Arbitration Mechanism in Stock Exchanges - SEBI - CIR/MRD/DSA/24/2010

CIRCULAR CIR/MRD/DSA/24/2010 August 11, 2010 To The Managing Director/Executive Director of all Stock Exchanges. Dear Sir / Madam, Subject: Arbitration Mechanism in Stock Exchanges 1. In consultation with the stock exchanges, it has been decided to streamline the arbitration mechanism available at stock exchanges for arbitration of disputes (claims, complaints, differences, etc.) arising between a client and a member (Stock Broker, Trading Member and Clearing Member) across various market segments. 2. A stock exchange shall provide an arbitration mechanism for settlement of disputes between a client and a member through arbitration proceedings in accordance with the provisions of this Circular read with Section 2(4) of the Arbitration and Conciliation, Act, 1996. 3. Maintenance of a Panel of Arbitrators 3.1 A stock exchange shall maintain a panel of arbitrators. The number of arbitrators in the panel shall be commensurate to the number of disputes so that an arbitrator handles a reasonable number of references simultaneously and all arbitration references are disposed of within the prescribed time. 3.2 The stock exchange shall have a set of fair and transparent criteria for inclusion of names in the panel of arbitrators. 3.3 While deciding to include a particular person in the panel of arbitrators, the stock exchange shall take into account the following factors: i. age, ii. qualification in the area of law, finance, accounts, economics, management, or administration, and iii. experience in financial services, including securities market. 3.4 The name of a person shall be included in the panel after obtaining: i. a declaration that he has not been involved in any act of fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude, or found guilty of any economic offence, ii. disclosure of the nature of his association with securities market, iii. disclosure of the names of his dependents associated with the securities market as member, sub-broker or authorized person, and iv. an undertaking that he shall abide by the code of conduct prescribed in this circular. 3.5 The stock exchange shall provide at least seven days of continuing education to every arbitrator each year. 3.6 The stock exchange shall have a mechanism to appraise the performance of arbitrators and reconstitute the panel based on such appraisal atleast once a year. 4. Code of Conduct for Arbitrators An arbitrator shall i. act in a fair, unbiased, independent and objective manner; ii. maintain the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty and fortitude in discharge of his duties; iii. disclose his interest or conflict in a particular case, i.e., whether any party to the proceeding had any dealings with or is related to the arbitrator; iv. not engage in acts discreditable to his responsibilities; v. avoid any interest or activity which is in conflict with the conduct of his duties as an arbitrator; vi. avoid any activity that may impair, or may appear to impair, his independence or objectivity; vii. conduct arbitration proceedings in compliance with the principles of natural justice and the relevant provisions of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, the SEBI Act, 1992, the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 and the Rules, Regulations and Bye-laws framed thereunder and the circulars, directions issued by the Government / SEBI; viii. endeavour to pass arbitral award expeditiously and in any case not later than the time prescribed in this circular; and ix. pass reasoned and speaking arbitral awards. 5. Arbitration 5.1 The limitation period for filing an arbitration reference shall be governed by the law of limitation, i.e., The Limitation Act, 1963. 5.2 An arbitration reference for a claim / counter claim up to ₹ 25 lakh shall be dealt with by a sole arbitrator while that above ₹ 25 lakh shall be dealt with by a panel of three arbitrators. 5.3 The stock exchange shall ensure that the process of appointment of arbitrator(s) is completed within 30 days from the date of receipt of application from the applicant. 5.4 The arbitration reference shall be concluded by way of issue of an arbitral award within four months from the date of appointment of arbitrator(s). 5.5 The Managing Director/ Executive Director of the stock exchange may for sufficient cause extend the time for issue of arbitral award by not more than two months on a case to case basis after recording the reasons for the same. 6. Appellate Arbitration 6.1 A party aggrieved by an arbitral award may appeal to the appellate panel of arbitrators of the stock exchange against such award. 6.2 An appeal before the appellate panel of arbitrators may be filed within one month from the date of receipt of arbitral award. 6.3 The appellate panel shall consist of three arbitrators who shall be different from the ones who passed the arbitral award appealed against. 6.4 The stock exchange shall ensure that the process of appointment of appellate panel of arbitrators is completed within 30 days from the date of receipt of application for appellate arbitration. 6.5 The appeal shall be disposed of within three months from the date of appointment of appellate panel of such appeal by way of issue of an appellate arbitral award. 6.6 The Managing Director/ Executive Director of the stock exchange may for sufficient cause extend the time for issue of appellate arbitral award by not more than two months on a case to case basis after recording the reasons for the same. 6.7 A party aggrieved by the appellate arbitral award may file an application to the Court of competent jurisdiction in accordance with Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. 7. Arbitration Fees 7.1 Each of the parties to arbitration [as mentioned under item (5) above], shall deposit an amount, as may be prescribed by the stock exchange, at the time of making arbitration reference. The deposits (exclusive of statutory dues stamp duty, service tax, etc.) shall not exceed the amount as indicated under: Amount of Claim / Counter Claim, whichever is higher (Rs.) If claim is filed within six months If claim is filed after six months 10,00,000 1.3% subject to a minimum of ₹ 10,000 3.9% subject to a minimum of ₹ 30,000 10,00,000 - 25,00,000 ₹ 13,000 plus 0.3% amount above ₹ 10 lakh ₹ 39,000 plus 0.9% amount above ₹ 10 lakh 25,00,000 ₹ 17,500 plus 0.2 % amount above ₹ 25 lakh subject to maximum of ₹ 30,000 ₹ 52,500 plus 0.6 % amount above ₹ 25 lakh subject to maximum of ₹ 90,000 Note: six months shall be computed from the end of the quarter during which the disputed transaction(s) were executed/ settled, whichever is relevant for the dispute. 