Corporate Affairs Ministry Asks Businesses To Provide Report On Readiness Against COVID-19

The ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) has asked businesses and limited liability partnerships (LLP) to file a web form CAR to confirm their readiness on dealing with the COVID-19 threat. These forms have to be filed by an authorised aignatory and will be made availble from 23 March.

The order was issued with an advisory on extending work-from-home policy for employees to the maximum extent possible.

Injeti Srinivas, secretary in the ministry, has urged businesses to implement preventive measures including videoconferencing, staggered work timings and work from home policies as well as advisories by public health authorities.

Since companies and LLPs are major employers, especially in urban areas, their full cooperation is essential in containing the spread, morbidity and mortality due to the disease, Srinivas said in an advisory.

The advisory further said that in view of the gravity of the situation, the rules on board meetings were relaxed and dispensed with the need of holding physical meetings to approve financial statements, board reports and restructuring, up to end of June.

"We are also examining any other relaxations under the Companies Act, 2013, that may be necessitated on account of Coronavirus disease (Covid-19)," said the advisory.

In India there are at least 195 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported with four deaths and 20 recoveries.

"As part of disaster management to meet this urgent and severe health exigency, all companies and LLPs are expected and are strongly advised to put in place an immediate plan to implement the work from home policy as a temporary measure till 31 March, 2020, after which the position will be reviewed by appropriate authorities as per the evolving situation," the advisory said.

"I sincerely hope that you will take all possible precautionary measures at your end to meet this public health situation and contribute to containing the disease and minimising its contagious effect," Srinivas said in the advisory.