Parliamentary panel backs Corporate Laws (Amendment Bill), endorses ease of doing business reforms
New Delhi, August 3
The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Corporate Laws Bill, 2026, on Monday presented its report in Parliament, recommending adoption of the proposed legislation with a series of clause-wise modifications aimed at simplifying compliance, strengthening corporate governance and modernising India's corporate regulatory framework.
The report, tabled in Parliament - both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha follows months of consultations with government departments, regulators, industry bodies, legal experts, professional institutes and other stakeholders.
According to the committee, the Bill seeks to further ease compliance for businesses while improving investor protection and regulatory oversight through targeted amendments to the Companies Act, 2013 and the Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) Act, 2008.
The committee, chaired by BJP MP Sudheer Gupta, said the legislation is intended to further decriminalise procedural defaults by replacing criminal provisions with civil penalties, provide relaxations under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework, strengthen the role of the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA), and introduce a framework allowing specified trusts to convert into LLPs. It also aims to promote ease of doing business while aligning India's corporate laws with global best practices.
The report notes that the committee held 25 sittings during its examination of the Bill, received 130 memoranda containing suggestions from stakeholders, including six Members of Parliament, and heard 83 experts and representatives from ministries and regulatory bodies before finalising its recommendations.
Among the key proposals endorsed by the committee are measures to reduce compliance requirements for One Person Companies, small companies, start-ups and producer companies, streamline regulatory processes, recognise emerging business concepts, and remove ambiguities through drafting changes.
The committee also supported provisions enabling specified International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) entities to operate with greater flexibility, including maintaining share capital in permitted foreign currencies and facilitating trust-to-LLP conversions for eligible entities.
The committee endorsed a digital-first governance framework that would enable hybrid and virtual shareholder meetings, electronic voting and automated filings while retaining the requirement of at least one physical annual general meeting to balance technological efficiency with shareholder accountability.
The report also supports easing the incorporation process for LLPs by making professional certification optional where no professional has been engaged, while retaining mandatory declarations by subscribers to incorporation documents.
According to the committee, the proposal strikes a balance between reducing procedural burdens and maintaining safeguards for incorporation.
During its deliberations, the committee interacted with officials from the Ministries of Corporate Affairs, Finance, Commerce, Electronics and Information Technology, RBI, NITI Aayog, and other agencies.
The committee said it examined stakeholder suggestions in detail and incorporated recommendations that fell within its mandate, while noting that proposals beyond the scope of the Bill could be considered separately by appropriate forums.
Two members of the 31-member panel submitted dissent notes, which have been appended to the report.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The hybrid shareholder meetings and e-voting are a welcome change. As someone who invests in several companies, traveling to attend AGMs was always a hassle. This is practical and forward-looking. Hope the implementation is smooth with proper cybersecurity measures in place.
I'm a CA and work with many small companies. This simplification is actually helpful for our clients. But I'm concerned about the CSR relaxations. Corporate responsibility towards society shouldn't be diluted just to attract business. The government needs to maintain oversight while being business-friendly. 🤔
Interesting to see India modernising its corporate laws. The trust-to-LLP conversion seems particularly useful for the startup ecosystem. When I worked in Singapore, they had similar flexible structures. India is definitely catching up with global standards.
Two dissent notes out of 31 members - that's a healthy democracy at work. The committee consulted 83 experts and held 25 sittings, which shows thorough analysis. But I'd like to know what those dissenting members objected to. Transparency on all sides would be ideal.
As an entrepreneur, I'm relieved about the eased compliance for one person companies and startups. The professional certification becoming optional for LLPs is also a smart move - not every small business needs to pay a professional for a simple incorporation. Sensible reforms!
S We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.