The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), Government of India, has recently issued a significant notification (S.O. 4850(E), dated 23rd October 2025) under Section 396(1) and (2) of the Companies Act, 2013. This notification reorganizes and establishes new jurisdictions for the Registrars of Companies (ROC) across key regions of India, aiming to improve administrative efficiency and ease of doing business. The new jurisdictions will officially come into force from 1st January 2026.
- Background and Legal Basis of The Registrar of Companies
The Registrar of Companies (ROC) operates under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and is responsible for registering companies, maintaining records, and ensuring compliance under the Companies Act, 2013. Each ROC has jurisdiction over specific geographical areas, typically one or more states or union territories.
This reorganization has been made under Section 396 of the Companies Act, 2013, which empowers the Central Government to establish offices of Registrars and define their jurisdiction for efficient discharge of statutory functions.
Historically, the ROC structure has evolved in response to administrative reforms, digitization drives, and the need for decentralization of corporate regulation.
- Historical Evolution of ROC Jurisdictions
The system of Registrars of Companies dates back to the Indian Companies Act of 1866, under British rule. Initially, there were only a few ROCs based in major presidency towns such as Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras.
After India’s independence, as industrialization expanded, new ROC offices were gradually set up to cater to emerging corporate hubs. The major milestones include:
- 1956: Under the Companies Act, 1956, India was divided into several ROC regions aligning with the states formed post-independence.
- 1990s–2000s: With the rise of private and public limited companies, the MCA expanded ROCs and regional directors to improve coverage.
- 2006–2010: The introduction of MCA21, India’s first e-governance project for corporate filings, brought a digital transformation to ROC operations.
- 2013: With the enactment of the Companies Act, 2013, ROCs were reclassified, and jurisdictions were fine-tuned.
- 2025: The current notification marks another major restructuring, aligning ROC offices more closely with administrative and business realities.
- Key Changes Announced in the 2025 Notification for MCA
As per the notification published in the Gazette of India (Extraordinary), dated 23rd October 2025, the Central Government has redefined jurisdictional boundaries and created sub-divisions in major states and regions.
(a) National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi
- Delhi-I (South Delhi): Covers South, Southwest, New Delhi, Southeast, and East Delhi districts.
- Delhi-II (Central Delhi): Covers Central, West, North, Northwest, Northeast Delhi, and Shahdara districts.
Purpose: This bifurcation replaces the earlier single ROC office for Delhi, reflecting the vast increase in company registrations and corporate activity in the NCT region.
(b) Haryana
- The ROC, Haryana will continue to operate from Chandigarh, maintaining jurisdiction over the entire state of Haryana.
(c) Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh, being one of India’s largest states with rapid industrial growth, has now been divided into two ROC jurisdictions:
- ROC, Uttar Pradesh–I (Kanpur): Will have jurisdiction over central and eastern districts, including Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, and adjoining regions.
- ROC, Uttar Pradesh–II (Noida): Will cover western UP districts including Agra, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida), Meerut, Saharanpur, and others.
Impact: This division is crucial, as earlier a single ROC at Kanpur handled the entire state, leading to administrative bottlenecks and delays.
(d) Maharashtra
Maharashtra will now have three distinct ROC offices:
- ROC, Mumbai–I: Jurisdiction over Mumbai and Mumbai Suburban districts.
- ROC, Mumbai–II (Navi Mumbai): Covers Aurangabad, Nashik, Thane, Raigad, Palghar, and nearby districts.
- ROC, Nagpur: Jurisdiction over Vidarbha and Marathwada regions including Nagpur, Amravati, Beed, and Nanded.
This step is aligned with the growing corporate ecosystem across multiple industrial regions of Maharashtra beyond Mumbai.
(e) West Bengal
West Bengal has also been bifurcated into two:
- ROC, Kolkata–I: Jurisdiction over the district of Kolkata.
- ROC, Kolkata–II: Jurisdiction over the rest of the state excluding Kolkata.
This aims to decentralize corporate registration functions from the overburdened Kolkata office.
- Effective Date
The new jurisdictions will come into effect from 1st January 2026. Companies and professionals are advised to take note of the revised jurisdiction while making any filings or correspondence with the ROC.
- Objective and Rationale Behind the Change
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has emphasized efficiency, accessibility, and regional balance as the key objectives behind this restructuring. The main drivers include:
- Workload optimization: Many ROC offices, especially in large states like UP and Maharashtra, faced excessive workloads due to high company density.
- Ease of Doing Business: Decentralized offices ensure faster registration, approval, and compliance clearance.
- Administrative clarity: Clear jurisdictional boundaries will reduce confusion and duplication of records.
- Regional growth alignment: The restructuring aligns with regional economic hubs such as Noida, Nagpur, and Navi Mumbai.
- Implications for Companies and Professionals
- Companies: Entities must verify under which ROC jurisdiction their registered office now falls before making filings post-January 2026.
- Professionals (CSs, CAs, Lawyers): Filing patterns, document submission, and follow-ups will shift to the respective ROC based on the new district mapping.
- Regulatory Efficiency: The division is expected to speed up corporate actions like incorporation, change of name, mergers, and annual return filings.
- Conclusion
The 2025 restructuring of the Registrar of Companies (ROC) jurisdictions represents a progressive step in India’s corporate governance framework. It aligns administrative boundaries with economic realities, ensuring greater responsiveness and efficiency.
By creating region-specific offices, especially in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal, the MCA continues its mission to simplify corporate regulation and promote ease of doing business in India.
The reform not only modernizes the ROC structure but also reflects India’s dynamic corporate landscape, poised for rapid growth and digital governance under the Companies Act, 2013.