Executive Summary:
This notification, dated December 17, 2020, introduces the Companies Compromises, Arrangements and Amalgamations Second Amendment Rules, 2020, further amending the 2016 Rules. It defines "corporate action" and outlines procedures for purchasing minority shareholding held in demat form. The rules come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Amendment Title and Commencement:**
* These rules are called the Companies Compromises, Arrangements and Amalgamations Second Amendment Rules, 2020.
* They come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
* **Definition of Corporate Action:**
* "Corporate action" includes actions related to share transfers and benefits accruing on such shares (bonus shares, split, consolidation, fraction shares, and right issue) to the acquirer.
* **Purchase of Minority Shareholding in Demat Form (Rule 26A):**
* The company must verify details of minority shareholders holding shares in dematerialized form within two weeks of receiving payment for the shares.
* The company must send notice to minority shareholders about a cutoff date (at least one month after the notice) for debiting shares, unless shares are credited to the acquirer before this date.
* A copy of the notice must be published in widely circulated newspapers (English and vernacular) and on the company website.
* The company must inform the depository about the cutoff date and provide declarations, including compliance with Section 236, notification to shareholders, payment terms, and responsibility for disputes.
* The Company Secretary (or another authorized person) informs the depository and submits required documents.
* The depository transfers shares of non-transferring minority shareholders to the company's designated DEMAT account on the cutoff date and informs the company.
* The company immediately disburses the price of transferred shares to minority shareholders after deducting applicable stamp duty (paid by the company).
* After successful payment, the company instructs the depository to transfer the shares from the company's DEMAT account to the acquirer's account.
* Continuous disbursement is required for payments not made within the specified time, followed by share transfer to the acquirer.
* The depository will not transfer shares if there is a court/tribunal order restraining transfer, or if the shares are pledged/hypothecated.
* If the cutoff date falls on a holiday, the next working day is considered the cutoff date.
Impact Analysis:
Minority Shareholders:
* Impact: Shareholders holding shares in demat form are subject to the process for purchasing their shares. They will receive notice about the cutoff date for share transfer and will receive payment for their shares.
* Action Required: Ensure demat account details are up-to-date, monitor for notices from the company, and be prepared to have shares debited from their account.
Companies:
* Impact: Companies undertaking compromises, arrangements, and amalgamations must comply with the new rules regarding the purchase of minority shareholding.
* Action Required: Establish procedures to verify minority shareholder details, send required notices, publish notices in newspapers and on the website, inform the depository, disburse payments, and facilitate the transfer of shares.
Depositories:
* Impact: Depositories are responsible for transferring shares from minority shareholder accounts to the company's designated DEMAT account and then to the acquirer's account, based on information from the company.
* Action Required: Implement procedures to process share transfers as per the new rules, and ensure compliance with legal restrictions on share transfers.
Central Government/Ministry of Corporate Affairs:
* Impact: Responsible for enacting and overseeing the implementation of the amended rules.
* Action Required: Monitor the effectiveness of the rules and make any necessary adjustments.
Key Entities Referenced
Companies Act, 2013: A law enacted in 2013 governing companies in India. Sections of this act are referenced in the notification.
Companies Compromises, Arrangements and Amalgamations Rules, 2016: A set of rules pertaining to compromises, arrangements, and amalgamations of companies, which are being amended by this notification.
Ministry of Corporate Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for regulating corporate affairs.
New Delhi: The location where the notification was issued.
Indian Stamp Act, 1899: An act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that consolidated and amended the law relating to stamp duties in British India.
Depositories Act, 1996: An act to provide for the establishment of depositories in securities with the objective of ensuring free transferability of securities with speed, accuracy and security by making use of improved technology.
G.S.R. 773(E): The notification number assigned to this particular notification.
