top of page

By:

Sayli Gadakh

11 November 2025 at 8:23:14 pm

The Small Business Compliance Challenge

Technology can handle repetitive work, while professionals can provide judgement and guidance. Bharath owns a small trading business. Over the last few years, his business has grown, and he now has regular customers, employees and several suppliers. He spends most of his day taking orders, speaking to customers, managing payments and solving daily business problems that come up as part of running the business. One month, while preparing for his GST return, Bharath realised that some purchase...

The Small Business Compliance Challenge

Technology can handle repetitive work, while professionals can provide judgement and guidance. Bharath owns a small trading business. Over the last few years, his business has grown, and he now has regular customers, employees and several suppliers. He spends most of his day taking orders, speaking to customers, managing payments and solving daily business problems that come up as part of running the business. One month, while preparing for his GST return, Bharath realised that some purchase invoices were missing, a few bank transactions had not been recorded and some expenses were still written in a notebook. His accountant needed the information urgently to complete the necessary work on time. Bharath was not trying to avoid compliance. He simply did not have enough time to manage everything alongside his other business responsibilities. This is the reality for many small business owners. For a small business, compliance can sometimes feel like another full-time job. GST returns, TDS, income-tax requirements, invoices, accounting records, payroll and other regulatory requirements need to be completed within specific timelines. Large companies usually have dedicated finance and compliance teams, but small businesses often depend on the owner, one accountant or an external professional to manage these responsibilities. The Compliance Challenge The first reason is lack of time. A business owner is usually busy with sales, customers, employees, suppliers and cash flow. Compliance often becomes a priority only when the deadline is close and the required information has to be gathered quickly. The second reason is changing rules. Tax and regulatory requirements can change from time to time. A small business owner may find it difficult to keep track of every change while managing the business and its day-to-day operations. Another common problem is poor record keeping. Invoices may be received on WhatsApp, bills may be kept in files, expenses may be recorded in Excel and bank transactions may be checked separately. When information is spread across different places, mistakes become easier, and finding missing information can take additional time. Cost is also a concern. Not every small business can afford a full-time finance team. Therefore, the business may depend on a small accounting team or an external Chartered Accountant for its accounting and compliance needs. Role of Technology ]Technology can make compliance much simpler and more organised. Cloud-based accounting software can help businesses record transactions regularly. Digital invoicing can reduce manual work and make it easier to maintain sales records. Bank integration can help match transactions with accounting records and identify missing entries. Simple digital reminders can also alert business owners about important GST, TDS and tax deadlines. Documents such as invoices, receipts and bills can be stored digitally instead of searching through physical files when information is needed. Artificial intelligence can provide additional support. AI-based tools can help organise transactions, identify unusual entries and highlight missing information. However, AI should be treated as a support system and not as a replacement for professional advice or professional judgement. This is where a Chartered Accountant continues to play an important role. A CA can review the information, identify possible risks, explain the applicable rules and ensure that technology is being used correctly as part of the overall compliance process. Making Compliance a Strength Compliance should not be viewed only as a burden or a legal formality. Proper records can help a business understand its actual sales, expenses, profits and cash flow and give the owner a clearer picture of the business. For Bharath, the solution is not simply to work harder. It is to create a better system for managing these responsibilities regularly. Technology can handle repetitive work, while professionals can provide judgement and guidance. For small businesses, the message is simple: start maintaining records regularly, use technology wherever possible and take professional advice when required to keep the process organised and manageable. Good compliance does not only prevent penalties. It can also give business owners better financial control and more confidence to grow their businesses over time. In today's digital economy, compliance should not be something a business owner fears every month. It should become a simple, organised part of running the business. (The writer is a Chartered Accountant based in Thane. Views personal.)

India working on logistics of Tahawwur Rana's extradition

PTI
Feb 14, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Feb 18, 2025

Tahawwur Rana

Washington: India is working on the logistics of Tahawwur Rana's surrender and extradition from the US, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has said, as President Donald Trump announced that his administration has given the go-ahead to extradite the 26/11 terror attack accused “to face justice".

“This is an issue on which the US authorities have taken very clear decisions. I think you've seen the President announce it himself from the White House podium" the decision of the US to extradite Rana, Misri said at a press conference here on Thursday.


During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House, US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil" Tahawwur Rana, wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, "to face justice in India”.


In response to a question by PTI on the timeframe by when Rana will be extradited to India, Misri said: "We are working on the logistics of his surrender and extradition to India. There are a few final steps to be completed. The two sides are in touch on this particular issue.”


The India-US joint statement issued during the Prime Minister's visit to the US notes that Modi and Trump reaffirmed that the global scourge of terrorism must be fought and terrorist safe havens eliminated from every corner of the world.

“They committed to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e Mohammad, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba in order to prevent heinous acts like the attacks in Mumbai on 26/11 and the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021," the joint statement said.


“Recognising a shared desire to bring to justice those who would harm our citizens, the US announced that the extradition to India of Tahawwur Rana has been approved," it said.


The leaders further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, and Pathankot attacks and ensure that its territory is not used to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks.

"The leaders also pledged to work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and non-state actors,” the joint statement added.

Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles. He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks.

Speaking at the joint press meet, Trump said "Today I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and very evil people of the world, and having to do with the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, to face justice in India. So, he is going back to India to face justice."


The extradition of Rana was cleared by the US Supreme Court in January as it rejected his review petition in the case.


India last month said it was working with American authorities for the early extradition of Rana.


"The US Supreme Court on January 21 declined to hear a petition from the accused. We are now working with the US side on procedural issues for early extradition to India of the accused in the Mumbai terror attack," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.


In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune.

-PTI

Comments

bottom of page