MCA Announces One-Time Scheme For Late Corporate Filings With 90% Penalty Waiver

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has announced the Companies Compliance Facilitation Scheme, 2026, which will be in force from April 15 to July 15. Under the scheme, companies can submit pending annual returns and financial statements by paying 10% of the stipulated penalties, according to a circular issued by the ministry.

Since July 2018, companies have been required to pay an additional fee of Rs 100 per day for delayed filings. The filings are made through the MCA21 portal, which is used for corporate submissions. The ministry stated that the scheme follows requests from stakeholders, including small and medium businesses, seeking relief for delayed compliance. It added that the measure forms part of efforts to support ease of doing business.

Experts said technical issues on the V3 version of the MCA21 portal have affected filings and that the scheme may enable companies to regularise pending submissions.