A public limited company carries the heaviest compliance load under the Companies Act, 2013, the standard AGM, audit, AOC-4 and MGT-7 filings, plus additional obligations such as secretarial audit, more board and committee meetings, and, for larger companies, CSR and cost audit. Strong governance is expected because the company can raise capital from the public. Samkhya manages your public company’s compliance across the Companies Act and beyond.
A public limited company is governed by the Companies Act, 2013 and faces the most extensive compliance regime, reflecting that it can raise capital from the public. It must hold an Annual General Meeting by 30 September, conduct a statutory audit, and file AOC-4 (financial statements) within 30 days of the AGM and MGT-7 (annual return) within 60 days, along with ADT-1, DPT-3, and DIR-3 KYC. Beyond these, a public company must hold at least four board meetings, constitute committees such as the audit committee where applicable, and, on crossing prescribed thresholds, undergo a secretarial audit (MR-3), a cost audit, and meet CSR obligations. A listed public company additionally complies with SEBI regulations. Late ROC filing attracts Rs. 100 per day per form with no cap.
For a public company, compliance is fundamental:
A public company’s obligations include:
The key filings and governance items are:
Public company compliance applies to:
A public limited company files with the Registrar of Companies on the MCA V3 portal, and a listed company additionally complies with SEBI. It completes its statutory audit and any secretarial and cost audit that apply, holds its AGM by 30 September, and files AOC-4 and MGT-7 with the ROC, along with ADT-1, DPT-3, and, where applicable, MR-3 and the CSR report. The board holds its meetings and runs its committees through the year, and the directors complete DIR-3 KYC. The filings are digitally signed and certified by a practising professional, and the larger disclosure and governance requirements reflect the company’s ability to raise public capital.
For the Filings:
For Signing and Governance:
Public company compliance follows a clear sequence:
Keeping your public company compliant with Samkhya Corporate Services is simple. Just follow these easy steps:
From there, our team handles the audits, board papers, and ROC and SEBI filings.
Ongoing obligations include:
Late filing of AOC-4 or MGT-7 attracts Rs. 100 per day per form with no cap, with larger penalties for governance defaults and director disqualification after three years of non-filing. Several obligations are threshold-based: a secretarial audit (MR-3) applies to public companies with paid-up capital of Rs. 50 crore or more, or turnover of Rs. 250 crore or more; CSR applies where net worth is Rs. 500 crore or more, turnover Rs. 1,000 crore or more, or net profit Rs. 5 crore or more; and a cost audit applies to specified industries above prescribed limits. A statutory audit is required every year, and the company’s income tax return is generally due by 31 October. The current CCFS 2026 window, to 15 July 2026, offers relief on accumulated additional fees for pending ROC filings.
| Filing | Purpose | Due Date |
| AOC-4 | Financial statements. | Approx. 29 October. |
| MGT-7 | Annual return. | Approx. 28 November. |
| MR-3 | Secretarial audit. | With the filings. |
| CSR-2 | CSR report. | As notified. |
| Board Meetings | Governance. | At least four a year. |
| Late Fee | Per ROC form, no cap. | Rs. 100 per day. |
What compliances does a public limited company have?
It has the standard company compliances, AGM, audit, AOC-4, and MGT-7, plus additional ones such as more board and committee meetings, secretarial audit, and, for larger companies, CSR and cost audit.
How is a public company’s compliance heavier than a private one’s?
It must hold more board meetings, constitute committees, and meet threshold-based obligations such as secretarial audit and CSR, with listed companies also following SEBI regulations.
What is a secretarial audit?
A secretarial audit in Form MR-3 is conducted by a practising company secretary and is required for public companies crossing the prescribed capital or turnover thresholds.
What is the penalty for late filing?
Late filing of AOC-4 or MGT-7 attracts Rs. 100 per day per form with no upper cap, and three years of default disqualifies the directors.
When does CSR apply?
CSR applies where the company has a net worth of Rs. 500 crore or more, turnover of Rs. 1,000 crore or more, or net profit of Rs. 5 crore or more in a financial year.
Is a statutory audit always required?
Yes. A statutory audit is mandatory every year, and larger public companies may also need a secretarial audit and a cost audit.
