What role is played by a Company Secretary in relation to the following under the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013: (i) Preparation of annual return of a public limited company.

Role of Company Secretary in preparation of annual return of a public limited company Every company shall prepare a return in Form No. MGT-7 containing the particulars as they stood on the close of the financial year regarding the particulars as mentioned in Section 92(1). Such annual return is required to be signed by a director and the company secretary, or where there is no company secretary, by a company secretary in practice. Since one of the signatory to the return is Company Secretary, he has to ensure that: the return states the facts, as they stood on the date of the closure of the financial year aforesaid correctly and adequately. the whole of the amount of unpaid/ unclaimed dividend/other amounts as applicable have been transferred to the Investor Education and Protection Fund in accordance with section 125 of the Act. the Company has maintained all the registers as per the provisions of the Act and the rules made there under and the Company has complied with the applicable provisions of the Act during the financial year.