Registration of agents

(1) Every agent who is acting as such immediately prior to the commencement of this Act shall make an application within sixty days from the said date, to the registering authority in the prescribed manner for his registration: provided that the registering authority may entertain any such application for registration after expiry of the said period, if it is satisfied that the applicant was prevented by sufficient cause from making the application in time. (2) Any person who desires to act as an agent may also make an application for his registration to the registering authority in the prescribed manner. (3) Every application for registration shall be made in such form and shall be accompanied by such fees as may be prescribed and shall be presented in the office of the registering authority. (4) Where the application for registration is complete in all respects, the registering authority shall register the agent and issue to the agent a certificate of registration containing such particulars as may be prescribed and shall enter the particulars relating to the agent as contained in the application for registration in a register to be maintained in the prescribed form. (5) A registration certificate shall be valid till the end of a calendar year during which it is issued and may be renewed for a period of one year on presentation of an application to the registering authority in such form and on payment of such fees as may be prescribed and every such application shall be presented not less than two months before the expiry of the registration certificate: Provided that the registering authority may entertain an application for the renewal of a registration certificate after the last date for presentation of the application if the application is made before the expiry of the registration certificate and is accompanied by an additional fee equal to twenty-five percent of the fees for renewal. (6) Where the application is not complete in all respects, the registering authority shall return the same to the applicant within fifteen days of receipt of the application pointing out the defects for rectification and re-submission within fifteen days of its receipt by the agent.