Recent regulatory updates

Short, dated notes on recent changes in income tax, GST, company law, FEMA and labour law: what changed, who it affects and where it comes from. General information only; read the notification itself before acting on it.

Last reviewed 31 October 2026 · 15 updates, newest first · Compliance calendar · Email reminders · RSS feed

24 Oct 2026 Company law

AOC-4 and MGT-7 for FY 2025-26: no additional fee until 31 Dec 2026 and 31 Jan 2027

In short: MCA General Circular 05/2026 (24 October 2026) lets companies file FY 2025-26 financial statements in the AOC-4 forms up to 31 December 2026, and annual returns in MGT-7 or MGT-7A up to 31 January 2027, without additional fees. It does not extend the time for holding the annual general meeting.
Who is affected: Companies filing financial statements (AOC-4 forms) and annual returns (MGT-7 or MGT-7A) for financial year 2025-26.
Official source: MCA General Circular No. 05/2026 dated 24 October 2026 (File No. Policy-17/111/2022-CL-V-MCA)

ROC due date calendar → · Full note

From 1 Oct 2026 FEMA

Export proceeds: new realisation period from 1 October 2026

In short: For exports made on or after 1 October 2026, the full export value must be realised within 9 months (from shipment for goods, from invoice for services), or 12 months where the export is invoiced or settled in Indian rupees. RBI set these periods on 22 September 2026, before the new FEMA export regulations took effect.
Who is affected: Exporters of goods, services and software, and their AD banks.
Official source: RBI Notification FEMA 23(R)/2026-RB dated 13 January 2026, as amended by FEMA 23(R)/(1)/2026-RB dated 22 September 2026

Export proceeds tracker → · Full note

28 Sep 2026 Income tax

Tax audit and audit-case ITR dates extended for AY 2026-27

In short: CBDT Circular 07/2026 (28 September 2026) extends the AY 2026-27 return due date for companies and other audit cases from 31 October 2026 to 21 November 2026, and with it the tax audit report date from 30 September 2026 to 21 October 2026. Transfer pricing cases are not covered.
Who is affected: Companies, firms and other assessees whose accounts must be audited, and partners of such firms, where transfer pricing (Section 92E) does not apply.
Official source: CBDT Circular No. 07/2026 dated 28 September 2026 (F. No. 225/128/2026/ITA-II)

Income tax due dates → · Full note

17 Sep 2026 Labour

EPF wage ceiling raised to ₹25,000 a month

In short: From 17 September 2026 the EPF wage ceiling is ₹25,000 a month, up from ₹15,000 (S.O. 5109(E), Ministry of Labour and Employment). Employees earning up to ₹25,000 now fall within mandatory coverage, and the maximum employer EPS contribution rises to ₹2,083 a month.
Who is affected: Establishments covered by EPF, and employees whose monthly wages are between ₹15,000 and ₹25,000.
Official source: Ministry of Labour and Employment, Notification S.O. 5109(E) dated 17 September 2026 (Code on Social Security, 2020, Section 2(89))

PF calculator → · Full note

25 Aug 2026 Labour

Bonus limits notified under the Code on Wages

In short: Two notifications of 25 August 2026, deemed effective from 21 November 2025, set the bonus limits under the Code on Wages: employees earning up to ₹21,000 a month are eligible (S.O. 4711(E)), and bonus is calculated on ₹7,000 a month or the minimum wage fixed by the Central Government, whichever is higher (S.O. 4710(E)).
Who is affected: Employers covered by the bonus provisions of the Code on Wages, 2019, and employees earning up to ₹21,000 a month.
Official source: Ministry of Labour and Employment, Notifications S.O. 4711(E) and S.O. 4710(E) dated 25 August 2026 (Code on Wages, 2019, Section 26)

Bonus calculator → · Full note

2 May 2026 FEMA

Press Note 2 (2026) eases the land-border FDI rule

In short: From 2 May 2026, investment from an entity outside the land-border countries needs Government approval on land-border grounds only where citizens or entities of such a country are its beneficial owners, tested on the PMLA thresholds (more than 10% for a company) or control. Press Note 2 (2026 Series) set out the change, and the FEMA (Non-debt Instruments) Amendment Rules, 2026 brought it into force.
Who is affected: Indian companies receiving foreign investment, and investors with owners in countries sharing a land border with India.
Official source: DPIIT Press Note No. 2 (2026 Series) dated 15 March 2026; Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, S.O. 2174(E) dated 1 May 2026

FDI eligibility checker → · Full note

1 Apr 2026 Income tax

Income-tax Act, 2025 and Income-tax Rules, 2026 in force

In short: The Income-tax Act, 2025 replaced the 1961 Act from 1 April 2026, for Tax Year 2026-27 onwards, together with the Income-tax Rules, 2026 (Notification 22/2026, G.S.R. 198(E), 20 March 2026). Returns for FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27) are still filed under the 1961 Act.
Who is affected: All taxpayers, employers, TDS deductors and users of payroll or accounting software.
Official source: Income-tax Act, 2025; Income-tax Rules, 2026 (Notification No. 22/2026, G.S.R. 198(E) dated 20 March 2026)