7.2 A client, who is a party to the arbitration for a claim/counter claim upto ₹ 10 lakh, shall be exempt from the deposit provided the arbitration reference for the same is filed within six months from the end of the quarter during which the disputed transaction(s) were executed/ settled. 7.3 On issue of the arbitral award, the stock exchange shall refund the deposit, if any, to the party in whose favor the award has been passed and appropriate the deposit, if any, made by the party, against whom the award has been passed, towards arbitration fees. 7.4 A party filing an appeal before the appellate panel [as mentioned under item 6 above] shall pay a fee not exceeding ₹ 30,000,as may be prescribed by the stock exchange, in addition to statutory dues (stamp duty, service tax, etc) along with the appeal. 8. Place of Arbitration 8.1 The Stock Exchanges having nationwide terminals, such as National Stock Exchange of India Ltd., Bombay Stock Exchange Ltd., MCX Stock Exchange Ltd., and United Stock Exchange of India Ltd., shall provide arbitration facility (arbitration as well as appellate arbitration) at all four regional centres (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai). The arbitration and appellate arbitration shall be conducted at the regional centre nearest to the client. The application under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, if any, against the decision of the appellate panel shall be filed in the competent Court nearest to such regional centre. 8.2 Other stock exchanges shall provide the arbitration facility, including appellate arbitration, at the place where it is located. 9. Implementation of Arbitral Award in favour of Clients 9.1 In case the arbitral / appellate arbitral award is in favour of the client, the stock exchange shall, on receipt of the same, debit the amount of the award from the security deposit or any other monies of the member (against whom an award has been passed) and keep it in a separate escrow account. 9.2 The stock exchange shall implement the arbitral award, by making payment to the client, along with interest earned on the amount that has been set aside, as soon as the time for preferring an appeal before the appellate panel of arbitrators has expired and no appeal has been preferred. 9.3 The stock exchange shall implement the appellate arbitral award, by making payment to the client, along with interest earned on the amount that has been set aside, as soon as a. the time for making an application to a Court to set aside such appellate arbitral award under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 has expired, and no application has been made, or b. when an application to a Court to set aside such appellate arbitral award under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, having been made, it has been refused by such Court, or c. an application to a Court to set aside such appellate arbitral award under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, having been made, but where no stay has been granted by such Court within a period of three months from the date on which the party making that application had received the appellate arbitral award. 10. Record and Disclosures 10.1 The stock exchange shall preserve the following documents related to arbitration: i. the arbitral and appellate arbitral award with acknowledgements, confirming receipt of award by the disputing parties, permanently; ii. other records pertaining to arbitration for five years from the date of arbitral award, appellate arbitral award or Order of the Court, as the case may be; and iii. register of destruction of records relating to (ii) above, permanently. 10.2 The stock exchange shall disclose on its website, details of disposal of arbitration proceedings as per format A and details of arbitrator-wise disposal of arbitration proceedings as per format B. 10.3 The stock exchange shall continue to disclose on their website the arbitration awards (issued since April 1, 2007), as advised vide circular dated April 01, 2010, in format C. 11. The recognized stock exchanges are advised to:- i. make necessary amendments to the relevant bye-laws, rules and regulations for the implementation of the above decision immediately; ii. bring the provisions of this circular to the notice of the members of the stock exchange and also to disseminate the same through their website; and iii. communicate to SEBI, the status of implementation of the provisions of this circular in the Monthly Development Reports to SEBI. 12. SEBI inspection of stock exchange shall cover implementation of this circular. 13. This Circular is issued in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 11 (1) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act 1992, read with Section 10 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 to protect the interests of investors in securities and to promote the development of, and to regulate the securities market and shall come into effect from September 1, 2010. 14. This circular supersedes the following SEBI Circulars:- i. SMDRP/POLICY /CIR - 22 /99 dated July 09, 1999 ii. SMD/Policy/Cir-06/2002 dated March 27, 2002 iii. MRD/ Policy/Cir-18/2002 dated August 28, 2002 iv. MRD/ Policy/Cir-26/2002 dated October 30, 2002 v. SEBI/SMD/SE/13 /2003/10/04 dated April 10, 2003 vi. MRD/DSA/Arb/4623/2004 dated March 05, 2004 vii. MRD/DSA/SE/CIR-18/2009 dated December 2, 2009 15. This circular modifies provisions relevant to arbitration, contained in the following SEBI Circulars:- i. SMD/POLICY/CIRCULAR/3-97, dated March 31, 1997 ii. MRD/DoP/SE/Cir-10/2009 dated September 3, 2009 iii. SEBI/MRD/DSA-OIAE/Cir-09/2010 dated April 1, 2010 iv. CIR/MRD/DSA/10/2010 dated April 6, 2010 16. This Circular is available on SEBI website at www.sebi.gov.in. Yours faithfully, Rajesh Kumar D Deputy General Manager +91-22-26449242 [email protected] CC: All SEBI recognized Investor Associations