust or institution (hereinafter referred to as 'the applicant') shall be made in the following Form, namely:—
(i) Form No. 10A in case of application under [sub-clause (i) or item (A) of sub-clause] (vi) of clause (ac) of sub-section (1) of section 12A to the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner authorised by the Board; or
(ii) Form No. 10AB in case of application under sub-clause (ii) or (iii) or (iv) [or (v) or item (B) of sub-clause (vi)] of clause (ac) of sub-section (1) of section 12A to the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner under the said clause.
(2) The application under sub-rule (1) shall be accompanied by the following documents, as required by Form No.10A or 10AB, as the case may be, namely:—
(a) where the applicant is created, or established, under an instrument, self-certified copy of such instrument creating or establishing the applicant;
(b) where the applicant is created, or established, otherwise than under an instrument, self-certified copy of the document evidencing the creation or establishment of the applicant;
(c) self-certified copy of registration with Registrar of Companies or Registrar of Firms and Societies or Registrar of Public Trusts, as the case may be;
(d) self-certified copy of registration under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (42 of 2010), if the applicant is registered under such Act;
(e) self-certified copy of existing order granting registration under section 12A or section 12AA or section 12AB, as the case may be;
(f) self-certified copy of order of rejection of application for grant of registration under section 12A or section 12AA or section 12AB, as the case may be, if any;
(g) where the applicant has been in existence during any year or years prior to the financial year in which the application for registration is made, self-certified copies of the annual accounts of the applicant relating to such prior year or years (not being more than three years immediately preceding the year in which the said application is made) for which such accounts have been made up;
(h) where a business undertaking is held by the applicant as per the provisions of sub-section (4) of section 11 and the applicant has been in existence during any year or years prior to the financial year in which the application for registration is made, self-certified copies of the annual accounts of such business undertaking relating to such prior year or years (not being more than three years immediately preceding the year in which the said application is made) for which such accounts have been made up and self-certified copy of the report of audit as per the provisions of section 44AB for such period;
(i) where the income of the applicant includes profits and gains of business as per the provisions of sub-section (4A) of section 11 and the applicant has been in existence during any year or years prior to the financial year in which the application for registration is made, self-certified copies of the annual accounts of such business relating to such prior year or years (not being more than three years immediately preceding the year in which the said application is made) for which such accounts have been made up and self-certified copy of the report of audit as per the provisions of section 44AB for such period;
(j) self-certified copy of the documents evidencing adoption or modification of the objects;
(k) note on the activities of the applicant.
(3) Form No. 10A or 10AB, as the case may be, shall be furnished electronically, —
(i) under digital signature, if the return of income is required to be furnished under digital signature;
(ii) through electronic verification code in a case not covered under clause (i).
(4) Form No. 10A or 10AB, as the case may be, shall be verified by the person who is authorised to verify the return of income under section 140, as applicable to the applicant.
(5) On receipt of an application in Form No. 10A, the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner, authorised by the Board shall pass an order in writing granting registration under clause (a), or clause (c), of sub-section (1) of section 12AB read with sub-section (3) of the said section in Form No.10AC and issue a sixteen digit alphanumeric Unique Registration Number (URN) to the applicants making application as per clause (i) of sub-rule (1).
(6) If, at any point of time, it is noticed that Form No. 10A has not been duly filled in by not providing, fully or partly, or by providing false or incorrect information or documents required to be provided under sub-rule (1) or (2) or by not complying with the requirements of sub-rule (3) or (4), the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner, as referred to in sub-rule (5), after giving an opportunity of being heard, may cancel the registration in Form No. 10AC and Unique Registration Number (URN), issued under sub-rule (5), and such registration or such Unique Registration Number (URN) shall be deemed to have never been granted or issued.
(7) In case of an application made under sub-clause (vi) of clause (ac) of sub-section (1) of [section 12A as it stood immediately before its amendment vide the Finance Act, 2023,] during previous year beginning on 1st day of April, 2021, the provisional registration shall be effective from the assessment year beginning on 1st day of April, 2022.
(8) In case of an application made in Form No. 10AB under clause (ii) of sub-rule (1), the order of registration or rejection or cancellation of registration under sub-clause (ii) of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 12AB shall be in Form No.10AD and in case if the registration is granted, sixteen digit alphanumeric number Unique Registration Number (URN) shall be issued by the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner referred to in sub-section (1) of section 12AB.
(9) The Principal Director General of Income-tax (Systems) or the Director General of Income-tax (Systems), as the case may be, shall:
(i) lay down the form, data structure, standards and procedure of,—
(a) furnishing and verification of Form No. 10A or 10AB, as the case may be;
(b) passing the order under clause (a), sub-clause (ii) of clause (b) and clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 12AB;
(ii) be responsible for formulating and implementing appropriate security, archival and retrieval policies in relation to the said application made or order so passed as the case may be.]