Sunday, 19 February 2012

Compliance requirements for Company


Compliance requirements for Company

The management of a company is vested with the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors manages the day to day affairs of the company subject to the provisions of the Companies Act and as per the Memorandum and Articles of Association. The decisions at the meeting of directors are carried by way of resolutions. There are certain decisions that require the approval of shareholders by way of a resolution.

The compliance process in a company is ensured by way of meetings of directors and shareholders, maintenance of Minutes, Registers and Records, appointment of company secretary, maintenance of accounts and audit and filing of periodic and event based returns to Registrar of Companies and other regulatory authorities.

Board of Directors and Meetings
Directors are appointed by shareholders and the day to day management of company is vested with the Board of Directors. The Board carry out the management through decisions taken at their meetings. The decisions at the meeting of directors are carried by way of resolutions. The Board of Directors has to meet at least once in every three months and at least 4 meetings shall be held in every year. Minutes of Board Meeting should be recorded and kept signed by the Chairman of the meetings. Though the day to day affairs are managed by the board of directors, there is certain decision that requires the approval of Shareholders meetings.

Shareholders and Meetings

Shareholders are the ultimate owners of the company and thus they are the ultimate decision making authority for matters such as appointment of directors etc. Every year, the company has to convene an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the shareholders for adopting the Annual Accounts and appointment of Auditors for the following year. Any meetings of shareholders other than the Annual General Meeting are called Extra Ordinary General Meetings (EGM). Minutes of General Meetings of the company should also be recorded and kept signed by the Chairman of the meetings.

Company Secretary

Every company having a paid up capital of Rs.5 Crore or more shall appoint a whole time Company Secretary and every company having a paid-up share capital of Rs.10.00 Lakhs to Rs.5.00 Crores shall obtain the Secretarial Compliance Certificate from a Company Secretary in whole-time practice and have to file the same with the Registrar of Companies.

Minutes / Registers / Records and Common Seal
A company is required to maintain and preserve a set of records as required under Companies Act as follows:
1.       Statutory Registers such as Register of Members, Register of Directors, Register of Directors Shareholding, Register of Charges etc.
2.       Share Certificate
3.       Minutes Book
4.       Common Seal

Filing of Returns with office of Registrar of Companies (ROC)

Compliance mechanism under Companies Act mandates a company to file documents and Returns to office of Registrar of Companies (ROC) from time to time. Compliance related filing of returns / documents with the office of Registrar of Companies can be broadly classified in two categories;

1.       Annual Statutory Compliances

a.       Annual Accounts.
Every company has to prepare financial accounts consisting of Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss account on a yearly basis duly audited by a Chartered Accountant and the same has to be placed before the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company. Copy of the Annual Accounts has to be filed with the Registrar of Companies within 30 days from AGM.
b.      Annual Return.
Every year a company shall file a return with the Registrar of Companies within 60 days of AGM containing the particulars such as address of registered office, register of its members, register of its debenture holders, shares and debentures, indebtedness, members and debenture holders, past and present, and directors, managing directors, past and present.
c.       Secretarial Compliance Certificate.
In case of companies having paid-up share capital of Rs.10 Lakhs to Rs.5 Crore shall file the Secretarial Compliance Certificate with the Registrar of Companies within 30 days from AGM.

2.       Event Based Compliances

The following are few major events that require a filing of a return / document with the Registrar of Companies.
a.       Allotment of Shares
b.      Increase Authorised Capital
c.       Change of Company Name
d.      Creation / Modification / Satisfaction of Charges
e.      Change in Registered Office of the company
f.        Filing of certain Resolutions Passed by the Board / General Meetings and Agreements entered by the company
g.       Appointment of Directors / Managing Director and changes among them.
h.      Conversion of Private Company to Public and vice versa

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