In a significant compliance relief for companies and corporate stakeholders, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), Government of India, vide General Circular No. 05/2026 dated October 24, 2026 (File No. Policy-17/111/2022-CL-V-MCA), has allowed an extension of time for filing Financial Statements and Annual Returns for the Financial Year 2025-26 without payment of additional fees under the Companies Act, 2013.
Extension for Filing Financial Statements till December 31, 2026: As per the Circular, companies have been permitted to file their Financial Statements for FY 2025-26 in e-Forms AOC-4, AOC-4 (CFS), AOC-4 (XBRL), AOC-4 NBFC (Ind AS) and AOC-4 CFS NBFC (Ind AS) up to December 31, 2026, without payment of additional fees. The relaxation aims to facilitate timely completion of statutory filings and reduce the compliance burden on companies.
Extension for Filing Annual Returns till January 31, 2027: The MCA has further allowed companies to file their Annual Returns for FY 2025-26 in e-Forms MGT-7 and MGT-7A up to January 31, 2027, without payment of additional fees. This measure provides additional time to companies to complete their annual regulatory compliances.
Relief Granted Following Stakeholder Representations: The Ministry stated that it had received representations from various stakeholders seeking an extension of the filing deadlines for annual statutory forms. Considering these requests and with a view to facilitating compliance, the Government has granted the above relaxation in the interest of corporate stakeholders.
No Extension for Holding Annual General Meetings (AGMs): Importantly, the MCA has clarified that the Circular does not extend the statutory timelines prescribed for holding Annual General Meetings under the Companies Act, 2013. Companies failing to comply with the applicable AGM timelines shall continue to be liable under the relevant provisions of the Act.
Additional Fees Applicable After the Relaxation Period: The Circular further clarifies that filings made after the respective relaxation periods shall attract applicable fees, including additional fees, in accordance with the Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014. Such additional fees shall be calculated from the original statutory due dates prescribed under the Companies Act, 2013, rather than from the extended filing dates.
Major Step Towards Ease of Doing Business: The relaxation is expected to provide much-needed relief to companies, particularly MSMEs and other corporate entities, by allowing additional time to complete their annual filings without incurring additional filing fees. The measure supports compliance facilitation, reduces financial burdens and promotes ease of doing business while maintaining the statutory discipline prescribed under company law.
The General Circular can be accessed at: https://a2ztaxcorp.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/General-Circular.pdf
