Period of Preservation of Accounts/Records under Different Laws

Sr. No.

Applicable Law

Information required to be maintained

Period of maintaining the information

1.

Companies Act, 2013

Books of accounts and vouchers

8 years immediately preceding the current year

Books and papers of Amalgamated or Transferor Company

It can be disposed only after obtaining prior approval of Central Government

Books and papers of a Company which is wound up and its liquidator

5 years from the date of its dissolution.

[May be destroyed earlier with prior Central Government permission]

Register of deposits

[Applicable to companies which are not NBFCs but which accept public deposits]

8 calendar years from the financial year in which the latest entry is made in the Register

Register and Index of Members

Permanently

Register and Index of Debenture holders

15 years from date of redemption of debentures

Copies of Annual Returns, Certificates and documents annexed thereto

8 years from the date of their filing with ROC

2.

NBFC Directions

Register of deposits for each branch and a consolidated Register

8 calendar years following the financial year in which the latest repayment/renewal entry is made in the Register.

Necessary records of transactions

10 years from the date of cessation of transaction between the NBFCs and the client

3.

Income-tax Act, 1961

Specified records

6 years from the end of the relevant assessment year, i.e., for a total period of 8 previous years.

[Period of six years gets extended if the assessment is reopened u/s. 147, till the time assessment is completed.]

Transfer Pricing documents and information specified under Rule 10D

8 years from the end of the relevant assessment year, i.e., for a total period of 10 previous years.

Necessary records and information of any income in relation to any asset (including financial interest in any entity) located outside India, chargeable to tax has escaped assessment for any assessment year

16 years from the end of relevant assessment year

4.

Central Excise

Books of accounts, source documents and data in any electronic media

5 years immediately after the financial year to which such records pertain

5.

Service Tax

Books of accounts, source documents and data in any electronic media

5 years immediately after the financial year to which such records pertain

6.

Maharashtra Value Added Tax Rules

All books of account, registers and other documents pertaining to stocks, purchases, dispatches and deliveries of goods, payment made and receipts towards sale or purchase of goods

8 years from the expiry of the year to which they relate

[Where any proceedings have been initiated, the books shall be preserved till a final order is passed in respect of the said proceedings.]

7.

Goods and Services Tax

Books and records

6 years from the last date of filing of the annual return (31st December) for that year

8.

SEBI Regulations

Records prescribed by SEBI under relevant Regulations

5 years

[In case of any investigation by CBI or police, books and records to be maintained up to settlement of case (see circular dated 4-8-2005)]

Records prescribed by SEBI under relevant Regulations for Venture Capital Funds and Mutual Funds

8 years

Records prescribed by SEBI under relevant Regulations for Registrar & Transfer Agents and Bankers to an Issue

3 years

9

ICAI – Council’s decision of 1957

Records relating to audit and other work done by Chartered Accountants, routine correspondence and other papers

10 years

10.

Limited Liability Partnership

Appropriate books of accounts and accounting records which are sufficient to show and explain its transactions

8 years from the date in respect of which records pertain

11.

Prevention of Money Laundering Act

Records of Transaction between Reporting Entities and the client

10 years from the date of transaction

12.

Bombay Public trust Act

Cash Book, Bank Book, Journals, Vouchers, List of Movable Properties

12 years

Inwards and Outward Register, Records of Meetings and Agenda

7 years

13.

Real Estate Regulatory Authority Act

Books of Accounts, Records and Documents

6 years

14.

Co-operative Housing Society

Books of Accounts and Records

10 years

15.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016

Specified Register and Books of Accounts

8 years from the date of dissolution