Category Archives: Companies Act 2013

Amendment in Incorporation Rules – Registered Office related


Ministry of Corporate Affairs came out with 3rd amendment of the year to the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2013. The Companies (Incorporation) 3rd Amendment Rules, 2016 published in Official Gazette on 27th July 2016 and came into force from that date, is available online now. In this second blog post of 3 post series, we will discuss these amendments in rules 28, 29, 30 and 36.

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Amendment in Incorporation Rules – incorporation related


Ministry of Corporate Affairs came out with 3rd amendment of the year to the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2013. The Companies (Incorporation) 3rd Amendment Rules, 2016 published in Official Gazette on 27th July 2016 and came into force from that date, is available online now. In this first blog post of 3 post series, we will discuss these amendments in rules 3, 8, 13, 16 and 26.

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Amendment in Companies Accounts rules, 2016


Ministry of Corporate Affairs came with amendment to the Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014, last month. These rules has been published in official gazette on 27th July 2016 and came into force on that date. In this post, we will discuss these amendments in this blog post.

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Recent Amendments in Deposit Rules


Ministry of Corporate Affairs came with amendment to the Companies (Acceptance of Deposits) Rules, 2014, last month. These rules has been published in official gazette on 29th June 2016 and came into force on that date. In this post, we will discuss these amendments. Continue reading

Recent Amendments in Managerial Remuneration Rules


Ministry of Corporate Affairs came with amendment to the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014, last month. These rules has been published in official gazette on 30th June 2016 and came into force on that date. In this post, we will discuss these amendments.

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Amendment in Share capital and Debentures Rules


Ministry of Corporate Affairs came with yet another amendment to the Companies (Share Capital and Debentures) Rules, 2014, a third amendment this year to the rules. These rules has been published in official gazette on 19th July 2016 and came into force on that date. In this post, we will discuss these amendments.

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Removal of Auditor Appointment Difficulty


Government of India has removed a dozen difficulties from the Companies Act, 2013. Yes, the Companies (Removal of Difficulties) Third Order, 2016 is twelfth order in Removal of difficulties series of Orders in these three years.

In this post we will discuss this Removal of Difficulties Order.

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Special Courts


Central Government by a notification published in Official Gazette on 18th May 2016 appointed the 18th day of May, 2016 as the date on which the provisions of clause (iv) of sub-section (29) of section 2, sections 435 to 438 (both sections inclusive) and section 440 of the Companies Act, 2016 shall come into force. These provisions deal with Special Courts under Chapter XXVIII of the Companies Act, 2013. Even though, we have already discussed these provisions originally earlier here and with amendment here, it may be beneficial to have these notified sections in this post again.

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Notification of Sections Relevant for NCLT


Yesterday late evening, I posted here about press release issued by Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Soon thereafter, two files uploaded on Official Gazette website with two notifications in each. In earlier post here today, we discussed establishment and jurisdiction of various NCLT benches.

In this post, we will have a bird’s eye view on Sections notified on 1st June 2016 related to NCLT.

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NCLT NCLAT and Jurisdiction


Yesterday late evening, I posted here about press release issued by Ministry of Corporate Affairs and tweets posted by Ministry of Finance. Soon thereafter, two files uploaded on Official Gazette website with two notifications in each. In this post, we will discuss three notifications dealing with jurisdiction. Another post related to provisions notified will follows. Keep watch on this space. Continue reading

NCLT Established: MCA


Wait before celebration. Caution is buzz word at all transition. Celebration may be deferred till first anniversary.

Now, yes; a press release dated 1st June 2016 time 17.14 IST announce establishment of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) with dissolution of Company Law Board (CLB). Observer, rightly say, this is name change only with minor changes to facilitate – like appointment of Chairperson NCLAT.

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has, according to said press release, issued notification for constitution of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) with effect from today i.e. 1st June, 2016. Honourable Justice S. J. Mukhopadhaya, Judge (Retd.), Supreme Court of India has joined as the Chairperson of the NCLAT and Honourable Justice M. M. Kumar, Judge (Retd.) has joined as the President of the NCLT.

With the constitution of the NCLT, the Company Law Board constituted under the Companies Act, 1956 stands dissolved.

Initially, NCLT will have eleven Benches, two at New Delhi and one each at Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bengluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai.

Same time, in absence of Ministry of Corporate affairs on twitter and other social media, official twitter handle of Ministry of Finance socially announced the same:

 

Till the time of posting this blog post; neither relevant notification was uploaded to official gazette website nor copy of unpublished draft notification uploaded on website of Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Please note: This blog invite readers to share their comments, suggestions, hardship, queries and everything in comment section. This blog post is not a professional advice but just a knowledge sharing initiative for mutual discussion.

WARRANT THE FINANCIAL SWEETENER


In an earlier post here, we discussed warrant in corporate law and Securities law. In another post here we discussed, we discussed issues related to Share warrant and bottle neck making it impossible to issue share warrant as we know in corporate law. In this post we will discuss warrant as in securities law.

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AMENDMENT: Administration of CSR


In a post earlier here, we discussed provisions of Section 135 read with rule 4 of the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 regarding Administration of Corporate Social Responsibility Policy. Sub – rule (2) of rule 4 allow board of directors of a company to choose among various options, a better option to administer the CSR Policy. This rule 4(2) was slightly amended by the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Amendment Rules, 2015. We discussed those amendment rules earlier here.

