Companies Act with Rules is a definitive, single-volume statutory and compliance reference that presents the Companies Act 2013 as a fully administered legal framework, rather than a mere compilation of legislative provisions. This publication integrates the complete text of the Act with the Rules framed thereunder, along with a carefully curated body of circulars, notifications, Secretarial Standards, exemptions, and procedural guidance issued under the Act. The editorial philosophy of this Edition is decisively practical. Each statutory provision is positioned within its operational and regulatory context, enabling readers to understand not only what the law states, but also how it is applied, complied with, and enforced in corporate practice.

This publication is intended for professionals and institutions that require authoritative text coupled with compliance usability, including:

• Company Secretaries (Practice & Employment) handling incorporation, governance, meetings, filings, Secretarial Standards, and statutory registers
• Chartered Accountants & Cost Accountants engaged in corporate filings, financial reporting, audit-related compliance, CSR, managerial remuneration, and certification work
• Corporate Lawyers & In-house Legal Teams requiring consolidated statutory material with exemptions, notifications, and interpretative aids for advisory and drafting
• Compliance Officers, CFOs & Corporate Executives responsible for statutory applicability analysis and regulatory adherence
• Advanced Students, Academicians & Researchers of company law seeking a structured and interpretative statutory reference

The Present Publication is the 25^th Edition | 2026, updated till 20^th December 2025. This book is edited by Taxmann's Editorial Board, with the following noteworthy features:

• [Annotated Companies Act 2013] The complete text of the Companies Act 2013 is presented in a section-wise format, supported by annotations that connect each provision to its compliance environment. These annotations indicate:
• Relevant Rules framed under the section
• Prescribed statutory Forms (e-forms and physical forms)
• Date of enforcement of the provision
• Corresponding provisions under the Companies Act 1956
• Allied laws referred to in the provision
• [Rules Framed under the Act – Fully Integrated] All Rules framed under the Companies Act 2013 are reproduced as operative compliance instruments, not merely as references. Amendments, substitutions, omissions, and effective dates are clearly tracked, allowing practitioners to determine applicability with precision
• [Chapter-wise Key to Prescribed Forms] A distinctive strength of this Edition is the chapter-wise' Key to Prescribed Forms', which maps every statutory form to its governing section and rule. This enables seamless navigation from statutory provision to filing requirement, making the book an effective compliance and filing roadmap
• [Circulars, Notifications & Administrative Guidance] The publication consolidates circulars and notifications issued under the Companies Act 2013, capturing procedural clarifications, filing instructions, enforcement notifications, and transitional arrangements. These materials play a critical role in determining how compliance is actually carried out and are therefore integrated as a core component of the book
• [Secretarial Standards as Part of the Compliance Framework] The book includes the notified Secretarial Standards (SS-1 to SS-4) along with relevant guidance, reinforcing their mandatory nature and practical significance in corporate governance, meetings, disclosures, and Board reporting
• [Comprehensive Exemption Architecture] Entity-specific exemptions, modifications, and adaptations are consolidated and systematically presented, covering:
• Private Companies
• Government Companies
• Section 8 (Charitable) Companies
• Nidhis
• Unlisted Public Companies
• IFSC-based companies and financial institutions
• This enables accurate applicability and advisory analysis, particularly in complex or specialised corporate structures
• [Regulatory and Allied Law Linkages] Wherever relevant, the text cross-references SEBI regulations, Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements (LODR), Table F of Schedule I, and other allied laws, reflecting the integrated nature of modern corporate regulation.
• [Interpretative and Reference Tools] The book includes:
• Appendix I – Provisions of other Acts referred to in the Companies Act, 2013
• Appendix II – Words & Phrases judicially noticed, supporting statutory interpretation
• A detailed Subject Index for rapid retrieval and navigation

The coverage of the book is as follows:

• Companies Act 2013 (complete text with Schedules)
• Rules framed under the Act, with amendment tracking
• Prescribed statutory Forms with section-rule mapping
• Circulars and Notifications impacting compliance and procedure
• Secretarial Standards and governance guidance
• Exemptions and modifications across company categories
• Interpretative appendices and a comprehensive index

The book follows a layered, practitioner-centric structure:

• Primary Statute – Companies Act 2013, arranged chapter-wise
• Compliance Layer – Rules framed under the Act, supported by a Key to Prescribed Forms
• Administrative Layer – Circulars, notifications, and Secretarial Standards
• Interpretative Layer – Appendices, judicially noticed terms, and cross-law references
• Navigation Tools – Subject Index and structured arrangement of sections
• This structure enables readers to move effortlessly from statutory provision → rule → form → exemption → regulatory clarification