Delay in transfer of shares by companies - SEBI - SMDRP/POLICY/CIR-46/2001

SMDRP/POLICY/CIR-46/2001 September 27, 2001 The Executive Directors/Managing Directors of all the Stock Exchanges Dear Sir, Sub : Delay in transfer of shares by companies In the meeting of stock exchanges held on August 14, 2001, the matter relating to 'Delay in transfer of shares by the Companies' was deliberated and the following decisions were taken for speedy redressal of grievances pertaining to a) Pending transfer of Shares, b) Dealing with objection memos in future and c) Duplicate share certificates. A) Pending Transfer of Share i. In case the transfer deed and the share certificates are with the company awaiting transfer beyond 30 days and in cases where the same are returned by the company to the investor with a company objection including due to signature difference (other than court cases where injunction has been ordered), companies shall effect the transfer of shares on obtaining from the transferee the proof of purchases duly acknowledged by the stock exchange/broker. If so desired, a company may also obtain indemnity bond from the transferee. Before effecting transfer, the company shall within 10 days of the date of such direction, send letters under registered post AD/Speed Post AD to the transferor(s) asking for their confirmations/no-objection, so as reach the company within 15 days from the date of receipt of the letter by the transferor. If the confirmation is received /noobjection is not received within 15 days from the transferor(s), the transfer would be effected immediately thereafter. The valid objection, if any should be accompanied by correspondingly old prohibitory order from a competent authority. Immediately after effecting the transfer of shares, the benefits (i.e. Bonus, rights, dividend) held back by the company shall be handed over to the transferee. If such benefits have been passed on to the transferor, the concerned stock exchange shall arbitrate through the brokers of the transferor and the transferee to determine the rightful claimant. Keeping in view the provisions of Section 206 A of the Companies Act and Section 27 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956, in such cases, the Stock Exchanges should entertain claims for resolving through arbitration even if they are beyond the stipulated time of 4 months. ii. In respect of complaints (other than court cases where injunction has been ordered) where the original transfer deeds have been lost in the process of rectification on account of company objection, companies shall transfer the shares as per the first proviso to sub-section (1) of Section 108 of the Companies Act on obtaining from the transferee the proof of purchases duly acknowledged by the stock exchange/broker on an indemnity bond from the transferee. Before effecting transfer, the company shall within 10 days of the date of such direction, send letters under registered post AD /Speed post AD to the transferor(s) asking for their confirmations/no -objection, so as reach the company within 15 days from the date of receipt of the letter by the transferor. If the confirmation is received/no objection is not received within 15 days, the transfer would be effected immediately thereafter. The valid objection, if any, by the transferor shall be accompanied by correspondingly old prohibitory order from a competent authority. Immediately after effecting the transfer of shares, the benefits (i.e. Bonus, rights, dividend) held back by the company shall be handed over to the transferee. If such benefits have been passed on to the transferor, the concerned stock exchange shall arbitrate through the brokers of the transferor and the transferee to determine the rightful claimant. Keeping in view the provisions of the Section 206 A of the Companies Act and Section 27 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956, in such cases, the Stock Exchanges should entertain claims, even if they are beyond the stipulated time. iii. In respect of companies where shares and transfer deeds are lying with the investor or introducing broker-member(IM), and IM has already paid/replaced shares to buyer/broker due to bad delivery on account of objection memo raised by the company, but there was a delay on the part of the company in raising objection beyond the stipulated time period of 1 month, shares shall be transferred by the company to the investor/IM, as applicable, provided no objection certificate of the buyer/buying broker is provided. B. Procedure for dealing with Company objections in future i. In respect of complaints where shares and transfer deeds are lying with the investor of introducing the broker-member (IM) and IM has already paid/replaced shares to buyer /broker due to bad delivery on account of objection memo raised by the company, but there was a delay on the part of the company in raising objection beyond the stipulated time period of 1 month. In such cases the company would be liable to compensate the aggrieved party for the opportunity losses during the intervening period. ii. In cases of company objection due to signature difference (Other than court cases where injunction is ordered), companies shall effect the transfer of shares by following the procedure mentioned below. Before effecting transfer, the company shall within 10 days of receipt of shares from the transferee, send letters under registered post AD/ Speed Post AD to the transferor(s) asking for their confirmations/no-objection, so as to reach the company within 15 days from the date of receipt of the letter by the transferor. If the confirmation is received/no objection is not received within 15 days, the transfer would be effected immediately thereafter. The valid objection, if any, should be followed/accompanied by a prohibitory order from a competent authority and should reach the company within 30 days thereafter, failing which the transfer would be effected. Immediately, after effecting the transfer of shares, the benefits (i.e. Bonus, rights, dividend) held back by the company shall be handed over to the transferee. If such benefits have been passed on to the transferor, the concerned stock exchange shall arbitrate through the brokers of the transferor and the transferee to determine the rightful claimant. Keeping in view the provisions of Section 206 A of the Companies Act and Section 27 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956, In such cases, the Stock Exchanges are hereby advised to entertain claims even if they are beyond the stipulated time. iii. In cases where transfer deed and the share certificates are with the company and the company has not effected transfer of shares, within the stipulated time period of one month, without communicating the investor any valid objection. In such cases the company would be liable to compensate the opportunity losses occurred to the investor(buyer). In addition, the company shall transfer the shares immediately and keeping in view the provisions of Section 206A of the Companies Act and Section 27 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956, provide all benefits (i.e. bonus shares, dividend) which accrued to the investor during the intervening period on account of such delay. iv. Once a share certificate is returned by a transfer agent as a company Objection keeping in view the provisions of Section 206 A of the Companies Act and Section 27 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956, all benefits must be held in abeyance by the company till such time the transfer actually takes place or a valid no objection is received from the Transferee on his receiving replacement. v. Every time an introducing broker replaces a bad delivery share or pays for the share to the receiving broker/buyer investor as per market norms, a No Objection Certificate to transfer the shares in the name of introducing member from the receiving broker/buyer investor shall be given to the introducing member broker/seller investor, as applicable, through the Bad Delivery Cell mechanism. C. Duplicate Share Certificate Where the investor has complained about issuing of duplicate share certificate(s) by the company on the basis of allegedly forged/stolen documents furnished by a third party, the company shall verify and satisfy itself of the claim of the investor, within 15 days of receipt of the claim and take steps including invoking of indemnity bond to issue shares and corresponding benefits to the rightful owner in terms of section 84 of the Companies Act read with Rule 3 of the Companies (Issue of Share Certificates) Rules, 1960. The above decisions would be applicable in respect of all companies/organisations (i.e. entities) whose shares are listed on any of the Stock Exchanges and are in physical form. You are requested to take effective steps to implement the above decisions. Further, a separate circular is being issued for amendment of listing agreement with respect to item no. B(i) and B(iii). Yours faithfully, S.V. MURALIDHAR RAO DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER SECONDARY MARKET DEPARTMENT e-mail : [email protected]