26.1.5 Nidhi Rules, 2014

5. Requirements for minimum number of members, net owned fund etc.—(1) Every Nidhi shall, within a period of one year  from the commencement of these rules, ensure that it has—

(a) not less than two hundred members;
(b) Net Owned Funds of ten lakh rupees or more;
(c) unencumbered term deposits of not less than ten per cent of the outstanding deposits as specified in rule 14; and
(d) ratio of Net Owned Funds to deposits of not more than 1:20.

(2) Within ninety days from the close of the first financial year after its incorporation and where applicable, the second financial year, Nidhi shall file a return of statutory compliances in along with such fee as provided in Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014 with the Registrar duly certified by a company secretary in
practice or a chartered accountant in practice or a cost accountant in practice.

(3) If a Nidhi is not complying with clauses (a) or (d) of sub-rule (1) above, it shall within thirty days from the close of the first financial year, apply to the Regional Director in  along with fee specified in Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014 for extension of time and the Regional Director may consider the application and pass orders within thirty days of receipt of the application.

the Regional Director may extend the period upto one year from the date of receipt of application.

Explanation.—For the purpose of this rule “Regional Director” means the person appointed by the Central Government in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs as a Regional Director;

(4) If the failure to comply with sub-rule (1) of this rule extends beyond the second financial year, Nidhi shall not accept any further deposits from the commencement of the second financial year till it complies with the provisions contained in sub-rule (1) , besides being liable for penal consequences as provided in the Act.

The provisions of this rule shall not be applicable for the companies incorporated as Nidhi on or after the commencement of the Nidhi (Amendment) Rules, 2022.