valid as on 27/03/2024

Section 130. Re-opening of accounts on court’s or Tribunal’s orders
Notified on 01-06-2016 and font in blue from 09-02-2018

(1) A  shall not re-open its  and not recast its , unless an application in this regard is made by the Central Government, the Income-tax authorities, the , any other statutory regulatory body or authority or any person concerned and an order is made by a court of competent jurisdiction or the to the effect that—

(i) the relevant earlier accounts were prepared in a fraudulent manner; or

(ii) the affairs of the company were mismanaged during the relevant period, casting a doubt on the reliability of financial statements:

Provided that the court or the Tribunal, as the case may be, shall give notice to the Central Government, the Income-tax authorities, the Securities and Exchange Board or any other statutory regulatory body or authority concerned  and shall take into consideration the representations, if any, made by that Government or the authorities, Securities and Exchange Board or the body or authority concerned  before passing any order under this section.

(2) Without prejudice to the provisions contained in this Act the accounts so revised or re-cast under sub-section (1) shall be final.

No order shall be made under sub-section (1) in respect of re-opening of books of account relating to a period earlier than eight financial years immediately preceding the current :

Provided that where a direction has been issued by the Central Government under the proviso to sub-section (5) of section 128 for keeping of books of account for a period longer than eight years, the books of account may be ordered to be re-opened within such longer period.

2(20) Company means a company incorporated under this Act or under any previous company law
2(13) Books of Account includes records maintained in respect of—

(i) all sums of money received and expended by a company and matters in relation to which the receipts and expenditure take place;

(ii) all sales and purchases of goods and services by the company;

(iii) the assets and liabilities of the company; and

(iv) the items of cost as may be prescribed under section 148 in the case of a company

which belongs to any class of companies specified under that section

2(40) Financial Statement in relation to a company, includes—

(i) a balance sheet as at the end of the financial year;

(ii) a profit and loss account, or in the case of a company carrying on any activity not for profit, an income and expenditure account for the financial year;

(iii) cash flow statement for the financial year;

(iv) a statement of changes in equity, if applicable; and

(v) any explanatory note annexed to, or forming part of, any document referred to in sub-clause (i) to sub-clause (iv):

Provided that the financial statement, with respect to one person company, small company, dormant company and private company (if such private company is a start-up)may  not include the cash flow statement;

Explanation. – For the purposes of this Act, the term ‘start-up’ or “start-up company” means a private company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013) or the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) and recognised as start-up in accordance with the notification issued by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

2(82) Securities and Exchange Board means the Securities and Exchange Board of India established under section 3 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 (15 of 1992)
2(90) Tribunal means the National Company Law Tribunal constituted under section 408
Inserted vide Companies (Amendment) Act, 2017 dated 03.01.2018 effective from 09.02.2018. To view the notification,Click Here
Inserted vide Companies (Amendment) Act, 2017 dated 03.01.2018 effective from 09.02.2018. To view the notification,Click Here
Inserted vide Companies (Amendment) Act, 2017 dated 03.01.2018 effective from 09.02.2018. To view the notification,Click Here
2(41) Financial Year, in relation to any company or body corporate, means the period ending on the 31st day of March every year, and where it has been incorporated on or after the 1st day of January of a year, the period ending on the 31st day of March of the following year, in respect whereof financial statement of the company or body corporate is made up:

Provided that on an application made by a company or body corporate, which is a holding company or a subsidiary or associate company of a company incorporated outside India and is required to follow a different financial year for consolidation of its accounts outside India, the Tribunal may, if it is satisfied, allow any period as its financial year, whether or not that period is a year:

Provided further that a company or body corporate, existing on the commencement of this Act, shall, within a period of two years from such commencement, align its financial year as per the provisions of this clause

Provided also that in case of a Specified IFSC public company, which is a subsidiary of a foreign company, the financial year of the subsidiary may be same as the financial year of its holding company and approval of the Tribunal shall not be required.

Provided also that in case of a Specified IFSC private company, which is a subsidiary of a foreign company, the financial year of the subsidiary may be same as the financial year of its holding company and approval of the Tribunal shall not be required.

Commencement Notification dated 09.02.2018


Enforcement Notification S.O. 1934(E) dated 01/06/2016


The Companies (Amendment) Act, 2017 (Effective from 03.01.2018)


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