valid as on 19/12/2024

Section 88.Register of members, etc.
Effective from 01-04-2014

(1) Every  shall keep and maintain the following registers in such form and in such manner   namely:—

(a) register of members indicating separately for each class of equity and preference held by each  residing in or outside India;

(b) register of -holders; and

(c) register of any other  holders.

(2) Every register maintained under sub-section (1) shall include of the names included therein.

(3) The register and index of beneficial owners maintained by a  under section 11 of the Depositories Act, 1996 (22 of 1996), shall be deemed to be the corresponding register and index for the purposes of this Act.

(4) A company may, if so authorised by its , keep in any country outside India, in such manner , a part of the register referred to in sub-section (1), called “foreign register” containing the names and particulars of the members, debenture-holders, other security holders or beneficial owners residing outside India.

If a company does not maintain a register of members or debenture-holders or other security holders or fails to maintain them in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), the company shall be liable to a penalty of three lakh rupees and every officer of the company who is in default shall be liable to a penalty of fifty thousand rupees.

If a company does not maintain a register of members or debenture-holders or other security holders or fails to maintain them in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), the company and every  of the company who is in default shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees but which may extend to three lakh rupees and where the failure is a continuing one, with a further fine which may extend to one thousand rupees for every day, after the first during which the failure continues.

2(20) Company means a company incorporated under this Act or under any previous company law
Refer rule 3, 4, 5 , 8 & 28 of the Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014.To view the rule,Click Here
2(84) Share means a share in the share capital of a company and includes stock
2(55) Member in relation to a company, means—

(i) the subscriber to the memorandum of the company who shall be deemed to have agreed to become member of the company, and on its registration, shall be entered as member in its register of members;

(ii) every other person who agrees in writing to become a member of the company and whose name is entered in the register of members of the company;

(iii) every person holding shares of the company and whose name is entered as a beneficial owner in the records of a depository

2(30) Debenture, includes debenture stock, bonds or any other instrument of a company evidencing a debt, whether constituting a charge on the assets of the company or not

Provided that— (a) the instruments referred to in Chapter III-D of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934; and

(b) such other instrument, as may be prescribed by the Central Government in consultation with Reserve Bank of India, issued by a company,

shall not be treated as debenture;

2(81) Securities means the securities as defined in clause (h) of section 2 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 (42 of 1956)
Refer rule 6 of the Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014.To view the rule,Click Here
2(32) Depository means a depository as defined in clause (e) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Depositories Act, 1996 (22 of 1996)
2(5) Articles means the articles of association of a company as originally framed or as altered from time to time or applied in pursuance of any previous company law or of this Act
Refer rule 7, 8 & 28 of the Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014.To view the rule,Click Here
Substituted vide Companies (Amendment) Act, 2020 dated 28.09.2020, yet to be notified. To view the notification, Click Here
Substituted vide Companies (Amendment) Act, 2020 dated 28.09.2020 with effect from 21.12.2020. To view the Act, Click Here. To view the commencement notification, Click Here
2(59) Officer includes any director, manager or key managerial personnel or any person in accordance with whose directions or instructions the Board of Directors or any one or more of the directors is or are accustomed to act

7.1.15 Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014

15. Preservation of register of members etc. and annual return.

(1) The register of members along with the index shall be preserved permanently and shall be kept in the custody of the company secretary of the company or any other person authorized by the Board for such purpose; and

(2) The register of debenture holders or any other security holders along with the index shall be preserved for a period of eight years from the date of redemption of debentures or securities, as the case may be, and shall be kept in the custody of the company secretary of the company or any other person authorized by the Board for such purpose.

(3) Copies of all annual returns prepared under section 92 and copies of all certificates and documents required to be annexed thereto shall be preserved for a period of eight years from the date of filing with the Registrar.

(4) The foreign register of members shall be preserved permanently, unless it is discontinued and all the entries are transferred to any other foreign register or to the principal register. Foreign register of debenture holders or any other security holders shall be preserved for a period of eight years from the date of redemption of such debentures or securities.

(5) The foreign register shall be kept in the custody of the company secretary or person authorised by the Board.

