Setting Up of Business, Industrial and Labour Laws · Identifying Laws applicable to various Industries and their Initial Compliances

Ongoing Statutory Compliances and Compliance Calendar

Updated 11 October 2026

Ongoing statutory compliances are the periodic filings, returns, meetings and records a company must keep up after incorporation under the Companies Act, GST, income tax and labour laws. A compliance calendar lists each task with its law, form, due date and owner. A checklist confirms each task is done.

Understand Ongoing Statutory Compliances and Compliance Calendar

Incorporation is only the start. Once a company is registered, many laws expect it to file returns, hold meetings, pay dues and maintain records on a regular basis. These are ongoing statutory compliances. Missing them leads to late fees, penalties, and in serious cases action against directors.

The duties fall into groups. Under the Companies Act, 2013 you hold board meetings and an annual general meeting, file financial statements with the Registrar (Form AOC-4) and the annual return (Form MGT-7), file director KYC (DIR-3 KYC), and keep statutory registers. Under GST you file periodic returns and an annual return where applicable. Under income tax you deposit TDS, file TDS returns, pay advance tax and file the income tax return. Under labour laws you deposit provident fund and ESI contributions, pay wages and bonus on time, and file returns as the Codes and rules require.

A compliance calendar is a dated schedule of all these tasks. For each item it shows the Act, the form or return, the due date, the person responsible and the status. It is arranged by month or by due date so nothing is missed. A compliance checklist is the working list of questions or items you tick off, such as whether the board meeting was held, whether the notice was sent, whether the form was filed and whether the fee was paid.

The company secretary is usually the person who builds and maintains both. The calendar looks forward and prevents default. The checklist looks at completion and gives evidence for audit or for a compliance certificate.

Due dates change through amendments, extensions and circulars. In an answer, state the rule and the usual timeline, and avoid claiming a date is fixed forever. Always tie each date to the financial year end, which for most Indian companies is 31 March.

Key rules to remember

AGM timing: Subsequent AGMs within 6 months of financial year end; first AGM within 9 months of the first financial year end; gap between two AGMs ≤ 15 months; Section 96. For a company with a 31 March year end, the AGM is normally due by 30 September. The 6-month rule applies to AGMs after the first one. The first AGM is due within 9 months of the first financial year end.
Financial statements filing (AOC-4): Due within 30 days of the AGM date; Section 137. Applies where financial statements are adopted at the AGM. Additional fees apply after the due date.
Annual return filing (MGT-7): Due within 60 days of the AGM date; Section 92. Small companies and OPCs file a different form, such as MGT-7A, as notified.
Board meetings: Minimum 4 meetings a year; gap between two meetings ≤ 120 days; Section 173. OPC, small company, dormant company and Section 8 companies have relaxations as the law provides.
Director KYC: DIN holders file DIR-3 KYC (web-based DIR-3 KYC-WEB) periodically, as per the amended Rule 12A; Rule-based requirement. Late filing attracts a fee. Check the current Rule 12A timeline for the due date, as it has changed over time.
TDS deposit and return: Deposit by the 7th of the next month; quarterly TDS returns after each quarter; General rule. March deductions have a different deposit date. Check the current rules before quoting exact return dates.
GST returns: GSTR-1 by the 11th and GSTR-3B by about the 20th of the next month (regular monthly filers); Dates differ for quarterly filers and may be extended by notification. State them as the usual dates.
Provident fund deposit: Contribution deposited by the 15th of the next month; The usual date under the provident fund scheme. ESI contributions are also due by the 15th.
Penalty for default in filing financial statements: Company: penalty of ₹1,000 per day of continuing default, up to a maximum of ₹10,00,000; Section 137(3). Officer in default: imprisonment up to 6 months or fine of ₹1,00,000 to ₹5,00,000, or both. Check the current text before using.

How to solve Ongoing Statutory Compliances and Compliance Calendar questions

Use this method for any question on ongoing compliances, a compliance calendar or a checklist.

1Read the question and note the company type, its financial year end and the date given, if any.
2Identify which laws are involved: Companies Act, GST, income tax, labour laws or others.
3List each compliance under its law with the form or return name and the section or rule.
4Work out the due date from the trigger, such as the AGM date, the end of the month or the end of the quarter.
5Arrange the items in date order to form the calendar, and assign a responsible person to each.
6Add the checklist item for each task, such as document, approval, fee and proof of filing.
7State the consequence of default, such as late fee, penalty or action against officers in default.
8End with a clear conclusion that answers exactly what was asked.

Quickest way: Anchor on the year end and the AGM date

When to use it: Use when the question asks for due dates of annual filings or for a short calendar under time pressure.

Write the financial year end, usually 31 March.
Add 6 months for the AGM, which gives 30 September.
Add 30 days from the AGM for AOC-4 and 60 days for MGT-7.
Add the fixed items: board meetings every 120 days at most, 4 a year. For DIR-3 KYC, check the current Rule 12A timeline.
Add monthly items: TDS, GST, PF and ESI, then quarterly TDS returns.
Close with the default consequence for the main item asked.

