INDIA, Dec. 3 -- Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra clarified that the Companies Act, 2013, does not apply to Sikkim, reaffirming the state's unique legal status in corporate matters.

Malhotra's statement came in response to an unstarred question raised by Sikkim Rajya Sabha MP D. T. Lepcha, who had highlighted challenges faced by stakeholders in the state regarding company registration, statutory return filings, and compliance under the MCA21 portal. MP Lepcha cited connectivity issues and the absence of dedicated facilitation centres in Sikkim as obstacles for start-ups, MSMEs, and corporate entities.

The MP also inquired whether the Centre had any plans to establish an MCA facilitation centre in Sikkim to support ...