The governance of directors under the Companies Act, 2013 is spread across multiple sections. At Virtual Auditor, we advise founders and promoters daily on the interplay between these provisions. Here is the statutory map:
| Provision | Section | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| Section 149 | Company to have board of directors | Minimum/maximum number, woman director, independent director, resident director |
| Section 150 | Manner of selection of independent directors | Databank, proficiency test |
| Section 152 | Appointment of directors | DIN requirement, first directors, rotational directors |
| Section 153 | Director Identification Number (DIN) | Application and allotment |
| Section 161 | Appointment of additional, alternate, nominee directors | Board-level appointments between AGMs |
| Section 164 | Disqualifications for appointment of director | Grounds, duration, consequences |
| Section 167 | Vacation of office of director | Automatic vacation grounds |
| Section 168 | Resignation of director | Process, effective date, ROC filing |
| Section 169 | Removal of directors | Ordinary resolution, special notice |
| Section 172 | Punishment | Penalty for non-compliance with Sections 149–171 |
Section 149(1) of the Companies Act, 2013 prescribes the following mandatory composition:
Every company (private or public) can have a maximum of 15 directors. A company may appoint more than 15 directors by passing a special resolution — no Central Government approval is needed for this (Section 149(1), second proviso).
Under Section 149(1), read with Rule 3 of the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules, 2014, the following companies must have at least one woman director:
Most private limited companies and startups are exempt from this requirement. However, we at Virtual Auditor always recommend board diversity as a governance best practice — refer to our Corporate Governance Checklist for Series A Startups.
Under Section 149(3), every company must have at least one director who has stayed in India for a total period of not less than 182 days during the financial year. This is critical for companies with NRI or foreign promoters. Non-compliance attracts penalties under Section 172.
Section 149(4) mandates independent directors for:
Private limited companies are exempt from the independent director requirement. However, if your company is approaching a Series A or later stage, having an independent director signals governance maturity — see our governance checklist.
Under Section 152(3), no person shall be appointed as a director of a company unless they have been allotted a DIN under Section 154. The DIN is a lifetime number — once allotted, it remains valid irrespective of whether the person continues as a director.
DIN is applied through Form DIR-3 on the MCA portal. The application must be accompanied by:
For first-time directors at incorporation, the SPICe+ form (INC-32) allows DIN application along with the incorporation application — up to 3 DINs can be applied through SPICe+.
Every individual holding a DIN as on 31 March must file DIR-3 KYC by 30 September of the immediately following financial year (extended from the earlier 30 April deadline). If DIR-3 KYC is not filed, the DIN is deactivated, and the director cannot sign or file any form on the MCA portal. Reactivation requires filing DIR-3 KYC with a late fee of Rs 5,000.
Under Section 152(1), the first directors are named in the Articles of Association (AoA). If the AoA is silent, the subscribers to the Memorandum who are individuals are deemed the first directors. In practice, SPICe+ (INC-32) captures the first directors at the time of incorporation.
Under Section 152(2), every director (other than the first directors, additional directors, alternate directors, and nominee directors) must be appointed by the company in a general meeting — either the AGM or an EGM. The procedure is:
Section 152(6) provides that unless the AoA provides for retirement of all directors at every AGM, at least two-thirds of the total number of directors of a public company shall be persons whose period of office is liable to determination by retirement of directors by rotation. One-third of such rotational directors retire at every AGM and are eligible for re-appointment. Private companies are exempt from the rotation requirement if their AoA so provides.
The board may, if authorised by the AoA, appoint additional directors who hold office up to the date of the next AGM or the last date on which the AGM should have been held, whichever is earlier. An additional director cannot be appointed as an alternate director simultaneously.
If the AoA authorises it, the board may appoint an alternate director for a director who is absent from India for a period of not less than 3 months. The alternate director vacates office when the original director returns to India. A person acting as alternate director for an independent director must also qualify as an independent director.
Subject to the AoA, a nominee director may be appointed by any institution under a loan agreement, or by the Central Government, or by a third party under the provision of the AoA. Nominee directors are common in venture-funded startups where investors negotiate board seats.
