Big Relief for Public Trusts: No Physical Submission of Online Filing Acknowledgement in Maharashtra
Trustees and trust administrators in Maharashtra have a reason to cheer. The Office of the Charity Commissioner, Maharashtra State, Mumbai, vide Circular No. 626 dated 05th October 2026, has clarified that once a public trust files its accounts online, it need not physically submit the acknowledgement to the concerned Charity Commissioner office.
Earlier practice
File online, then visit the district office to hand over a physical copy of the acknowledgement.
From now on
File online. Your online acknowledgement is sufficient – no office visit needed.
What the circular says
Under Section 34 of the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950, public trusts must file their audited accounts (balance sheets) online. This was made mandatory by an earlier Circular (No. 504/2017 dated 22 June 2017), and trusts were issued User IDs for the purpose.
In practice, many trusts continued to deliver a physical copy of the online filing acknowledgement to the district-level office. The Charity Commissioner has now clarified that:
- No earlier circular or instruction required the acknowledgement to be submitted in person.
- The practice caused real inconvenience to trustees, and complaints had been received.
- The practice is discontinued with immediate effect.
- Officers and staff of the Charity Commissioner’s office must not insist on or demand a physical copy of the acknowledgement.
Why this matters for trustees
Saves time and effort
No more trips to the Charity Commissioner’s office just to hand over a receipt.
Cleaner compliance
The online filing is the filing. The acknowledgement is your proof.
Fewer disputes
If anyone asks for a physical copy, you can point to this circular.
Practical tips for trustees
- File online within the prescribed time and keep the acknowledgement safely in digital form.
- Keep a printed copy in the trust’s own records for audit and reference.
- Keep the circular handy (number, date and reference) in case a request for physical submission still comes up.
Don’t treat this as a relaxation of the filing itself. Audited accounts, audit reports and related compliances must still be completed on time.
Read the official circular
How we help trusts and NGOs in Mumbai
At Anam Shaikh & Associates, a Chartered Accountant firm in Mumbai, we support charitable trusts, NGOs, societies and Section 8 companies with end-to-end compliance, including:
- Public trust audit and preparation of accounts under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act
- Online filing of balance sheets and returns with the Charity Commissioner
- Income tax compliance for trusts, including exemption registrations, audit reports and return filing
- Trust registration, change reports and amendments
- Statutory audit, internal audit and accounting for charitable institutions
- GST, TDS and ROC compliance, and FCRA and FEMA advisory where applicable
- Tax planning and advisory for trusts, individuals, companies, LLPs and NRIs
Whether you run a small charitable trust or a large institution, our tax, audit and advisory teams in Mumbai can keep your compliance in order.
Need help with your trust’s compliance?
Contact Anam Shaikh & Associates, Chartered Accountants, Mumbai for trust audit, Charity Commissioner filings and tax advisory.