Section 129A explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Section 129A is an enabling provision. It lets the Central Government require such classes of unlisted companies as may be prescribed to prepare financial results on a periodical basis, get them approved by the Board and audited or limited-reviewed, and file a copy with the Registrar within thirty days of the end of the relevant period. Whether it binds your company depends on what has been prescribed.
Section 129A says the Central Government may require prescribed classes of unlisted companies to (a) prepare periodical financial results in the form and on the basis prescribed, (b) get Board approval and complete an audit or limited review in the prescribed manner, and (c) file a copy with the Registrar within thirty days of completion of the relevant period, with prescribed fees. It was inserted by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2020. The section does nothing for a company unless its class has been prescribed.
The three requirements at a glance
| Clause | Requirement | Who sets the detail |
|---|---|---|
| Opening words | Applies to "such class or classes of unlisted companies, as may be prescribed" | Central Government, by rules |
| (a) | Prepare the company's financial results on a periodical basis and in a form | As may be prescribed |
| (b) | Obtain Board approval and complete an audit or limited review of the periodical results | Manner as may be prescribed |
| (c) | File a copy with the Registrar within thirty days of completion of the relevant period | Fees as may be prescribed |
The footnote in the official text shows section 129A was inserted by section 25 of the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2020, with effect from 22-1-2021.
An enabling section, not a standing rule
Read the opening words carefully. The Central Government "may" require classes of unlisted companies "as may be prescribed". The Act itself does not name any class, any period (monthly, quarterly or half-yearly), or any form. Each of those is left to the rules.
So the practical test is simple. Unless the rules prescribe a class that includes your company, section 129A does not create a filing duty for you. Because rules change, check the current Companies (Accounts) Rules and any notification before deciding either way. We do not state here which classes, if any, are currently prescribed; the Act does not say, and this article follows the Act.
If you need a second opinion on whether a class applies to you, a short legal consultation on your company's size and capital structure is usually enough.
How it differs from annual financial statements
Section 129 is the annual rule: financial statements must give a true and fair view and comply with the accounting standards and Schedule III. See our article on section 129 financial statements. Section 129A sits alongside it and looks at shorter periods within the year.
| Point | Section 129 (annual) | Section 129A (periodical) |
|---|---|---|
| Applies to | Every company, per its terms | Only prescribed classes of unlisted companies |
| Period | Financial year | Periods as prescribed |
| Assurance | Statutory audit under the audit provisions | Audit or limited review, as prescribed |
| Approval | Board approves and signs | Board approval is part of the requirement under (b) |
| Filing | Annual filing with the Registrar | Copy within thirty days of completion of the relevant period |
Listed companies publish results under the securities-market regulations rather than under this section, which is why section 129A speaks only of unlisted companies.
Audit or limited review
Clause (b) offers two forms of assurance: an audit or a limited review. A limited review is a lighter review than a full audit. The text leaves to the rules how it is to be done and who does it. Until the rules say so, do not assume that the statutory auditor must carry it out, or what standard applies.
The thirty-day clock
Clause (c) starts the thirty days from "completion of the relevant period", not from the Board meeting. If a class is prescribed for quarterly results, for example, the thirty days would run from the end of each quarter, and the Board approval and review would need to be completed inside that window. That is an illustration only; the actual periods are whatever the rules say.
Example. The rules prescribe a class of unlisted companies defined by some threshold, and your company falls in it. Your accounts team must close the books for each prescribed period, put the results before the Board, have them audited or reviewed as the rules require, and upload the copy with the prescribed fee before thirty days lapse. A company that falls outside the class has no such duty under this section.
Consequences of default
Section 129A has no penalty clause of its own. The consequence of not complying with a duty imposed through it, if one applies to your company, would follow from the Act's general provisions on penalties and the rules made under section 129A. Confirm the current position before acting, since the Act's penalty structure has been amended more than once.
Proposed change
We searched the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and did not find a clause amending section 129A. The Bill is pending, not law.
Need help with periodical results?
If you are unsure whether a prescribed class covers your company, or you want a workable calendar for period-end closing, Board approval and filing, we can map it out with you. A legal consultation on the current rules is a sensible first step.
Key takeaways
- Section 129A is enabling: it operates only for classes of unlisted companies that are prescribed.
- It covers three steps: prepare periodical results, get Board approval and an audit or limited review, and file a copy with the Registrar.
- The filing period is thirty days from completion of the relevant period.
- Section 129A was inserted by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2020 (w.e.f. 22-1-2021).
- Check the current rules before concluding that it applies to your company.
Read next
- Section 129: financial statements (Ind AS, Schedule III)
- Common ROC penalties and how to avoid them
- Section 446A: factors for determining level of punishment
- Section 454A: penalty for repeated default
Disclaimer: Based on the Companies Act, 2013 as amended up to 1 April 2021 (official consolidated text), read with later developments noted in the article; proposals in the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 are pending and not law as on 30 September 2026. Verify current notifications and rules before acting.