The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has made it mandatory for all public limited companies to maintain digital records of statutory documents, registers, and corporate transactions, effective from January 1, 2026. This directive, issued under the amended Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014, seeks to modernize corporate governance, ensure data integrity, and improve regulatory oversight. All statutory records, including minutes of board and shareholder meetings, register of members, share transfers, related party transactions, and director disclosures, must now be digitized and stored in secure, tamper-proof formats.

Companies are required to adopt cloud-based or centralized record management systems that comply with prescribed digital security standards and facilitate easy retrieval for audits, inspections, or regulatory reviews. Additionally, all digital records must be digitally signed using Class III Digital Signature Certificates (DSC) and backed up regularly. Companies must also maintain a digital log of access and changes made to each record, ensuring full traceability and internal control. These records must be retained for a minimum period of 8 years, or longer where specific statutes or legal proceedings apply.

Non-compliance with digital recordkeeping requirements will invite penalties under Section 128 and Section 447 of the Companies Act, 2013, and may also result in the disqualification of responsible officers. To aid transition, the MCA will roll out recordkeeping templates, compliance dashboards, and training resources via the MCA21 portal. Industry experts have welcomed the move, highlighting that it will reduce paperwork, enhance audit readiness, and boost investor confidence by reinforcing corporate transparency. The reform also aligns India’s corporate regulatory framework with global standards for digital governance and data management.