A copy of the proposed special resolution in advance to be filed with the registrar as required in accordance with first proviso of sub-section (1) of section 94, shall be filed with the Registrar, at least one day before the date of general meeting of the company in 

Omitted vide the Companies (Management and Administration) Second Amendment Rules, 2018  dated 13.06.2018. To view the Notification, Click Here
To view the return,Click Here

7.1.3 Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014

3. Register of members.-

(1) Every company limited by shares shall, from the date of its registration, maintain a register of its members in

Provided that in the case of existing companies, registered under the Companies Act, 1956,particulars shall be compiled within six months from the date of commencement of these rules.

 that in the case of a company existing on the commencement of the Act, the particulars as available  in the register of members maintained under the Companies Act, 1956 shall be transferred to the new register of members in Form No.MGT-1 and in  case additional information required as per provisions of the Act and these  rules, is provided by the members, such information may also be added in the register as and when provided.

(2) In the case of a company not having share capital, the register of members shall contain the following particulars, in respect of each member, namely:-

(a) name of the member; address (registered office address in case the member is a body corporate); e-mail address; Permanent Account Number or CIN; Unique Identification Number, if any; Father’s/Mother’s/Spouse’s name; Occupation; Status; Nationality; in case member is a minor, name of the guardian and the date of birth of the member; name and address of nominee;

(b) date of becoming member;

(c) date of cessation;

(d) amount of guarantee, if any; any other interest if any; and instructions, if any, given by the member with regard to sending of notices etc:

Provided that in the case of existing companies, registered under the Companies Act, 1956, particulars shall be compiled within six months from the date of commencement of these rules.

that in the case of a company existing on the date of commencement of the Act, the particulars as available in the register of members maintained under the Companies Act, 1956 shall be transferred to the new register of members in Form No.MGT-1 and in case additional information, required as per provisions of the Act and the rules, is provided by, the members, such information also be added in the register as and when provided.

To view the register,Click Here
substituted vide notification dated 23.09.2016. To view the notification,Click Here
substituted vide notification dated 23.09.2016. To view the notification,Click Here

7.1.4 Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014

4. Register of debenture holders or any other security holders.-

Every company which issues or allots debentures or any other security shall maintain a separate register of debenture holders or security holders, as the case may be, for each type of debentures or other securities in

To view the register,Click Here

7.1.5 Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014

5. Maintenance of the Register of members etc. under section 88.-

Every company shall maintain the registers under clauses (a), (b) and (c) of sub-section (1) of section 88 in the following manner namely:-

(1) The entries in the registers maintained under section 88 shall be made within seven days after the Board of Directors or its duly constituted committee approves the allotment or transfer of shares, debentures or any other securities, as the case may be.

(2) The registers shall be maintained at the registered office of the company unless a special resolution is passed in a general meeting authorising the keeping of the register at any other place within the city, town or village in which the registered office is situated or any other place in India in which more than one-tenth of the total members entered in the register of members reside.

(3) Consequent upon any forfeiture, buy-back, reduction, sub-division, consolidation or cancellation of shares, issue of sweat equity shares, transmission of shares, shares issued under any scheme of arrangements, mergers, reconstitution or employees stock option scheme or any of such scheme provided under this Act or by issue of duplicate or new share certificates or new debenture or other security certificates, entry shall be made within seven days after approval by the Board or committee, in the register of members or in the respective registers, as the case may be.

(4) If any change occurs in the status of a member or debenture holder or any other security holder whether due to death or insolvency or change of name or due to transfer to Investor Education Protection Fund or due to any other reason, entries thereof explaining the change shall be made in the respective register.

(5) If any rectification is made in the register maintained under section 88 by the company pursuant to any order passed by the competent authority under the Act, the necessary reference of such order shall be indicated in the respective register.

(6) If any order is passed by any judicial or revenue authority or by Security and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) or competent authority attaching the shares, debentures or other securities and giving directions for remittance of dividend or interest, the necessary reference of such order shall be indicated in the respective register.

(7) In case of companies whose securities are listed on a stock exchange in or outside India, the particulars of any pledge, charge, lien or hypothecation created by the promoters in respect of any securities of the company held by the promoter including the names of pledgee/pawnee and any revocation therein shall be entered in the register within fifteen days from such an event.

(8) If promoters of any listed company, which has formed a joint venture company with another company have pledged or hypthoticated or created charge or lien in respect of any security of the listed company in connection with such joint venture company, the particulars of such pledge, hypothecation, charge and lien shall be entered in the register members of the listed company within fifteen days from such an event.


