NCLT e-Certified Copy 2026: Download, Facing Sheet and One-Use Authentication Control
By Ravi Sisodia · Reviewed by CA Divyanshu Sengar · Updated 5 October 2026
This control focuses on the evidence after issuance: preserve the native e-Certified Copy, its Facing Sheet, application number and authentication status because the SOP makes the certified copy a one-use filing instrument.
2-minute summary
- The Facing Sheet is an integral part of the e-Certified Copy and carries application/verification information.
- Authentication can be performed using application number plus facing-sheet number, or through the QR workflow.
- After successful authentication, the portal records the event and the same document cannot be authenticated again.
- A fresh e-Certified Copy is required for a subsequent filing/use before another forum.
The principal risk after download is uncontrolled copying. A legal department may save one PDF in a shared drive, then different teams attempt to use it in multiple filings. The September 2026 SOP requires a different operating model: copy inventory, intended-use assignment and authentication status.
Preserve the native files
Save the digitally signed e-Certified Copy and Facing Sheet exactly as downloaded. Record the application number, order/document description, download date and requesting user. Do not flatten, edit or merge the signed PDF into a transaction binder used for filing.
Assign a use before release
Maintain a copy register showing intended forum/authority, filing owner and status: unused, submitted for authentication, authenticated/consumed, or cancelled. For multiple documents, ensure the Facing Sheet matches the specific document being presented.
Verify before relying
Before closing or filing, use the NCLT authentication facility to confirm that the particulars on the Facing Sheet match the portal. If the portal shows the copy was already authenticated, obtain a fresh copy rather than attempting workaround evidence.
Worked example
Company secretarial and litigation teams both request the same order. If litigation authenticates the e-copy first, the secretarial team should not assume its local duplicate remains a fresh certified copy for another filing. The copy register should trigger a new application.
Action checklist
- Store copy and Facing Sheet together.
- Record application and facing-sheet numbers.
- Do not edit native signed PDFs.
- Assign intended filing/recipient.
- Check authentication status before use.
- Obtain fresh copy for subsequent filing.
Common mistakes
- Treating a scanned printout as equivalent to the native e-copy.
- Separating the Facing Sheet from the order.
- Sharing one certified copy across multiple filing teams without a use register.
- Ignoring the portal message that a copy has already been authenticated.
FAQs
Primary / official sources
Use-date control: Portal fields, fees, banking terms and legal commencement can change. Apply the official instrument and portal position in force on the transaction or filing date.
Educational information for Indian finance, tax and compliance users. It is not legal, tax, accounting, lending or investment advice; obtain professional advice for material transactions and litigation.
Disclaimer
Educational and professional reference only; confirm the current law, rates and the facts of your case before relying on this page.