**Executive Summary**
This document addresses questions raised in Lok Sabha regarding the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPF) and the Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE), particularly concerning Dahod, Gujarat. It outlines steps taken to resolve cases related to companies not filing IEPF-1A forms correctly, the benefits to investors, the evaluation of C-PACE performance, the requirement for geo-tagged photos of registered offices, and the implementation of a faceless adjudication process. Key dates include deadlines for IEPF-1A form submission and the operationalization of e-Adjudication.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **IEPF-1A Form Compliance:**
* Companies must file Form IEPF-1A with an excel template within 60 days of the 20/08/2019 notification.
* A Public Notice was issued on 31.07.2025 with a compliance window until 30 August 2025, for defaulting companies to submit the form in the prescribed format.
* No penalties have been levied for non-compliance within the stipulated timeframe.
* **Benefits to Investors:**
* The disposal of IEPF-1A cases benefits investors across the country, including those in Dahod.
* **Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE):**
* C-PACE was established to expedite the voluntary strike-off of companies, operational since 01.05.2023.
* 22051 applications were approved in FY 2024-25 by C-PACE.
* One company was struck off by ROC, C-PACE from Dahod, Gujarat in FY 2024-25.
* **Geo-tagged Photographs:**
* As per the Companies (Management and Administration) Amendment Rules, 2025 dated 30.05.2025, companies must attach the latest geo-tagged photograph of their registered office to forms like MGT-7.
* This enhances transparency and traceability by capturing the precise location of the registered office.
* **Faceless Adjudication:**
* The Companies (Adjudication of Penalties) Rules, 2014, were amended in August 2024 to conduct adjudication proceedings under Section 454 of the Companies Act, 2013 electronically.
* The e-Adjudication module was launched on 16-09-2024 as part of MCA21.
* The faceless/e-Adjudication system provides an end-to-end digital process, including online notices, hearings, adjudication orders, and payments.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Companies**
* **Impact:** Need to comply with IEPF-1A filing requirements and ensure timely submission. Impacted by the new amendment to geo-tag company's registered office location.
* **Action Required:** Ensure correct filing of IEPF-1A forms, including using the excel template. Comply with the requirement to submit geo-tagged photographs of registered offices for relevant forms.
**Stakeholder: Investors**
* **Impact:** Beneficiaries of the disposal of pending IEPF-1A cases.
* **Action Required:** No direct action is required.
**Stakeholder: Ministry of Corporate Affairs**
* **Impact:** Responsible for the establishment and operation of C-PACE and the e-Adjudication system.
* **Action Required:** Monitor and evaluate the performance of C-PACE and the e-Adjudication system.
**Stakeholder: Registrar of Companies (ROC)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for striking off companies based on C-PACE recommendations.
* **Action Required:** Process strike-off applications as per C-PACE guidelines.
**Stakeholder: All related stakeholders including those located in Dahod**
* **Impact:** Benefits of end-to-end digital processing.
* **Action Required:** Utilise online processes.
Key Entities Referenced
Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA): Authority responsible for investor education and protection, issuing notices related to companies not filing Form IEPF-1A.
IEPF-1A: A form companies are required to file under the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (Accounting, Audit, Transfer and Refund) Rules, 2016.
Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE): Initiative established by the Ministry to facilitate and speed up the voluntary strike-off of companies.
Companies Act, 2013: The act which governs company law and under which adjudication proceedings take place in electronic mode as per amendment to the Companies (Adjudication of Penalties) Rules, 2014.
