Appointment of Cost Auditors : Last date of filing e-form extended upto 31st Oct 2013 with no additional Fee

The companies have now reason to relax as now no additional fee will be applicable for late filing of e-form 23C utpo 31^st Oct 2013.

Background:  MCA had issued a cost audit order dated 6^th Nov 2012 applicable from the year 2013-14 onward suppressing all the earlier cost audit orders.  Through  this order the MCA had put at rest all the confusions with regard to the applicability of the cost audit on various industries. The new order dated 6^th Nov 2012 was  based on first four digits of CETA code.

Problem: The companies are required to file form 23C (for appointment of Cost Auditor) within 90 days of the commencement of the year i.e. 29^th June 2013 for the year 2013-14. Form 23C with regard to the appointment of the cost auditor was designed based on the earlier categorization of Industries. The old form 23C was not able to accommodate the changes with regard to Industry specifications  to be mentioned as per the new cost audit order and the companies were not able to file Form 23C with regard to the Cost Auditor Appointment for the year 2013-14 though the last date of appointment was 29^th June 2013.

Now, MCA has issued a circular no 14/2013 extending the last date of filing and relaxing the additional fee applicable on e-form 23C upto 31^st October, 2013. Now 23C e-form can be filed for appointment of cost auditor with normal fee upto 31^st October, 2013 or within 90 days of the commencement of company’s financials year to which appointment relates, whichever is later

Relaxation of last date and additional fee in filing of e-Form 23C for Appointment of Cost Auditor