We at Virtual Auditor handle director appointments daily. Here is our standard workflow:
| Step | Action | Form/Document | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Obtain DIN for the proposed director (if not already allotted) | DIR-3 | 3–5 working days for approval |
| 2 | Ensure DIR-3 KYC is up to date | DIR-3 KYC / DIR-3 KYC-WEB | Before appointment |
| 3 | Obtain consent from the proposed director | DIR-2 | Before board meeting |
| 4 | Check eligibility — no disqualification under Section 164 | MCA portal DIN check | Before board meeting |
| 5 | Hold board meeting — pass resolution for appointment as additional director or recommend to shareholders | Board resolution | As per board notice requirements |
| 6 | Pass ordinary resolution at general meeting (for appointment as regular director) | Ordinary Resolution | At AGM or EGM |
| 7 | File appointment with ROC | DIR-12 | Within 30 days of appointment |
| 8 | Update Register of Directors (Form MBP-1 from the director for disclosure of interest) | MBP-1, Register of Directors | Immediately after appointment |
Need help with a director appointment? Book a free consultation or check our pricing.
Section 164 is one of the most consequential provisions in the Companies Act. It operates in two sub-sections, each with distinct triggers, durations, and consequences.
A person shall not be eligible for appointment as a director if:
This is the provision that causes maximum anxiety among directors. Under Section 164(2):
Then every person who is a director of such company at the time of the default shall not be eligible to be re-appointed as a director of that company or be appointed as a director in any other company for a period of 5 years from the date on which the said company fails to do so.
The consequences of Section 164(2) are severe:
The MCA portal publishes a list of disqualified directors periodically. You can also check DIN status by searching the DIN or name on the MCA V3 portal under “Check Company/LLP Name” or “Check Director DIN Status.” We always verify DIN status before processing any appointment at Virtual Auditor.
Section 167 deals with automatic vacation of office — situations where a director ceases to hold office by operation of law, without any resignation or removal. A director’s office is vacated if:
When vacation occurs, the director ceases to hold office from the date the disqualifying event occurs. The company must file DIR-12 within 30 days to intimate the ROC of the cessation.
This provision is particularly relevant for NRI directors and investor-nominees who may not actively participate in board meetings. The 12-month period is calculated as a rolling period, not a calendar year. If even one meeting is attended during any consecutive 12-month window, the ground for vacation does not arise.
We strongly advise our clients with NRI directors to ensure board meetings are scheduled with flexibility to accommodate time zone differences and enable participation via video conferencing (which is permitted for board meetings under Section 173(2), except for matters specifically excluded).
Section 168 provides a clear framework for director resignation:
Under the proviso to Section 168(1), the resigning director may also forward a copy of their resignation along with reasons in Form DIR-11 to the ROC within 30 days. This is the director’s safeguard — in case the company delays or refuses to file DIR-12, the director can place on record their resignation independently.
Section 168(2) provides that the resignation of a director shall not take effect if, as a result, the number of directors falls below the minimum required under Section 149. In such cases, the resignation is effective only when a new director is appointed. However, the NCLT in several orders has held that the resignation is effective from the date specified, and the company is merely in violation of the minimum director requirement — the director is not obligated to continue.
Under the second proviso to Section 168(1), the director remains liable for offences that occurred during their tenure. Resignation does not absolve a director from acts committed while they were in office. This is particularly relevant for defaults under:
While resignation is voluntary, Section 169 provides for involuntary removal of a director by the shareholders:
An independent director under Section 149(6) cannot be removed by an ordinary resolution under Section 169 — they can only be removed by passing a special resolution after following the special notice procedure.
| Form | Purpose | Filing Deadline | Government Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIR-3 | Application for DIN | Before appointment | Rs 500 |
| DIR-3 KYC | Annual KYC update for DIN holders | 30 September annually | Nil (Rs 5,000 if late) |
| DIR-2 | Consent to act as director | Before appointment | N/A (not filed with ROC) |
| DIR-12 | Intimation of appointment/cessation/change of director | Within 30 days of change | Rs 200–Rs 600 (based on share capital) |
| DIR-11 | Director’s independent notice of resignation to ROC | Within 30 days of resignation | Nil |
| MBP-1 | Disclosure of interest by director | At first board meeting of each financial year or upon any change | N/A (internal document) |
| DIR-8 | Intimation by director regarding non-disqualification | Before appointment | N/A (internal document) |
We provide ready-to-use board resolution templates as part of our Company Secretary services. For detailed templates, refer to our Board Resolution Templates for Startup India guide.
The resolution must cover:
The resolution must record:
Non-compliance with Sections 149 to 171 attracts penalty under Section 172:
Late filing of DIR-12 attracts additional fees calculated as follows on the MCA V3 portal:
Under Section 167(2), if a person whose office has been vacated under Section 167(1) continues to act as a director, they shall be punishable with imprisonment up to 1 year or fine of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, or both.