Companies (Adjudication of Penalties) Rules, 2014: Rules amended to allow for electronic adjudication proceedings under section 454 of the Companies Act, 2013 via an e-adjudication platform.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1180
ANSWERED ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2025/AGRAHAYANA 17, 1947 (SAKA)
IEPF AND C-PACE
+1180. SMT. SHOBHANABEN MAHENDRASINH BARAIYA:
SHRI JASWANTSINH SUMANBHAI BHABHOR:
SHRI VIJAY KUMAR DUBEY:
SHRI DAMODAR AGARWAL:
MS KANGNA RANAUT:
SMT. ANITA NAGARSINGH CHOUHAN:
SHRI KRISHNA PRASAD TENNETI:
SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:
Will the Minister of CORPORATE AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the steps taken by the Government to resolve cases arising due to companies
not filing form IEPFA-1A in the prescribed format and lying pending along with the
details of the penalties imposed;
(b) the benefits accrued to the Investors of the Dahod Lok Sabha constituency from
the disposal of pending cases related to the IEPF-1A forms;
(c) whether the Government has evaluated the performance of the Centre for
Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE) especially in Dahod in Gujarat;
(d) if so, the details thereof;
(e) the reasons for the Government mandating submission of geo-tagged
photographs of the registered office for forms like MGT-7 and the manner in which
it has enhanced transparency especially in Dahod in Gujarat;
(f) the Government’s action plan regarding faceless adjudication process;
(g) the provisions made by the Government to ensure transparency and fairness in
online corporate default cases;
(h) the benefits accrued to the Investors of the Dahod Lok Sabha constituency from
the disposal of pending cases related to IEPF-1A forms; and
(i) the manner in which the faceless adjudication system is ensuring transparency
in online default cases in the country especially in Dahod in Gujarat ?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS AND MINISTRY
OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(HARSH MALHOTRA)
(a):- As per Rule 5 (4A) of Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority
(Accounting, Audit, Transfer and Refund) Rules, 2016 companies are required to fileForm No. IEPF-1A along with excel template within sixty days of the notification
(20/8/2019) of the amended rules. To resolve cases that has arisen due to
companies not filing Form IEPF-1A in the prescribed format, the Investor Education
and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) has issued a Public Notice on 31.07.2025 to
all defaulting companies, giving a compliance window until 30 August 2025, to
ensure submission of Form IEPF-1A in the prescribed format. No penalty has been
levied.
(b) & (h):- The IEPF-1A forms are filed company-wise. Therefore, the disposal of
such cases benefits investors of the respective companies across the country,
including such investors of Dahod.
(c) & (d):- The Ministry has established the Centre for Processing Accelerated
Corporate Exit (C-PACE) to facilitate and speed up the voluntary Strike off of
companies and has been operationalized from 01.05.2023. A total of 22051
applications were approved in FY 2024-25 by C-PACE. One company was struck–off
by Registrar of Companies (ROC), C-PACE during FY 2024-25 from Dahod, Gujarat.
(e):- As per the Companies (Management and Administration) Amendment Rules,
2025 dated 30.05.2025, it is mandatory to attach latest photograph of the
registered office of the Company showing external building with name & address
prominently visible. This is aligned with the requirements specified in Section
12(3)(a) and Section 92(1)(a) of the Companies Act, 2013, under which the
particulars of registered office, which would mean precise location of such office,
are required to be disclosed. The geo-tagging of the registered office would ensure
that these forms capture the precise location of the registered office. These steps
enhance transparency and traceability of the companies across the country
including those at Dahod, Gujrat.
(f) & (g):- The Companies (Adjudication of Penalties) Rules, 2014 have been
amended in August, 2024 pursuant to which it has been provided that the
adjudication proceedings under section 454 of the Companies Act, 2013 shall take
place in electronic mode only through the e-adjudication platform developed by the
Ministry for this purpose. e-Adjudication or faceless Adjudication module as part of
MCA21 has been launched, w.e.f. 16-09-2024. This is aimed at ensuring that
adjudication of such proceedings take place in a faster, transparent and user-
friendly manner.
(i) The faceless or e-Adjudication system provides for end-to-end digital process
including online generation of notices, hearings, generation of adjudication orders
and payments. This enhances transparency as well as enable speeder adjudication.
These benefits are applicable to all related stakeholders including those located in
Dahod.
******