Category Archives: Governance and Responsibility

In my earlier post here I have raised some issues related to issuance of secretarial standards. As these are curable technical issues. I continue my study of these Secretarial Standards.

In this post, I will discuss Secretarial Standards related to Preservation, Records, Report and Disclosures under SS – 1 and SS – 2.

Minutes of all Meetings shall be preserved permanently in physical or in electronic form with Timestamp. [Paragraph 8.1 of SS – 1 and Paragraph 18.1 of SS – 2]

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In my earlier post here I have raised some issues related to issuance of secretarial standards. As these are curable technical issues. I continue my study of these Secretarial Standards.

In this post, I will discuss Secretarial Standards related to Contents of Minutes under SS – 1 and SS – 2.

General Contents:

Minutes shall state, at the beginning the serial number and type of the Meeting, name of the company, day, date, venue and time of commencement and conclusion of the Meeting. [Paragraph 7.2.1.1 of SS – 1]

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In my earlier post here I have raised some issues related to issuance of secretarial standards. As these are curable technical issues. I continue my study of these Secretarial Standards.

In this post, I will discuss Secretarial Standards related to Maintenance of Minutes under SS – 1 and SS – 2.

Every company shall keep Minutes of all General Meetings, Board and Committee Meetings in a Minutes Book. Minutes kept in accordance with the provisions of the Act evidence the proceedings recorded therein. Minutes help in understanding the deliberations and decisions taken at the Meeting. [Paragraph 7 of SS – 1 and Paragraph 17 of SS – 2]

Maintenance of Minutes:

Minutes shall be recorded in books maintained for that purpose. [Paragraph 7.1.1 of SS – 1 and Paragraph 17.1.1 of SS – 2]

A distinct Minutes Book shall be maintained for Meetings of the Board and each of its Committees. A distinct Minutes Book shall be maintained meeting of the Members of the company, creditors and others as may be required under the Act. [Paragraph 7.1.2 of SS – 1 and Paragraph 17.1.2 of SS – 2]

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In my earlier post here I have raised some issues related to issuance of secretarial standards. As these are curable technical issues. I continue my study of these Secretarial Standards.

In this post, I will discuss Secretarial Standards related to Postal Ballot under SS – 2.

Every company, except a company having less than or equal to two hundred Members, shall transact items of business as prescribed, only by means of postal ballot instead of transacting such business at a General Meeting. [Paragraph 16.1]

A company with 200 or more member shall transact prescribed items of business only by means of postal ballot.

The list of items of businesses requiring to be transacted only by means of a postal ballot is given at Annexure to SS -2. [Background Paragraph 1 after Paragraph 16.1]

The Board may however opt to transact any other item of special business, not being any business in respect of which Directors or auditors have a right to be heard at the Meeting, by means of postal ballot. [Background Paragraph 1 after Paragraph 16.1]

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In my earlier post here I have raised some issues related to issuance of secretarial standards. As these are curable technical issues. I continue my study of these Secretarial Standards.

In this post, I will discuss Secretarial Standards related to Adjournment of meetings under SS – 2.

Adjournment of Meetings:

A duly convened Meeting shall not be adjourned unless circumstances so warrant. The Chairman may adjourn a Meeting with the consent of the Members, at which a Quorum is present, and shall adjourn a Meeting if so directed by the Members. [Paragraph 15.1]

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In my earlier post here I have raised some issues related to issuance of secretarial standards. As these are curable technical issues. I continue my study of these Secretarial Standards.

In this post, I will discuss Secretarial Standards related to Resolution and other matters under SS – 2.

Prohibition on Withdrawal of Resolutions:

Resolutions for items of business which are likely to affect the market price of the securities of the company shall not be withdrawn. However, any resolution proposed for consideration through e-voting shall not be withdrawn. [Paragraph 10]

Two type of resolutions cannot be withdraw:

• Resolutions for item of business likely to affect the market price of securities of the company, and
• Resolutions proposed for consideration through e – voting (read remote e-voting).

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In my earlier post here I have raised some issues related to issuance of secretarial standards. As these are curable technical issues. I continue my study of these Secretarial Standards.

In this post, I will discuss Secretarial Standards related to Conduct of Poll under SS – 2.

When a poll is demanded on any Resolution, the Chairman shall get the validity of the demand verified and, if the demand is valid, shall order the poll forthwith if it is demanded on the question of appointment of the Chairman or adjournment of the Meeting and, in any other case, within forty-eight hours of the demand for poll. [Paragraph 9.1]

In the case of a poll, which is not taken forthwith, the Chairman shall announce the date, venue and time of taking the poll to enable Members to have adequate and convenient opportunity to exercise their vote. The Chairman may permit any Member who so desires to be present at the time of counting of votes. [Paragraph 9.2]

If the date, venue and time of taking the poll cannot be announced at the Meeting, the Chairman shall inform the Members, the modes and the time of such communication, which shall in any case be within twenty four hours of closure of the Meeting. [Background Paragraph 1 after Paragraph 9.2]

This is clear, when a poll is demanded in a meeting; it may take place within twenty – four hours of closure of the Meeting. This may be by paper ballot or electronic method but apparently it will not be by “postal ballot” or “electronic remote voting”.

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In my earlier post here I have raised some issues related to issuance of secretarial standards. As these are curable technical issues. I continue my study of these Secretarial Standards.

In this post, I will discuss Secretarial Standards related to conduct of e – Voting under SS – 2.

Every company that is required or opts to provide e-voting facility to its Members shall comply with the provisions in this regard. [Paragraph 8.1]

Every company providing e-voting facility shall offer such facility to all Members, irrespective of whether they hold shares in physical form or in dematerialised form. [Paragraph 8.2]

The facility for Remote e-voting shall remain open for not less than three days. [Paragraph 8.3]

The voting period shall close at 5 p.m. on the day preceding the date of the General Meeting. [Background Paragraph 1 after Paragraph 8.3]

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In my earlier post here I have raised some issues related to issuance of secretarial standards. As these are curable technical issues. I continue my study of these Secretarial Standards.

In this post, I will discuss Secretarial Standards related to Voting in General Meeting under SS – 2.

Proposing a Resolution:

Every Resolution shall be proposed by a Member and seconded by another Member. [Paragraph 7.1 of SS – 1]

This is an amazing ritual. Some members come to a general meeting for proposing or seconding a resolution. Management of other companies, depute so shareholder employees to do this job. What is signifying? While sending a notice, a resolution is already proposed.

In those golden days of physical meeting, matter usually came for discussion and a member volunteer to draft essence of meeting as a resolution and there after another member second it after checking it.

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