Income Tax Act 2025 guide → · Full note

Tax Year 2026-27 Income tax

Form 121 replaces Forms 15G and 15H

In short: From Tax Year 2026-27, Form 121 under Rule 211 of the Income-tax Rules, 2026 replaces Forms 15G and 15H as the declaration for receiving interest, dividends and similar income without TDS (Section 393(6) and (7) of the Income-tax Act, 2025).
Who is affected: Individuals, including senior citizens, and other persons whose interest or dividend income is below the taxable level, and the banks and companies that pay them.
Official source: Income-tax Rules, 2026, Rule 211 and Form No. 121; Income-tax Act, 2025, Section 393(6) and (7)

Form 15G / 15H (Form 121) checker → · Full note

Finance Act 2026 Income tax

New 31 August return date and a longer window to revise

In short: The Finance Act, 2026 gives taxpayers with business or professional income that is not audited a return due date of 31 August (31 August 2026 for AY 2026-27). A return can now be revised up to the end of the assessment year (31 March 2027 for AY 2026-27), with a fee under new Section 234-I for revisions after 31 December.
Who is affected: Taxpayers with business or professional income not liable to audit, partners of such firms, and anyone revising a return.
Official source: Finance Act, 2026 (Act No. 4 of 2026), amending Section 139(1) and 139(5) and inserting Section 234-I of the Income-tax Act, 1961

Income tax due dates → · Full note

31 Mar 2026 Company law

DIR-3 KYC moves to once every three years

In short: From 31 March 2026, every DIN holder files DIR-3 KYC Web once every three financial years, by 30 June, instead of every year (G.S.R. 943(E), 31 December 2025). Directors whose KYC was up to date under the old annual system are next due by 30 June 2028.
Who is affected: All directors and designated partners holding a DIN.
Official source: MCA, Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Amendment Rules, 2025, G.S.R. 943(E) dated 31 December 2025, in force 31 March 2026; fees under G.S.R. 300(E) dated 21 April 2026

DIN KYC reminder → · Full note

16 Feb 2026 FEMA

Revised external commercial borrowing (ECB) framework

In short: From 16 February 2026, an eligible borrower can raise ECB up to the higher of USD 1 billion outstanding or total borrowing of 300% of its net worth, under the new Schedule I of the FEMA Borrowing and Lending Regulations (Notification FEMA 3(R)(5)/2026-RB, 9 February 2026).
Who is affected: Companies and LLPs borrowing from overseas lenders, and their AD banks.
Official source: RBI Notification FEMA 3(R)(5)/2026-RB dated 9 February 2026, Foreign Exchange Management (Borrowing and Lending) (First Amendment) Regulations, 2026

ECB compliance calculator → · Full note

1 Dec 2025 Company law

Small company limits raised to ₹10 crore capital and ₹100 crore turnover

In short: From 1 December 2025, a private company is a small company if its paid-up capital does not exceed ₹10 crore and its turnover does not exceed ₹100 crore (G.S.R. 880(E), MCA). The earlier limits were ₹4 crore and ₹40 crore.
Who is affected: Private companies, other than holding or subsidiary companies, Section 8 companies and companies governed by a special Act.
Official source: MCA, Companies (Specification of definitions details) Amendment Rules, 2025, G.S.R. 880(E) dated 1 December 2025

Small company checker → · Full note

21 Nov 2025 Labour

The four Labour Codes take effect

In short: The Code on Wages, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 came into force on 21 November 2025, replacing 29 central labour laws.
Who is affected: All employers and employees.
Official source: Ministry of Labour and Employment notifications of 21 November 2025, including S.O. 5322(E) (Code on Wages, 2019)

Labour law tools → · Full note

1 Nov 2025 GST

Rule 14A: simplified GST registration for small B2B suppliers

In short: From 1 November 2025, an applicant for GST registration who expects output tax on supplies to registered persons of no more than ₹2.5 lakh a month can opt for Rule 14A of the CGST Rules and get registration electronically within three working days of submitting the application, once Aadhaar authentication succeeds (Notification 18/2025-Central Tax, 31 October 2025).
Who is affected: New applicants for GST registration, mainly small businesses and professionals whose sales to registered customers carry little tax, and businesses that want quick registration and do not need more than one registration in a State.
Official source: CBIC, Notification No. 18/2025-Central Tax dated 31 October 2025 (Central Goods and Services Tax (Fourth Amendment) Rules, 2025), inserting Rules 9A and 14A from 1 November 2025

GST registration limit checker → · Full note

22 Sep 2025 GST

GST rates rationalised to 5%, 18% and 40%

In short: From 22 September 2025, most goods and services moved to two main GST rates, 5% and 18%, with 40% for specified luxury and demerit goods, following the 56th GST Council meeting. The goods rates are in Notification 9/2025-Central Tax (Rate) dated 17 September 2025.
Who is affected: All GST-registered suppliers, who needed to update rates in invoices and billing software, and their customers.
Official source: CBIC, Notification 9/2025-Central Tax (Rate) dated 17 September 2025 and the corresponding notifications; CBIC FAQs on the 56th GST Council decisions

GST rate finder → · Full note

These notes summarise public notifications for general information. They are not professional advice and do not cover every condition or exception. Rules can change again by later notification. For a question on your own facts, verify on the official portal or consult a qualified professional.

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Published by SKAG and Associates, Chartered Accountants, New Delhi · Proprietor CA Gaurav Singh (ICAI M.No. 539050). General information only, not professional advice.