LLP settlement scheme: defaulting LLPs may file belated documents with ordinary fees and obtain immunity from prosecution.
The modified LLP Settlement Scheme permits defaulting LLPs to file belated documents due up to 31st August, 2020 by paying ordinary filing fees via MCA-21, with no additional fees, and grants immunity from prosecution for defaults rectified by 30th September, 2020; the scheme excludes LLPs that have applied for striking off under Form 24 and defines key terms.

Companies Fresh Start Scheme allows defaulting companies to regularise filings with normal fees and limited immunity from prosecution.
The Companies Fresh Start Scheme, 2020 permits defaulting companies to file belated documents by paying only normal fees and to obtain immunity from prosecution or penalties strictly insofar as such proceedings relate to delay in filing; applications for immunity require withdrawal of prior appeals, electronic filing of Form CFSS-2020 after documents are taken on file, and must be made within six months of the Scheme's closure, subject to specified exclusions and transitional measures.

Contribution to PM CARES Fund qualifies as CSR expenditure, allowing corporate donations for emergency relief under Schedule activities.
Contributions to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund), set up to provide relief in emergencies, are clarified to qualify as CSR expenditure under the Companies Act because Schedule-authorized activities include contributions to Central Government funds for socio-economic development and relief.

Compliance relief under Companies Act: moratorium on late filing fees and extensions for meetings and statutory filings.
The Ministry provided temporary compliance reliefs: waiver of additional fees for late MCA 21 filings from 1 April to 30 September; extension of board meeting interval to 180 days for the next two quarters; deferral of CARO 2020 applicability to FY 2020 21; non treating of missed Independent Director in camera meetings for FY 2019 20 as violations; extensions until 30 June 2020 for deposit repayment reserve and debenture investment compliances; additional 180 days to file Commencement of Business; and relaxation of director residency requirement for FY 2019 20.

CSR funding eligibility for COVID-19 permits health and disaster management spending under Schedule VII, interpreted broadly.
Spending of CSR funds for activities related to COVID-19 is eligible under Schedule VII, permitting use for promotion of health care, including preventive health care and sanitation, and for disaster management; items in Schedule VII are to be interpreted liberally for this purpose, consistent with prior circular guidance, and the clarification is issued with competent authority approval.

Relaxation of additional fees for company annual filings extended for companies in UT J&K and UT Ladakh.
The ministry extended the last date for electronic filing of e-form AOC-4 (including AOC-4 (CFS) and AOC-4 XBRL) and e-form MGT-7 for companies within the jurisdiction of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh, granting waiver of additional fees due to internet disruptions and operational difficulties, as authorised by the competent authority and as a continuation of a prior circular.

Filing obligations for insolvency professionals require electronic submission of appointment orders and documentary attachments via the designated general filing form.
Insolvency professionals must upload their NCLT appointment order in Form INC-28 selecting the IBC option and, while affixing DSC, designate themselves as "CEO" for filing purposes. Thereafter, all statutory filings while a company is under CIRP-including AOC-4 and MGT-7-must be submitted as attachments through e form GNL-2 using the "Filings under IBC" option and recording the NCLT/NCLAT/Court order date for event fields.

Form NFRA-2 filing deadline extended to run from the date of deployment on the NFRA website for FY filing.
The time limit for filing Form NFRA-2 for the reporting period Financial Year 2018-19 is 150 days from the date of deployment of this form on the website of the National Financial Reporting Authority, pursuant to General Circular No. 07/2020.

One time condonation of LLP filing delays enables regularisation with capped late fees and immunity from prosecution.
The Central Government's LLP Settlement Scheme, 2020 permits defaulting LLPs to regularise overdue filings due up to 31 October 2019 by paying a nominal additional fee (subject to a cap) alongside the standard filing fee for specified forms (Form 3, Form 4, Form 8, and Form 11), and grants immunity from prosecution by the Registrar for defaults regularised under the scheme; LLPs that have applied for striking off are excluded and Registrars will proceed with enforcement against non participating defaulters after the scheme ends.

