The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) on Tuesday extended the deadline for filing financial statements and annual returns under the Companies Act until January 31, 2026, giving companies more time to complete their mandatory filings.
The earlier deadline of December 31 was extended after a large number of users complained about technical problems on the MCA portal.
Filers reported frequent timeouts, glitches and system errors that made it difficult to upload documents and complete submissions on time.
The extension applies to annual filings for the financial year 2024–25, which companies are required to submit every year under the Companies Act.
These filings include important disclosures related to a company's financial performance and statutory compliance.
In an official statement, the ministry said that after receiving representations from stakeholders, the competent authority decided to allow companies to complete their annual filings up to January 31, 2026, without paying any additional fees.
The MCA clarified that any filing made within the revised deadline will not attract late fees.
The extended timeline covers several key e-forms, including MGT-7, MGT-7A, AOC-4, AOC-4 CFS, AOC-4 NBFC (Ind AS), AOC-4 CFS NBFC (Ind AS), and AOC-4 (XBRL).
The ministry also stated that all other conditions mentioned in its earlier General Circular No. 06/2025 will remain unchanged, and only the filing deadline has been relaxed.
MCA filing refers to the mandatory submission of legal documents, financial statements and returns by companies and LLPs to the Registrar of Companies through the MCA portal.
These filings help regulators track a company's financial health, governance structure and compliance status, and are essential for maintaining a company's lawful standing.
The decision comes a day after hundreds of professionals and company filers raised concerns on social media platform X.
Many users said they were unable to complete filings due to portal issues as the December 31 deadline approached.
As complaints increased, the phrase "Extend Due Date Immediately" began trending on X, with users urging the ministry to provide relief so that companies could file accurate returns without the risk of penalties caused by technical failures.
(With inputs from IANS)