K. V. R. Murty: The Joint Secretary who approved the notification.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-18122020-223774
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CG-DL-E-18122020-223774
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ऄसाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—ईप-खण्ड (i)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (i)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 641] नइ ददल्ली, िुक्रवार, ददसम्ब र 18, 2020/ऄग्रहायण 27, 1942
No. 641] NEW DELHI, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2020/AGRAHAYANA 27, 1942
कारपोरेट काय यमत्रं ालय
ऄजधसचू ना
नइ ददल्ली, 17 ददसम् बर, 2020
सा.का.जन. 773(ऄ).—केंद्रीय सरकार, कंपनी ऄजधजनयम, 2013 (2013 का 18) की धारा 230 से 233 और
धारा 234 स े 240 के साथ पठित धारा 469 की ईप-धारा (1) और ईप-धारा (2) द्वारा प्रदत्त िजियों का प्रयोग करत े हुए,
कंपनी (समझौते, िहराव और समामेलन) जनयम, 2016 का और संिोधन करने के जलए जनम्नजलजखत जनयम बनाती ह,ै
ऄथायत:् -
1. संजिप्त नाम और प्रारंभ.- (1) आन जनयमों का संजिप्त नाम कंपनी (समझौते, िहराव और समामेलन) जद्वतीय संिोधन
जनयम, 2020 ह।ै
(2) य ेजनयम रािपत्र म ेंईनके प्रकािन की तारीख को प्रवृत्त होंगे।
2. कंपनी (समझौते, िहराव और समामेलन) जनयम, 2016 (जिसे आसमें आसके पश्चात् ईि जनयम कहा गया ह)ै के
जनयम 2, ईप-जनयम (1) म,ें खडं (घ) के पश्चात,् जनम्नजलजखत खंड ऄतं :स्ट्थाजपत दकया िाएगा, ऄथायत:् -
“(ङ) “कारपोरेट कायय” से ऄजभप्रेत िेयरों के ऄतं रण और ऐस े िेयरों ऄथायत ् बोनस िेयर, जस्ट्ललट, समेकन, ऄिं िेयर
और ऄियनकताय के राआट जनगयम में होने वाल ेसभी लाभों से संबंजधत कंपनी द्वारा की गइ कोइ भी कारयवाइ ह।ै ”
6176 GI/2020 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(i)]
3. ईि जनयम म,ें जनयम 26 के पश्चात् जनम्नजलजखत जनयम को ऄतं ःस्ट्थाजपत दकया िाएगा, ऄथायत् :-
“26 क. डी-मैट प्ररूप म ें धाठरत ऄल्पसख्ं यक िये रधाठरता की खरीद:- (1) धारा 236 के तहत ऄियनकता य द्वारा
ऄर्जित दकए िान े वाल े िेयरों के मूल्य की समकि राजि प्राप्त करन े की तारीख से दो सप्ताह के भीतर, कंपनी गैर-
ताजववक रूप में िेयर धारण करने वाल ेऄल्पसंख्यक िेयरधारकों से संबंजधत ब्यौरे को सवयाजपत करेगी।
(2) ईप-जनयम (1) के ऄधीन सवयापन होने के पश्चात्, कंपनी ऄंजतम तारीख, िो नोठटस भेिने की तारीख के बाद
एक माह से पहले नहीं होगी, के बारे में रजिस्ट्रीकृत डाक ऄथवा स्ट्पीड पोस्ट्ट ऄथवा कुठरयर ऄथवा इ-मेल द्वारा
ऄल्पसंख्यक िेयरधारकों को नोठटस भेिेगी, जिस पर ऄल्पसंख्यक िेयरधारकों के िेयर ईनके खाते स े जनकालकर
कंपनी के जनधायठरत डी-मैट खाते में डाले िाएगं े बिते दक ऄजं तम तारीख से पहले ऐसे नोठटस में यथा-जवजनर्ददष्ट
िेयरों को ऄियनकताय के खाते म ेंन डाल ददया िाए।
(3) ईप-जनयम (2) के ऄधीन ऄल्पसंख्यक िेयरधारकों को ददए गए नोठटस की एक प्रजत ईस जिले म ें जिसमें कंपनी
का रजिस्ट्रीकृत कायायलय जस्ट्थत ह,ै दो यापापक रूप से पठरचाजलत समाचार पत्रों (एक ऄग्रं िे ी और दसू रा िेत्रीय
भाषा में) म ेंएक साथ प्रकाजित करन े के साथ-साथ कंपनी की वेबसाआट, यदद कोइ ह,ै पर भी डाली िाएगी।
(4) कंपनी ऄंजतम तारीख के संबंध में ईप-जनयम (3) के तहत नोठटस के प्रकािन के तवकाल बाद जनिेपधारी को
सूचना देने के साथ-साथ यह वियाप दते े हुए जनम्नजलजखत घोषणा कथन करेगी दक:-
(क) कारपोरेट कायय ऄजधजनयम की धारा 236 के ईपबंधों के ऄनुसरण म ेंप्रभावी की िा रही ह;ै
(ख) वे ऄल्पसंख्यक िेयरधारक जिनके िेयर गैर-ताजववक रूप में धाठरत ह,ैं ईन्ह ें कारपोरेट काय य के बारे में सूजचत
दकया गया ह ै (ऐसे िेयरधारकों को ददए गए नोठटस और समाचार पत्रों में प्रकाजित ईसकी प्रजतजलजप आसके
साथ संलग्न ह)ै ;
(ग) ऄल्पसंख्यक िेयरधारकों को कंपनी द्वारा कारपोरेट कायय पूरा होने के तवकाल बाद भुगतान दकया िाएगा;
(घ) ऐसे कारपोरेट कायय स ेईवपन्न कोइ जववाद ऄथवा जिकायत कंपनी का एकमात्र दाजयवव होगा।
