Singapore legislation
Section 31
Section 31
Removal from Register of Public Accounting Corporations, Register of Public Accounting Firms or Register of Public Accounting Limited Liability Partnerships
(1)
The Registrar must remove from the Register of Public Accounting Corporations the name and relevant particulars of any accounting corporation if —
the accounting corporation has been wound up;
the approval of the accounting corporation under this Part has been revoked under Part 6; or
the accounting corporation has applied for its approval under this Part to be revoked.
(2)
The Registrar must remove from the Register of Public Accounting Firms the name and relevant particulars of any accounting firm if —
the accounting firm has been dissolved;
the approval of the accounting firm under this Part has been revoked under Part 6; or
the accounting firm has applied for its approval under this Part to be revoked.
(3)
The Registrar must remove from the Register of Public Accounting Limited Liability Partnerships the name and relevant particulars of any accounting LLP if —
the accounting LLP has been dissolved;
the approval of the accounting LLP under this Part has been revoked under Part 6; or
the accounting LLP has applied for its approval under this Part to be revoked.
(4)
The Oversight Committee must not grant an application by an accounting corporation, an accounting firm or an accounting LLP for the revocation of its approval under subsection (1)(c), (2)(c) or (3)(c) (as the case may be) if —
it has received any complaint or information under Part 6 against the accounting corporation, accounting firm or accounting LLP or any public accountant practising therein;
disciplinary proceedings under Part 6 are pending against the accounting corporation, accounting firm or accounting LLP or any public accountant practising therein; or
the conduct of business of the accounting corporation, accounting firm or accounting LLP is the subject of an inquiry or investigation by a Complaints Committee or a Disciplinary Committee under Part 6.
(5)
The Oversight Committee may also revoke its approval of an accounting corporation or an accounting firm and order the removal of its name and relevant particulars from the appropriate Register if it is satisfied that —
the approval of the accounting corporation, accounting firm or accounting LLP under this Part has been obtained by fraud or misrepresentation;
the accounting corporation, the sole proprietor or any partner of the accounting firm, or any partner of the accounting LLP (as the case may be) has made an arrangement with its or his or her creditors;
the accounting corporation, accounting firm or accounting LLP has ceased to provide public accountancy services in Singapore; or
the accounting corporation, accounting firm or accounting LLP is no longer in a position to provide public accountancy services effectively.
(6)
The Oversight Committee must, before exercising its powers under subsection (5), notify the accounting corporation, accounting firm or accounting LLP concerned of its intention to take such action and must give the accounting corporation, accounting firm or accounting LLP an opportunity to submit reasons, within such period as the Oversight Committee may determine, as to why its approval under this Part should not be revoked.
(7)
Any person who is aggrieved by an order under subsection (5) may, within 30 days of being notified of the order, appeal to the Minister whose decision is final.