valid as on 12/12/2024

Section 20.Service of documents.
Effective from 01-04-2014

(1) A  may be served on a or an  thereof by sending it to the company or the officer at the registered office of the company by registered post or by speed post or by courier service or by leaving it at its registered office or by means of such electronic or other mode  

Provided that where  are held with a , the records of the beneficial ownership may be served by such depository on the company by means of electronic or other mode.

(2) Save as provided in this Act or the rules made there under for filing of documents with the  in electronic mode, on Registrar or any  by sending it to him by post or by registered post or by speed post or by courier or by delivering at his office or address, or by such electronic or other mode

Provided that a member may request for delivery of any document through a particular mode, for which he shall pay such fees as may be determined by the company in its annual general meeting.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, the term “courier” means a person or agency which delivers the document and provides proof of its delivery.

2(36) Document includes summons, notice, requisition, order, declaration, form and register, whether issued, sent or kept in pursuance of this Act or under any other law for the time being in force or otherwise, maintained on paper or in electronic form
2(20) Company means a company incorporated under this Act or under any previous company law
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
Refer rule 35 of the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014. To view the rule,Click Here
2(81) Securities means the securities as defined in clause (h) of section 2 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 (42 of 1956)
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(75) Registrar means a Registrar, an Additional Registrar, a Joint Registrar, a Deputy Registrar or an Assistant Registrar, having the duty of registering companies and discharging various functions under this Act
 For Nidhi Companies, section 20(2) shall apply subject to the modification that in the case of a Nidhi, the document may be served only on members who hold shares of more than one thousand rupees in face value or more than one per cent. of the total paid-up share capital of the Nidhis whichever is less. For other shareholders, document may be served by a public notice in newspaper circulated in the district where the Registered Office of the Nidhi is situated; and publication of the same on the notice board of the Nidhi vide notification no. G.S.R.465(E) dated 05 June, 2015. To view the notification,Click Here
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

Refer rule 35 of the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014. To view the rule,Click Here

2.1.35-Companies (Incorporation) Rules,2014

35. Service of documents.-

(1) A document may be served on a company or an officer thereof through electronic transmission.

(2) For the purposes of sub-rule (1), the term, “electronic transmission” means a communication–

(a) delivered by –

(i) facsimile telecommunication or electronic mail when directed to the facsimile number or electronic mail address, respectively, which the company or the officer has provided from time to time for sending communications to the company or the officer respectively;

(ii) posting of an electronic message board or network that the company or the officer has designated for such communications, and which transmission shall be validly delivered upon the posting; or

(iii) other means of electronic communication,

in respect of which the company or the officer has put in place reasonable systems to verify that the sender is the person purporting to send the transmission; and

(b) that creates a record that is capable of retention, retrieval and review, and which may thereafter be rendered into clearly legible tangible form.

(3) A document may be served on the Registrar or any member through electronic transmission.

(4) For the purposes of sub-rule (3), the term, “electronic transmission” means a communication –

(a) delivered by –

(i) facsimile telecommunication or electronic mail when directed to the facsimile number or electronic mail address, respectively, which the Registrar or the member has provided from time to time for sending communications to the Registrar or the member respectively;

(ii) posting of an electronic message board or network that the Registrar or the member has designated for those communications, and which transmission shall be validly delivered upon the posting; or

(iii) other means of electronic communication, in respect of which the Registrar or the member has put in place reasonable systems to verify that the sender is the person purporting to send the transmission, and

(b) that creates a record that is capable of retention, retrieval and review, and which may thereafter be rendered into clearly legible tangible form.

(5) For the purposes of sub-section (1) and (2) of section 20, ‘‘courier’’ means a document sent through a courier which provides proof of delivery.

(6) In case of delivery by post, such service shall be deemed to have been effected- (i) in the case of a notice of a meeting, at the expiration of forty eight hours after the letter containing the same is posted; and (ii) in any other case, at the time at which the letter would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.


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


Exemption to Nidhi Companies [G.S.R 465(E)] dated 05/06/2015


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