The MCA has, by way of a Notification dated June 01, 2022, amended the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules, 2014, which is effective from June 01, 2022. Pursuant to this amendment, Rules 8 and 10(1) have been amended to introduce an additional requirement (of obtaining security clearance from MHA, Government of India) for certain individuals proposed to be appointed as director of an Indian company, being those who are nationals of a country which shares land border with India. This has also been made applicable while an individual applies for a Director Identification Number (‘DIN’), which is a pre-requisite for being appointed as a director of an Indian company.
Consequential changes have also been made in the relevant forms (Forms DIR-2 (for consent to act as director) and DIR-3 (application for DIN)) to provide for a declaration that a person being appointed as a director /applying for a DIN is either not required to obtain security clearance from MHA, or if such security clearance is required, then a copy of such security clearance obtained should be attached with the form in question.