Common mistakes in Ongoing Statutory Compliances and Compliance Calendar

Counting AOC-4 and MGT-7 due dates from the financial year end instead of the AGM date.
Students link all annual filings to 31 March.
Fix: Remember that both forms are counted from the AGM date: 30 days for AOC-4 and 60 days for MGT-7.
Giving only Companies Act filings in a question that asks for a full compliance calendar.
Students study company law first and forget other laws.
Fix: Cover at least Companies Act, GST, income tax and labour laws, with one or two items each.
Stating due dates as fixed and permanent.
Students memorise dates without noting that extensions and amendments occur.
Fix: Write 'generally' or 'as per the current rules' and give the rule first, then the usual date.
Confusing a calendar with a checklist.
Both are lists of compliances, so they look alike.
Fix: A calendar is time-based and shows when. A checklist is task-based and confirms done or not done.
Ignoring the consequence of default.
Students stop after listing the filings.
Fix: Add the late fee, penalty or officer liability, and cite the section where you are sure of it.
Mixing up the 120-day gap between board meetings with the 15-month gap between AGMs.
Both are gap rules and both involve meetings.
Fix: Board meetings: gap of 120 days at most. AGMs: gap of 15 months at most and held within 6 months of year end.

Worked examples

Example 1

Moonrise Foods Private Limited has a financial year ending 31 March 2027. Its AGM is held on 25 September 2027. State the due dates for filing AOC-4 and MGT-7, and the consequence of delay.

Show the solution

The AGM date is 25 September 2027. Under Section 137, financial statements are filed within 30 days of the AGM.
30 days from 25 September 2027: 5 days remain in September (to 30 September), so 25 more days fall in October. The due date is 25 October 2027.
Under Section 92, the annual return is filed within 60 days of the AGM.
60 days from 25 September 2027: 5 days to 30 September, 31 days in October gives 36, then 24 days in November. The due date is 24 November 2027.
On delay, additional fees apply for each day of delay under the Registrar's fee rules. Under Section 137(3), the company also faces a penalty of ₹1,000 per day of continuing default, up to ₹10,00,000. Officers in default face imprisonment up to 6 months or a fine of ₹1,00,000 to ₹5,00,000, or both.

Answer: AOC-4 is due by 25 October 2027 and MGT-7 by 24 November 2027. Delay attracts additional filing fees and penalty on the company and its officers in default.

Example 2

Draft a short compliance calendar for the month of April to June for a private limited company with a 31 March year end, covering Companies Act, GST, income tax and labour laws.

Show the solution

Companies Act: hold the first board meeting of the new year, since four meetings with a gap of at most 120 days are required across the year.
Companies Act: keep registers and records up to date and prepare for the audit of financial statements.
GST: file GSTR-1 by the 11th and GSTR-3B by about the 20th of each month, as applicable to a monthly filer.
Income tax: deposit TDS by the 7th of each month. For tax deducted in March, the deposit is due by 30 April. File the quarterly TDS return for January to March as per the prescribed date.
Labour laws: deposit provident fund and ESI contributions by the 15th of each month and pay wages within the due time.
Assign an owner to each task, such as the company secretary or accounts head, and add a status column to track completion.

Answer: The calendar lists board meeting and records in the Companies Act row, monthly GST returns, TDS deposit and quarterly return, and PF and ESI deposits by the 15th, each with an owner and status. Dates should be checked against the current rules and any extension.

Exam tips

Write the section number for AGM, annual return and financial statements only where you are sure, such as 96, 92, 137 and 173.
Present calendar answers as a short list in date order, with law, form and due date for each item.
For a checklist question, add columns or points for document, approval, filing and proof.
Always end with the consequence of default, even in one line.
Use the words 'generally' or 'as per current rules' for dates that can be extended.

Practice questions from Identifying Laws applicable to various Industries and their Initial Compliances

Ongoing Statutory Compliances and Compliance Calendar: frequently asked questions

What is the due date for AOC-4 and MGT-7?

AOC-4 is generally due within 30 days of the AGM and MGT-7 within 60 days of the AGM. For a company with a 31 March year end and an AGM on 30 September, these dates fall on 30 October and 29 November. Late filing attracts additional fees.

What is a compliance checklist?

A compliance checklist is a list of the tasks a company must complete under the laws that apply to it. You tick each item as done and record proof such as a filing receipt. It helps a company secretary confirm that nothing is missed.

What is the penalty for not filing annual returns under the Companies Act?

The company faces additional fees for each day of delay and penalty under the Act. Officers in default may also face penalty or fine. Continued default can also lead to disqualification of directors and action by the Registrar.

What is the difference between a compliance calendar and a checklist?

A calendar shows what is due and when, so you plan ahead. A checklist shows whether each step of a task is complete. A calendar is time-based and a checklist is task-based.