The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) has written to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) highlighting multiple technical and operational issues being faced by stakeholders on the MCA-21 V3 portal and has sought immediate corrective measures to ease compliance burdens.
In a representation dated May 6, 2026 addressed to MCA Secretary Ms. Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, the ICSI acknowledged the Ministry’s efforts in implementing the MCA V3 portal for improving digital governance, transparency, and ease of compliance. However, the Institute stated that feedback received from members and stakeholders revealed several practical and technical challenges adversely affecting filings and resulting in unintended non-compliances.
The representation stated that users are frequently facing difficulties in retrieving saved drafts and are also suffering data loss due to session timeouts. To address this, ICSI suggested introduction of a robust draft management system equipped with auto-save and easy retrieval functionalities.
The Institute also pointed out recurring issues in uploading attachments on the portal. According to the representation, stakeholders are facing failures in uploading documents due to attachment size restrictions, format limitations, and system glitches. ICSI recommended increasing the attachment size limit to improve readability and ease of filing.
Another major concern raised relates to login-related problems on the MCA-21 V3 portal. The Institute highlighted frequent errors connected with the “Switch User” functionality and difficulties in updating user profiles, such as conversion from ACS to FCS status. It further noted that users often encounter generic system errors like “Something went wrong” during User ID creation. ICSI requested the Ministry to establish a robust mechanism for prompt resolution of login-related issues.
The representation additionally flagged concerns regarding limited data availability under the “View Public Documents” tab. ICSI stated that companies are presently unable to access complete historical filing data registered on the MCA portal. It suggested introducing a facility, possibly on a payment basis, enabling companies to identify pending filings year-wise at the click of a button, especially to assist compliance under the CFS Scheme.
ICSI further objected to the mandatory login requirement for viewing basic company master data on the MCA portal. The Institute said that the earlier system permitted easy access to basic company information without login credentials and that the present requirement creates unnecessary inconvenience for professionals, stakeholders, and third parties seeking quick verification of company details. It proposed restoring public access to basic master data without mandatory login while continuing to protect sensitive information behind login credentials.
The representation also raised concerns regarding the non-editable nature of Form AOC-4 after preparation or saving. ICSI stated that even minor corrections presently require complete refiling and revalidation of the form along with repeated attachment uploads, increasing compliance burden and chances of clerical errors. The Institute suggested introducing an edit facility for saved drafts.
Similarly, the Institute highlighted the absence of any edit option for Form SH-7 after submission. According to ICSI, even minor corrections presently compel stakeholders to cancel the entire SRN and refile all linked forms. It recommended introducing an “Edit” option to facilitate minor corrections without duplication of filings.
ICSI further pointed out that restrictive character limits in address fields of SPICe+ forms are creating practical difficulties, particularly for entities located in metropolitan cities where complete registered office addresses cannot be accurately captured. The Institute requested enhancement of character limits to allow complete and accurate address disclosures.
Concluding the representation, ICSI urged the Ministry to address the highlighted concerns on priority, stating that timely resolution would significantly improve user confidence, reduce compliance burdens, and strengthen the objectives of the MCA V3 initiative.