7.1.6 Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014

6. Index of names to be included in Register.-

(1) Every register maintained under sub-section (1) of section 88 shall include an index of the names entered in the respective registers and the index shall, in respect of each folio, contain sufficient indication to enable the entries relating to that folio in the register to be readily found:

Provided that the maintenance of index is not necessary in case the number of members is less than fifty.

(2) The company shall make the necessary entries in the index simultaneously with the entry for allotment or transfer of any security in such Register.


7.1.7 Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014

7. Foreign register of members, debenture holders, other security holders or beneficial owners residing outside India.-

(1) A company which has share capital or which has issued debentures or any other security may, if so authorised by its articles, keep in any country outside India, a part of the register of members or as the case may be, of debenture holders or of any other security holders or of beneficial owners, resident in that country (hereafter in this rule referred to as the “foreign register”).

(2) The company shall, within thirty days from the date of the opening of any foreign register, file with the Registrar notice of the situation of the office in  along with the fee where such register is kept; and in the event of any change in the situation of such office or of its discontinuance, shall, within thirty days from the date of such change or discontinuance, as the case may be, file notice in  with the Registrar of such change or discontinuance.

(3) A foreign register shall be deemed to be part of the company’s register (hereafter in this rule referred to as the “principal register”) of members or of debenture holders or of any other security holders or beneficial owners, as the case may be.

(4) The foreign register shall be maintained in the same format as the principal register.

(5) A foreign register shall be open to inspection and may be closed, and extracts may be taken there from and copies thereof may be required, in the same manner, mutatis mutandis, as is applicable to the principal register, except that the advertisement before closing the register shall be inserted in at least two newspapers circulating in the place wherein the foreign register is kept.

(6) If a foreign register is kept by a company in any country outside India, the decision of the appropriate competent authority in regard to the rectification of the register shall be binding.

(7) Entries in the foreign register maintained under sub-section (4) of section 88 shall be made simultaneously after the Board of Directors or its duly constituted committee approves the allotment or transfer of shares, debentures or any other securities, as the case may be.

(8) The company shall—

(a) transmit to its registered office in India a copy of every entry in any foreign register within fifteen days after the entry is made; and

(b) keep at such office a duplicate register of every foreign register duly entered up from time to time.

(9) Every such duplicate register shall, for all the purposes of this Act, be deemed to be part of the principal register.

(10) Subject to the provisions of section 88 and the rules made thereunder, with respect to duplicate registers, the shares or as the case may be, debentures or any other security, registered in any foreign register shall be distinguished from the shares or as the case may be, debentures or any other security, registered in the principal register and in every other foreign register; and no transaction with respect to any shares or as the case may be, debentures or any other security,registered in a foreign register shall, during the continuance of that registration, be registered in any other register.

(11) The company may discontinue the keeping of any foreign register; and thereupon all entries in that register shall be transferred to some other foreign register kept by the company outside India or to the principal register.

  1. Form No.MGT.3 has been revised vide MCA notification dated 21.01.2023. To view the Notification, Click here. To view the revised Return, Click here.
  2. To view the return,Click Here

Form No.MGT.3 has been revised vide MCA notification dated 21.01.2023. To view the Notification, Click here. To view the revised Return, Click here.

To view the return,Click Here


7.1.8 Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014

8. Authentication.-

(1) The entries in the registers maintained under section 88 and index included therein shall be authenticated by the company secretary of the company or by any other person authorised by the Board for the purpose, and the date of the board resolution authorising the same shall be mentioned.

(2) The entries in the foreign register shall be authenticated by the company secretary of the company or person authorised by the Board by appending his signature to each entry.


Commencement Notification under Companies (Amendment) Act, 2020 dated 21.12.2020


Companies (Amendment) Act, 2020 dated 28.09.2020


Companies (Management and Administration) Amendment Rules, 2016 [GSR 908(E)] dated 23/09/2016


Enforcement Notification S.O. 902(E) dated 26/03/2014


Form No. MGT-1 Register of members


Form No. MGT-2 Register of debenture holders/ other securities holders


Form No. MGT-3 Notice of situation or change of situation or discontinuation of situation, of place where foreign register shall be kept


FORM NO. MGT.14 Filing of Resolutions and agreements to the Registrar


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