El RoC impuso una sanción de 2,50 rupias a varias pequeñas empresas por no presentar el formulario INC-20A

The Company is registered in the state of Telangana. During the Enquiry, it was found that the company had failed to file the form INC-20A, and the Company was issued a show cause notice to this effect. However, no response was received from the Company.

Accordingly, in pursuance of provisions of Section 10A of The Companies Act, 2013, the RoC imposed a penalty of INR 50,000/- on the Company and INR 2 Lacs on both the directors of the company. Similar penalties were levied on various other cases on account of failure to file Form INC-20A.

1. Brief Facts of the Case:

• M/s Abhayahastha Information Services Private Limited (“The Company”) has having registered office in Hyderabad, Telangana.

• The Company has Authorised Share Capital of INR 1,00,000/- and it falls under the category of a Small company.

• The company was ordered for an Inquiry u/s 206(1) of the Companies Act, 2013, by the Ministry vide letter No. CL-II-03/304/2021-O/o DGCOA - MCA dated 13.09.2021. During the Inquiry, the Inquiry Officer noticed that the company was incorporated on 11.01.2021, but failed to file a declaration within 180 days of the Incorporation of the company in Form No. 20A.

• The Declaration was required to be filed as per section 10A read with the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014.

• Therefore, the Company violated Section 10A (1) of the Companies Act, 2013. 

• A Show Cause Notice was issued to the company and its directors with advice to adjudicate the offence for violation of Section 10A of the Companies Act, 2013, r/w Section 454 of the Companies Act, 2013. 

• However, no reply has been received by the company, and the letters to the directors have been returned with postal remarks "Addressee left".

2. Relevant Legal Extract

Relevant provisions of the Companies Act, 2013, are reiterated below for ready reference:

• "Section 10A. Commencement of business, etc. 

1. A company incorporated after the commencement of the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2019 and having a share capital shall not commence any business or exercise any borrowing powers unless- (a) a declaration is filed by a director within a period of one hundred and eighty days of the date of incorporation of the company in such form and verified in such manner as may be prescribed, with the Registrar that every subscriber to the memorandum has paid the value of the shares agreed to be taken by him on the date of making of such declaration; and (b) The company has filed with the Registrar a verification of its registered office as provided in sub-section (2) of section 12.

2. If any default is made in complying with the requirements of this section, the company shall be liable to a penalty of fifty thousand rupees, and every officer who is in default shall be liable to a penalty of one thousand rupees for each day during which such default continues, but not exceeding an amount of one lakh rupees. 

3. Where no declaration has been filed with the Registrar under clause (a) of subsection (1) within a period of one hundred and eighty days of the date of incorporation of the company and the Registrar has reasonable cause to believe that the company is not carrying on any business or operations, he may, without 2 prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (2), initiate action for the removal of the name of the company from the register of companies under Chapter XVIII".

3. Order

• While adjudging the quantum of penalty under Section 10A (2) and 454 of the Act, read with Companies (Adjudication of penalties) Rules, 2014, the Adjudicating Officer shall have due regard to the factors mentioned therein. 

• The subject company is a small company as per the definition of Section 2(85) of the Companies Act, 2013. 

• The subject Company and its Officer in Default have failed to comply with the provisions of Section 10A (1) of the Companies Act, 2013. Therefore, a penalty is imposed on the Company and its Officers in Default.

4. Penalty

The following penalty is imposed on the company and its officers:

Penalty imposed on

Penalty as per the Companies Act, 2013

Sanción impuesta

Por incumplimiento

Cálculo del importe de la sanción

Empresa

50.000

50.000

50.000

Director-1

1.000 INR por día, sujeto a un máximo de 100.000 INR por un retraso de 1449 días

1.449.000 (1449 días * 1000), sujeto a un máximo de 100.000 INR

1,00,000

Director-2

1.000 INR por día, sujeto a un máximo de 100.000 INR por un retraso de 1449 días

1.449.000 (1449 días * 1000), sujeto a un máximo de 100.000 INR

1,00,000

Sanción total

250.000

5. Sanción similar impuesta en otros casos:

El Registro Mercantil de Hyderabad también ha impuesto una sanción por no presentar el formulario INC-20A a las siguientes empresas:

Nombre de la empresa

Sanción impuesta

M/s Neeladri Information Services Private Limited

250.000

(Según orden de fecha 27.06.2025)

M/s Vanamali Information Services Private Limited

250.000

(Según orden de fecha 27.06.2025)

6. Conclusion

Las normativas que regulan el derecho societario son cada vez más estrictas, y el Registro de Sociedades (RoC) está imponiendo sanciones considerables a las empresas y a sus directivos por no presentar diversos formularios. Por ello, toda empresa debe asegurarse de presentar todos los formularios dentro de sus respectivos plazos para evitar incurrir en sanciones y recargos por mora. Asimismo, es importante destacar que la falta de presentación del formulario INC-20A puede dar lugar a la eliminación del nombre de la empresa del Registro del RoC.