Now, a gazetted notification published on 23rd May 2016 in Official Gazette of India, which came into force from same date; amend sub – rule (2) of rule 4.

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SHARE WARRANT – BEARER INSTRUMENT


In last post, we discussed meaning of warrant in with particular reference to share warrant. There are two questions pertinent to issue of share warrant:

  1. May Share Warrants be issued under the Companies Act, 2013 as fresh securities without pre – existence of underlying shares? or
  2. May share warrants be issued under the Companies Act, 2013 as conversion of underlying shares already existence?

In this post, we will discuss these questions.

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WARRANT vs WARRANT


In simple dictionary meaning warrant is to make particular activity necessary. In criminal law, warrant is term clearly defined term meaning a legal document permitting an action by authority and making its compliance necessary to the person named therein. In corporate and financial word, warrant is an instrument with different meaning at different financial and legal jurisdiction. In this post, we will discuss these meaning of warrant with reference to Share Warrant.

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POWER TO APPOINT INSPECTORS


“We will end the Inspector – Raj”

This is most promising promise by Indian politicians since last 25 years or more. But Inspectors are essential part of our law enforcement system. All prominent laws have provision of inspectors including the Companies Act, 2013. Recently, Ministry of Corporate Affairs circulated a draft of a notification pending publication in Official Gazette. We will discuss this notification and law behind this notification.

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Directorship within limit


Ministry of Corporate Affairs issued an advertisement (a Public Notice) in newspapers asking all directors to bring down number of their directorship to the permissible limit as prescribed under Section 165 of the Companies Act, 2013.

“All such individual who are holding directorship in more than, the limit of number of companies prescribed per the aforesaid mentioned provisions of the Act, are hereby notified to bring down the number of their directorship to / below the permissible limits as also prefer compounding application before the competent authority in terms of Section 621A of the Companies Act, 1956 within 30 days hereof and get the offence compounded. In case of non – compliance with the above directions, the jurisdictional ROC will initiate prosecution without further individual notices to them.”

In this blog post, we will discuss this Public Notice and applicable provisions.

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RELAXATION OF ADDITIONAL FEES AND EXTENSION OF LAST DATE OF FILING


Compliance of Indian corporate law is a big issue for its stakeholders. Successive government here talk about ease of doing business and do mammoth task to achieve it with confusion related to directions.

The Companies Act, 2013 followed by end numbers of Companies Rules and their amendment rules was not enough; Ministry of Corporate Affairs launched V2R2 through its high profile contractor Infosys. Now, we have another circular to get some “ease of doing relaxation”. We will discuss short term circular here.

General Circular 03/2016 dated 12th April 2016 aims to Relaxation of additional fees and extension of last date of filing of various e-Forms under the Companies Act, 2013. The circular read as under:

“This ministry has launched V2R2 on 28th March, 2016, downtime was given to Infosys from 25th March 2016 to 27th March, 2016, since the launch of the system, a number of stakeholders have faced issues and representations have been received from stakeholders to resolve the issue including, for allowing waiver of additional till the new system stabilizes.

In view of the above, it has been decided to relax the additional fee payable on e- forms which are due for filing by companies between 25th March 2016 to 30th April 2016 as one time waiver of additional fee and it is also clarified to stakeholders if such due e – forms are filed after 10.05.2016, no such relaxation shall be allowed.

This issues with the approval of the competent authority.”

This circular has many communications to its stakeholders. Most read is, “Forms due for filing during period between 25th March, 2016 to 30th April, 2016 may be filed without additional fee till 10th May 2016”.

The circular contain other interpretation and information:

  • Ministry launched V2R2 system and replacing earlier filing system. A simple Google search suggests it as a system developed by IBM.
  • Downtime allowed to Infosys was from 25th March 2016 to 27th March, 2016.
  • Among other representations, for allowing waiver of additional till the new system stabilizes, was one and prominent.
  • Ministry seems to take no blame on itself.
  • System may take more time which may not be before 30th April 2016.
  • System may have practical trial for first 10 days in month of May.
  • Heavy filing may be there in May second half and thereafter  plan accordingly.
  • Start up India can wait as presently MCA is on trial for it.

It is advisable, not to file any document related to companies without assuming own risk.

This circular does not talk about Limited Liability Companies, to keep trying and assume own risk. 

I have just a request with government (please read bureaucracy, Not PM Modi), please understand compliance calendar of stakeholders. December to February may be best time to experiment.

Please note: This blog invite readers to share their comments, suggestions, hardship, queries and everything in comment section. This blog post is not a professional advice but just a knowledge sharing initiative for mutual discussion.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT: ASSOCIATE COMPANY


Government recently introduced the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to the Companies Act, 2013 proposes thirteen amendments in Section 2 related to definitions. Definition clauses always need contextual reading. Now, we will discuss these amendments in definitions.

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CARO 2016


The Companies (Auditor’s Report) Order, 2016 is notified on 29th March 2016 in supersession of the Companies (Auditor’s Report) Order, 2015 published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (ii), vide number S.O. 990 (E), dated the 10th April, 2015, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession.
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