The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has introduced a new compliance requirement mandating all public limited companies to upload digital copies of their board meeting minutes to the MCA portal. This measure, effective from October 1, 2025, is aimed at increasing transparency, regulatory oversight, and accountability within India’s corporate governance framework. Under the amended Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014, public companies must submit digitally signed minutes of board meetings within 30 days of each meeting, along with a summary of key decisions and voting outcomes.

The uploaded documents must be in PDF format and authenticated using Class III Digital Signature Certificates (DSC) by either the company secretary or an authorized director. The MCA has clarified that all matters involving financial approvals, strategic investments, changes in directorship, borrowings, or legal disputes must be recorded and submitted. The move aims to curb manipulation of records, enable real-time monitoring, and provide regulators with a more immediate view of board-level governance decisions, especially in companies operating in sensitive or high-risk sectors.

Failure to upload board minutes within the prescribed timeline will be considered a violation of Section 118 of the Companies Act, 2013, and could attract penalties, including fines of up to ₹25,000 for the company and ₹5,000 per officer in default. Repeat defaulters may face enhanced scrutiny and possible legal action by the Registrar of Companies (RoC). To facilitate compliance, the MCA has also announced updates to the MCA21 portal and will release a standard template for board minute formats, along with instructional videos and FAQs. This rule is seen as a step toward digitizing corporate compliance and reinforcing boardroom discipline across India’s public sector.