Independent director liability limited to acts with knowledge, board attribution, consent or connivance; prosecutions require verification and sanction.
Independent directors and other non-promoter, non-KMP non-executive directors are liable only where defaults occurred with their knowledge, are attributable through Board processes, and involve their consent, connivance or lack of diligence. Registrars and investigators must verify records and e-forms to establish involvement, seek Ministry guidance when in doubt, and obtain Ministry sanction before initiating prosecutions; ongoing and already-filed cases not meeting these criteria must be reviewed accordingly.

Filing procedures for insolvency professionals: INC-28 approval enables IP to act as CEO for company e-form compliance.
The Insolvency Professional must file the tribunal appointment order in Form INC-28 on MCA-21 selecting "Others"; the ROC will approve or reject the filing. Once INC-28 is approved the IP will appear as the designated Chief Executive Officer in company master data and be authorised to file and sign required e-forms (with specified certifications where applicable). The IP must refile INC-28 on resolution plan approval, liquidation initiation or CIRP withdrawal, and must file any tribunal stay or set aside order in INC-28 so the company status and filing authorisation are updated.

Filing deadline relief for annual returns and financial statements extended without extra fees due to service disruptions.
Extension of the due date permits electronic filing of specified annual return and financial statement e forms within an extended timeframe without levy of additional fee for companies in the affected jurisdiction, in response to internet service disruptions that impeded normal compliance; the measure is an administrative waiver limited to the stated form types and conditions.

Extension of filing deadline for AoC 4 NBFC (Ind AS) and AoC 4 CFS NBFC waives additional fees until new cutoff.
The Ministry extended the final filing date for AoC-4 NBFC (Ind AS) and AoC-4 CFS NBFC (Ind AS) for eligible companies without payment of additional fee until 31st March, 2020 to accommodate the scheduled deployment of those e forms and directed registrars and regional directors to implement the relaxation approved by the competent authority.

Extension of filing deadline for BEN 2 allowed without additional fee; BEN 1 filing aligned to same timeline.
The Ministry extends the filing deadline for e form No. BEN 2 without payment of additional fees until 31.03.2020; thereafter normal fee and additional fee rules apply. The filing date extension for BEN 2 is to be construed as applying correspondingly to Form No. BEN 1.

Filing deadline extension for cost audit reports allows fee-free filing and covers preparation, auditor submission, and government filing.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs extended the last date for eligible companies to file CRA-4 (cost audit report) for FY 2018-19 without payment of additional fees, covering the entire process from preparation of Annexures to submission by the Cost Auditor to the company and filing by the company with the Central Government, under General Circular No. 17/2019.

Extension of Form PAS-6 filing deadline granted; filings allowed within sixty days after deployment of the form.
The Ministry extends the last date to file Form PAS-6 without additional fee for the half-year ended 30.09.2019 to sixty days from the date of deployment of the form on the Ministry's website, the extension being issued with competent authority approval.

Filing deadline extension: companies in J&K and Ladakh may file AOC 4 and MGT 7 without additional fees.
Extension of the due date applies to electronic filing of e forms AOC 4 (including AOC 4 CFS and AOC 4 XBRL) and e form MGT 7 for companies within the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, permitting submission without levy of additional fee until the extended date specified by the Ministry.

Filing deadline for Form NFRA-2 extended to a specified period measured from its deployment on the NFRA website.
Extension of the filing period for Form NFRA-2 under rule 5 of the National Financial Reporting Authority Rules, 2018 is announced: the time limit for filing will run for a limited period commencing from the date of deployment of the form on the NFRA website, with the revision issued following stakeholder representations and approved by the Competent Authority.

Extension of filing deadlines for annual return and financial statements without additional fees for eligible companies.
Companies with financial statements for the year ended 31.03.2019 may file e-forms AOC-4, AOC (CFS), AOC-4 XBRL up to 30.11.2019 and e-form MGT-7 up to 31.12.2019 without levy of additional fee, pursuant to administrative approval communicated by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Extension of filing deadlines for IEPF forms grants temporary relaxation of additional fees to facilitate compliance.
Companies are permitted a temporary waiver of additional fee on filing form IEPF-1A until 31.12.2019 and on filing form IEPF-2 (Statement of unclaimed and unpaid amounts) until 30.11.2019; after those dates the additional fee shall be payable. The circular was issued by the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority with approval of the competent authority to relax fee obligations and extend filing dates in response to stakeholder requests.