Tag: Companies Act 2013

In the past few years, 'panama' and 'paradise', rather than signalling sunshine and rainbows, have been frequently evoked in the context of the 'shell corporations' which were incorporated in various off-shore tax havens. 'Shell companies' are simply an 'outer cover', 'a protective layer' that frequently have only a paper existence with no real assets, liabilities or operations. They therefore generate no economic activity but do impart separate corporate legal personality to the structure. Various news reports and ministry circulars emphasize the efforts being undertaken to curb the sprouting up and regulating of shell companies in India. However, despite the pro-active measures taken by the Government, sizeable issues remain in the operation, implementation and harmonisation of the same. ...

On 31^st July, 2019, the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2019 ("Amendment Act") received assent of the President of India with a view to bring a robust framework through which the Companies Act, 2013 ("Act") can be implemented. Amongst the various provisions of the Act that have been amended, one such amendment has been made to the Section 135. Section 135, along with other ancillary sections,  Schedule VII of the Act (containing the list of activities that may be included in CSR policies) and the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 mandate the scope of corporate social responsibility ("CSR") under Indian law....

In recent years, there has been increasing clamour and debate around implementing a framework for enabling issuance of shares with Differential Voting Rights (“DVRs”) where listed companies are concerned. In a move that is bound to significantly change the way certain transactions are structured, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) approved the Framework for Issuance of Differential Voting Rights Shares (“Framework”) on June 27, 2019....

Before applying for a company name in India, a stakeholder is required to ensure that the proposed name does not contain any word as prohibited under the Companies Act, 2013 (in Section 4(2) & (3)) read with the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014 (Rule 8). This Rule 8 has been recently amended by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), Government of India, by its notification of 10th May 2019, to clarify issues relating to undesirable and similar names of the companies. ...

In January 2009, India witnessed one of its biggest corporate scandals - the ‘Satyam scandal’ also referred to as ‘India’s Enron’. Satyam Computers Services Limited ("SCSL") was under the microscope for fraudulent activity and misrepresentation of its accounts to its board, stock exchanges, regulators, investors and all other stakeholders. Thereafter, shareholders of SCSL, approximately 300,000 were unsuccessful in claiming damages worth millions due to the absence of the provision for filing a class action suit under the Companies Act, 1956.American investors on the other hand were able to claim their part of damages in the US courts through a class action suit against SCSL....

On May 1^st, 2019, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs ("MCA") released e-form MSME 1 ("MSME 1"), requiring all companies obtaining supplies of goods/ services from micro and small enterprises ("Enterprises") and whose respective payments to such Enterprises exceed forty-five days from the date of acceptance or the date of deemed acceptance of such goods/ services to file MSME 1, by 30^th May, 2019....

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (“MCA”) vide its notification dated July 5, 2018 has notified the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Fourth Amendment Rules, 2018 (“Rules”). The Rules shall come into force with effect from July 10, 2018. The Rules require that every person holding Director Identification Number (“DIN”) must get his KYC updated with the MCA within the due dates provided in the Rules....