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Privacy Policy

Last updated: February 28, 2026

At A K Shrivastava & Associates, your privacy and the confidentiality of your data are fundamental to our professional ethos. As a registered firm with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), we are bound by strict ethical guidelines regarding client confidentiality.

This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, process, protect, and disclose your personal and financial information when you visit our website, utilize our interactive forms, or engage our professional services. We comply with the Information Technology Act, 2000, the SPDI Rules, 2011, and align our practices with the principles of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA).

1. Information We Collect

Depending on your interaction with us—whether as a website visitor, a prospective client, or an actively engaged client—we may collect the following categories of data:

A. Information You Provide Directly

  • Identity & Contact Information: Full name, email address, phone number, residential/business address, and job title when you fill out our "Request a Consultation" form.
  • Sensitive Financial & Corporate Data: Upon formal engagement, we collect PAN, Aadhaar, GSTIN, Director Identification Numbers (DIN), bank statements, investment proofs, trial balances, payroll data, and trade secrets necessary for executing our professional duties.
  • Communication Records: Copies of emails, physical letters, and notes from phone or in-person consultations.

B. Information Collected Automatically

  • Technical Data: When you browse our website, we automatically collect your IP address, browser type, operating system, and time-zone settings.
  • Usage Data: Information about how you navigate our website, the pages you view, and the duration of your visit to help us improve user experience.

C. Information from Third Parties & Government Portals

With your explicit consent and authorized credentials, we may fetch your financial data directly from government portals (e.g., Income Tax Portal, GSTN, Traces, MCA21) or third-party financial institutions to facilitate audits and return filings.

2. How We Use Your Information

We do not collect data arbitrarily. Your information is strictly utilized for the following lawful purposes:

  • Service Delivery: To prepare and file tax returns, conduct statutory/internal audits, manage ROC compliance, and deliver bespoke business advisory services.
  • Client Onboarding & Communication: To respond to your website inquiries, schedule consultations, and send important updates regarding statutory due dates or changes in tax laws.
  • Billing & Administration: To process fee payments, issue invoices, and manage our internal accounting.
  • Regulatory Compliance: To comply with Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations mandated by the Reserve Bank of India and ICAI.
  • Website Optimization: To analyze web traffic and improve the security, performance, and layout of our digital platforms.

3. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal or financial data to marketing agencies or unauthorized third parties. Your data is only shared in the following specific scenarios:

  • Government & Regulatory Authorities: We transmit your data to relevant portals (Income Tax Department, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, RBI, DGFT) strictly to execute the filings and compliances you have engaged us for.
  • Trusted Third-Party Service Providers: We use secure third-party infrastructure to run our firm. This includes cloud storage providers, email servers (e.g., Google Workspace), and automated database systems used for capturing website inquiries. These providers are bound by strict confidentiality agreements and security standards.
  • Legal & Statutory Obligations: We may disclose your information if required by a court order, subpoena, law enforcement investigation, or disciplinary inquiry by the ICAI.
  • Professional Sub-Contractors: In rare cases requiring highly niche expertise (e.g., registered valuers or legal advocates), we may share limited data with external professionals, but only after obtaining your prior written consent.

4. Data Security Measures

Protecting your sensitive financial data is our highest priority. We employ robust administrative, technical, and physical safeguards:

  • Digital Security: We utilize SSL encryption for our website, secure firewalls, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for accessing our internal cloud servers and tax software.
  • Access Control: Data is accessible on a "need-to-know" basis. Only partners, senior managers, and articled assistants directly assigned to your specific project can view your files.
  • Physical Security: Physical files and working papers are stored in secure, locked cabinets within our Noida headquarters, with restricted office access.

5. Data Retention Policy

We retain your personal and financial data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy or as mandated by Indian law:

  • Statutory Minimums: Under the Income Tax Act and Companies Act, we are generally required to retain audit working papers, financial statements, and filed returns for a minimum of eight (8) years from the end of the relevant assessment year.
  • Destruction: Once the legal retention period expires, physical documents are securely shredded, and digital files are permanently erased from our active servers and backups.

6. Your Rights Regarding Your Data

Subject to legal limitations and ICAI regulations, you have the following rights concerning your data:

  • Right to Access: You may request a copy of the personal data and filed documents we hold on your behalf.
  • Right to Rectification: You can request corrections to any inaccurate or incomplete personal or financial information.
  • Right to Erasure: You may request the deletion of your data. Note: We cannot delete data that we are legally required to retain for statutory compliance or audit defense.
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: You may withdraw your consent for us to access government portals on your behalf or opt out of receiving non-essential communication (e.g., newsletters).

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses "cookies" (small text files placed on your device) to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

  • Essential Cookies: Required for basic website functionality (e.g., submitting a multi-step form).
  • Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website.

You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, some portions of our website may not function correctly.

8. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external sites (e.g., the ICAI portal, Income Tax e-filing site, or GST portal). We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of these external sites. We encourage you to read their respective privacy policies before submitting any personal data.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our operational practices, ICAI guidelines, or newly enacted Indian privacy laws. When we make significant changes, we will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this document. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

Questions Regarding These Terms?

If you require clarification on any of the terms outlined above before engaging our services, please contact our administrative team at aksshri.sta@gmail.com.