(5) कारपोरेट कायय के माध्यम से िेयरों के ऄंतरण को प्रभाजवत करने के प्रयोिन के जलए बोडय ईप-जनयम (4) के
तहत जनिेपधारी को सूचना दने े के जलए कंपनी सजचव ऄथवा ईसकी ऄनुपजस्ट्थजत म ें दकसी ऄन्य यापजि को प्राजधकृत
करने के साथ-साथ ईि ईप-जनयम के ऄतं गतय ऄपेजित दस्ट्तावेिों को प्रस्ट्ततु करेगा।
(6) ईप-जनयम (4) के तहत सचू ना प्राप्त होने पर जनिपे धारी ईन ऄल्पसंख्यक िेयरधारकों के िेयर ऄंजतम तारीख
पर कंपनी के जनधायठरत डी-मैट खाते में ऄंतठरत करेगी, जिन्होंने ऄियनकताय के पि में ऄपने िेयरों को स्ट्वय ं
हस्ट्तांतठरत नहीं दकया ह,ै और कंपनी को ईसकी सूचना दगे ी।
(7) ईप-जनयम (6) के ऄधीन जनिेपधारी से िेयरों के सफल ऄंतरण की सूचना प्राप्त होन े के बाद कंपनी लाग ू स्ट्टाम्प
िुल्क, जिसका भगु तान कंपनी द्वारा भारतीय स्ट्टांप ऄजधजनयम, 1899 (1899 का 2) के ईपबंधों के ऄनुसार
ऄल्पसंख्यक िेयरधारकों की ओर से दकया िाएगा, का कमी करन े के बाद प्रवयेक ऄल्पसंख्यक िेयरधारकों को आस
प्रकार ऄतं ठरत िेयरों के मल्ू य का तवकाल संजवतरण करेगी।
(8) ईप-जनयम (7) के तहत ऄल्पसंख्यक िेयरधारकों को सफल भगु तान दकए िान े के बाद कंपनी, कंपनी के
जनधायठरत डी-मैट खात े म ें रखे गए ऐसे िेयरधारकों के िेयरों को ऄियनकताय के डी-मैट खात े में ऄतं ठरत करन े के बारे
में जनिेपधारी को सूचना दगे ी।
स्ट्पष्टीकरण.- कंपनी ऐसे हकदार िेयरधारकों को संदाय संजवतठरत करती रहगे ी िहां संजवतरण जवजनर्ददष्ट समय के
भीतर नहीं हो पाया तथा ऐसे संजवतरण के बाद ऄियनकताय के डी-मैट खाते में िेयर ऄंतरण करती रहगे ी।
(9) यदद िहां ऐसे िेयरों के ऄतं रण को रोकने और लाभांि के भुगतान के बारे म ें न्यायालय ऄथवा न्यायाजधकरण
ऄथवा कानूनी प्राजधकरण का कोइ जविेष अदेि ददया गया ह ै ऄथवा िहां जनिेपागार ऄजधजनयम, 1996 (1966
का 22) के ईपबंधों के तहत ऐसे िेयरों को रहन रखा गया ह ैऄथवा अद्रनाजमत दकया गया ह,ै वहां जनिेपधारी ईप-
जनयम (6) के तहत कंपनी के जनधायठरत डी-मैट खाते में ऄल्पसंख्यक िेयरधारकों के िेयरों को ऄंतठरत नहीं करेगी।[भाग II—खण् ड 3(i)] भारत का रािपत्र : ऄसाधारण 3
स्ट्पष्टीकरण.- आस जनयम के प्रयोिनों के जलए यदद ‘ऄंजतम तारीख’ ऄवकाि के ददन पड़ती ह ै तो ऄगले कायय ददवस
को ‘ऄंजतम तारीख’ समझी िाएगी।
[फा. सं. 2/31/सीएए/2013-सीएल-V]
के. वी. अर. मूर्जत, संयुि सजचव
ठटलपण : मूल जनयम भारत के रािपत्र, ऄसाधारण, भाग-II, खंड-3, ईप-खंड (i) में सा.का.जन. सं.1134(ऄ), तारीख
14 ददसंबर, 2016 द्वारा प्रकाजित दकए गए और तवपश्चात् ऄजधसूचना संख्या सा.का.जन. 368(ऄ), तारीख
13 ऄप्रैल, 2017 और ऄजधसूचना संख्या सा.का.जन. 79(ऄ), तारीख 3 फरवरी, 2020 द्वारा संिोजधत दकए गए थे।
MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 17th December, 2020
G.S.R. 773(E).—In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-sections (1) and (2) of section 469
read with sections 230 to 233 and sections 235 to 240 of the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013), the
Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Companies (Compromises,
Arrangements and Amalgamations) Rules, 2016 namely :-
1. Short title and commencement.‐ (1) These rules may be called the Companies (Compromises,
Arrangements and Amalgamations) Second Amendment Rules, 2020.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the Companies (Compromises, Arrangements and Amalgamations) Rules, 2016 (hereinafter
referred to as the said rules), in rule 2, in sub-rule (1), after clause (d), the following clause shall be
inserted, namely:-
―(e) ―corporate action‖ means any action taken by the company relating to transfer of shares and all
the benefits accruing on such shares namely, bonus shares, split, consolidation, fraction shares and
right issue to the acquirer‖.
