Section 108B - Restriction on transfer of shares. - Companies Act, 1956

Restriction on transfer of shares. 108B. (1) Every body corporate or bodies corporate under the same management, holding, whether singly or in the aggregate, ten per cent or more of the nominal value of the subscribed equity share capital of any other company shall, before transferring one or more of such shares, give to the Central Government an intimation [1] of its or their proposal to transfer such share, and every such intimation shall include a statement as to the particulars of the share proposed to be transferred, the name and address of the person to whom the share is proposed to be transferred, the shareholding, if any, of the proposed transferee in the concerned company and such other particulars as may be prescribed. (2) Where, on receipt of an intimation given under sub-section (1) or otherwise, the Central Government is satisfied that as a result of such transfer, a change in the composition of the board of directors of the company is likely to take place and that such change would be prejudicial to the interests of the company or to the public interest, it may, by order, direct that (a) no such share shall be transferred to the proposed transferee: Provided that no such order shall preclude the body corporate or bodies corporate from intimating, in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1), to the Central Government its or their proposal to transfer the share to any other person, or (b) where such share is held in company engaged in any industry specified in Schedule XV, such share shall be transferred to the Central Government or to such corporation owned or controlled by that Government as may be specified in the direction. (3) Where a direction is made by the Central Government under clause (b) of sub-section (2), the share referred to in such direction shall stand transferred to the Central Government or to the corporation specified therein, and the Central Government or the specified corporation, as the case may be, shall pay, in cash, to the body corporate or bodies corporate from which such share stands transferred, an amount equal to the market value of such share, within the time specified in sub-section (4). Explanation . In this sub-section, "market value" means, in the case of a share which is quoted on any recognised stock exchange, the value quoted at such stock exchange on the date immediately preceding the date on which the direction is made, and, in any other case, such value as may be mutually agreed upon between the holder of the share and the Central Government or the specified corporation, as the case may be, or in the absence of such agreement, as may be determined by the court. (4) The market value referred to in sub-section (3) shall be given forthwith, where there is no dispute as to such value or where such value has been mutually agreed upon, but where there is a dispute as to the market value, such value as is estimated by the Central Government or the corporation, as the case may be, shall be given forthwith and the balance, if any, shall be given within thirty days from the date when the market value is determined by the court. (5) If the Central Government does not make any direction under sub-section (2) within sixty days from the date of receipt by it of the intimation given under sub-section (1), the provisions contained in sub-section (2) with regard to the transfer of such share shall not apply. -------------------------------------- Notes:- [1] See rule 5B and Form 7E of the Companies (Central Government's) General Rules and Forms, 1956. Fee prescribed is Rs. 500.