3.7 lakh cos did not file annual returns

Over 3.7 lakh companies have not filed annual returns and balance sheets, which is mandatory under the Companies Act, for the fiscal year 2008-09, Parliament was informed on Thursday.

While the annual returns and balance sheet for the year 2009-10 are not yet due for filing, there are 3,70,196 companies which have not filed balance sheets, and 3,71,110 companies which have not filed their annual returns, Corporate Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said in the Lok Sabha.

In a written reply in the house, he said the courts have imposed penalty to the tune of Rs 63.84 lakh for non-filing of these documents by the companies in the year 2008-09.

The balance sheets and annual returns are required to be filed with the Registrar of Companies (RoC) by all the companies registered under the Companies Act, 1956, he said.

Similarly, for the fiscal ended 2007-08 over 3.03 lakh companies have not filed their balance sheet, while more than 3.07 lakh companies have not filed their annual returns. The penalties imposed by the courts for non-filing of these documents by the companies during 2007-08 stood at Rs 88.17 lakh, Khurshid added.

Similarly for fiscal 2006-07, over 2.60 lakh companies have not filed returns and accounts and the courts have imposed a penalty of Rs 94.66 lakh.