3. In the said rules, after rule 26, the following rule shall be inserted namely:-
―26 A. Purchase of minority shareholding held in demat form. --- (1) The company shall within
two weeks from the date of receipt of the amount equal to the price of shares to be acquired by the
acquirer, under section 236 of the Act, verify the details of the minority shareholders holding shares
in dematerialised form.
(2) After verification under sub-rule (1), the company shall send notice to such minority shareholders
by registered post or by speed post or by courier or by email about a cut-off date, which shall not be
earlier than one month after the date of sending of the notice, on which the shares of minority
shareholders shall be debited from their account and credited to the designated DEMAT account of
the company, unless the shares are credited in the account of the acquirer, as specified in such notice,
before the cut-off date.
(3) A copy of the notice served to the minority shareholders under sub-rule (2), shall also be
published simultaneously in two widely circulated newspapers (one in English and one in vernacular
language) in the district in which the registered office of the company is situated and also be uploaded
on the website of the company, if any.
(4)The company shall inform the depository immediately after publication of the notice under sub-
rule (3) regarding the cut-off date and submit the following declarations stating that:-
(a) the corporate action is being effected in pursuance of the provisions of section 236 of the Act;4 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(i)]
(b) the minority shareholders whose shares are held in dematerialised form have been informed
about the corporate action [a copy of the notice served to such shareholders and published in the
newspapers to be attached];
(c) the minority shareholders shall be paid by the company immediately after completion of
corporate action;
(d) any dispute or complaints arising out of such corporate action shall be the sole responsibility of
the company.
(5) For the purposes of effecting transfer of shares through corporate action, the Board shall authorise
the Company Secretary, or in his absence any other person, to inform the depository under sub-rule
(4), and to submit the documents as may be required under the said sub-rule.
(6) Upon receipt of information under sub-rule (4), the depository shall make the transfer of shares of
the minority shareholders, who have not, on their own, transferred their shares in favour of the
acquirer, into the designated DEMAT account of the company on the cut-off date and intimate the
company.
(7) After receiving the intimation of successful transfer of shares from the depository under sub-rule
(6), the company shall immediately disburse the price of the shares so transferred, to each of the
minority shareholders after deducting the applicable stamp duty, which shall be paid by the company,
on behalf of the minority shareholders, in accordance with the provisions of the Indian Stamp Act,
1899 (2 of 1899).
(8) Upon successful payment to the minority shareholders under sub-rule (7), the company shall
inform the depository to transfer the shares of such shareholders, kept in the designated DEMAT
account of the company, to the DEMAT account of the acquirer.
Explanation. - The company shall continue to disburse payment to the entitled shareholders, where
disbursement could not be made within the specified time, and transfer the shares to the DEMAT
account of acquirer after such disbursement.
(9) In case, where there is a specific order of Court or Tribunal, or statutory authority restraining any
transfer of such shares and payment of dividend, or where such shares are pledged or hypothecated
under the provisions of the Depositories Act, 1996 (22 of 1996), the depository shall not transfer the
shares of the minority shareholders to the designated DEMAT account of the company under
sub-rule (6).
Explanation. - For the purposes of this rule, if ―cut-off date‖ falls on a holiday, the next working day
shall be deemed to be the ―cut-off date‖.‖
[F. No. 2/31/CAA/2013 – CL.V]
K. V. R. MURTY, Jt. Secy.
Note : The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3,
Sub-section (i) vide number G.S.R. 1134(E), dated the 14th December, 2016, and subsequently
amended vide notification number G.S.R. 368(E), dated the 13th April 2017 and vide notification
number G.S.R. 79(E), dated the 3rd February,2020.
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.