Under Section 165, a person cannot hold directorship in more than 20 companies at the same time, of which not more than 10 shall be public companies. Private companies, Section 8 companies, and dormant companies are counted within the overall limit of 20 but are excluded from the sub-limit of 10 public companies.
A foreign national can be appointed as a director. The procedure is the same, but the DIN application (DIR-3) must attach a passport in lieu of PAN and a foreign address proof. No FEMA approval is needed merely for directorship. However, if the foreign director is to be paid remuneration, FEMA implications on the mode of payment arise. We handle cross-border directorship matters regularly — see our FEMA compliance services.
Under the Companies (Specification of Definitions Details) Order, 2024, small companies (paid-up capital not exceeding Rs 4 crore and turnover not exceeding Rs 40 crore) enjoy relaxed board meeting requirements — only 2 board meetings per year with a gap of at least 90 days between them. However, no relaxation is available on the minimum number of directors or the requirement to file DIR-12 for changes.
When a company is struck off under Section 248, the directors remain liable for any outstanding liabilities. Their DIN status may show as associated with a struck-off company, which can cause issues during due diligence for new appointments. We assist with obtaining “Active” status for such companies through the NCLT restoration route before the director can be cleanly dissociated.
Before appointing any new director, we recommend this due diligence checklist (which we follow for every engagement at Virtual Auditor):
At Virtual Auditor, our Company Secretary practice handles the full spectrum of director-related compliance:
Our lead, CA V. Viswanathan (FCA, ACS, CFE, IBBI/RV/03/2019/12333), personally reviews every director appointment and disqualification matter to ensure compliance with the Companies Act, 2013 and the ICAI Code of Ethics.
Appointment: Minimum 2 directors for a private company (Section 149(1)(a)), maximum 15 (extendable by special resolution). Every director needs a DIN (Section 153). Appointment is through ordinary resolution at a general meeting (Section 152), with DIR-12 filed within 30 days. Additional directors (Section 161(1)) hold office until the next AGM.
Resignation: A director resigns by written notice (Section 168). Effective from date of receipt or date specified, whichever is later. Company files DIR-12 within 30 days; director may independently file DIR-11. Resignation does not affect liability for offences committed during tenure.
Disqualification: Section 164(1) covers personal grounds (conviction, insolvency, unsound mind). Section 164(2) disqualifies all directors of a company that has not filed annual returns for 3 consecutive years or defaulted on deposit/debenture repayment — disqualification lasts 5 years and applies across all companies.
Vacation of Office: Section 167 provides for automatic vacation on grounds including disqualification, 12-month absence from board meetings, and conviction with 6+ months imprisonment.
Under Section 149(1)(a) of the Companies Act, 2013, every private limited company must have a minimum of 2 directors. The maximum permitted is 15, which can be increased by passing a special resolution — no government approval is required for the increase.
Three forms are required: DIR-2 (consent to act as director), DIR-12 (intimation to ROC of appointment within 30 days of board resolution), and DIR-3 KYC (if the appointee does not hold a valid DIN with up-to-date KYC). The DIR-12 must be filed within 30 days of appointment.
A person disqualified under Section 164(2) for default in filing annual returns or financial statements can be re-appointed only after a period of 5 years from the date of such disqualification and after the default is remedied. Disqualification under Section 164(1) (conviction, undischarged insolvent, etc.) carries specific timelines depending on the ground.
Under Section 168, a director may resign by giving notice in writing to the company. The resignation takes effect from the date on which the notice is received by the company, or the date specified in the notice, whichever is later. The company must file DIR-12 with the ROC within 30 days. The director may also file DIR-11 independently to safeguard their position.
DIN (Director Identification Number) is a unique 8-digit number allotted by MCA under Section 153 of the Companies Act, 2013. It is mandatory for every person intending to be appointed as a director. Application is made in Form DIR-3. Once allotted, DIN is valid for a lifetime but annual DIR-3 KYC is required to keep it active.
Under Section 172 of the Companies Act, 2013, the company and every officer in default shall be punishable with a fine which shall not be less than Rs 50,000 but which may extend to Rs 5,00,000. Additionally, late filing attracts additional fees on the MCA portal calculated on a per-day basis.
If a company has not filed its annual returns for 3 consecutive financial years or has not repaid deposits/debentures/interest on the due date, all directors of such company on the date of default are disqualified under Section 164(2). This disqualification lasts for 5 years from the date on which the company fails to file or repay. The disqualified director cannot be appointed as a director in any company.
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Valuer: V. VISWANATHAN, FCA, ACS, CFE, IBBI/RV/03/2019/12333
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