valid as on 18/04/2024

Section185. Loan to directors, etc
Effective from 12-09-2013 Effective from 07-05-2018

(1) No company shall, directly or indirectly, advance any loan, including any loan represented by a book debt to, or give any guarantee or provide any security in connection with any loan taken by,—

(a) any director of company, or of a company which is its  or any partner or relative of any such director; or

(b) any firm in which any such director or relative is a partner.

(2) A company may advance any loan including any loan represented by a book debt, or give any guarantee or provide any security in connection with any loan taken by any person in whom any of the director of the company is interested, subject to the condition that—

(a) a special resolution is passed by the company in general meeting:

Provided that the explanatory statement to the notice for the relevant general meeting shall disclose the full particulars of the loans given, or guarantee given or security provided and the purpose for which the loan or guarantee or security is proposed to be utilised by the recipient of the loan or guarantee or security and any other relevant fact; and

(b) the loans are utilised by the borrowing company for its principal business activities.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this sub-section, the expression “any person in whom any of the director of the company is interested” means—

(a) any private company of which any such director is a director or member;

(b) any body corporate at a general meeting of which not less than twenty-five per cent. of the total voting power may be exercised or controlled by any such director, or by two or more such directors, together; or

(c) any body corporate, the Board of directors, managing director or manager, whereof is accustomed to act in accordance with the directions or instructions of the Board, or of any director or directors, of the lending company.

(3) Nothing contained in sub-sections (1) and (2) shall apply to—

(a) the giving of any loan to a managing or whole-time director—

(i) as a part of the conditions of service extended by the company to all its employees; or

(ii) pursuant to any scheme approved by the members by a special resolution; or

(b) a company which in the ordinary course of its business provides loans or gives guarantees or securities for the due repayment of any loan and in respect of such loans an interest is charged at a rate not less than the rate of prevailing yield of one year, three year, five year or ten year Government security closest to the tenor of the loan; or

(c) any loan made by a holding company to its wholly owned  or any guarantee given or security provided by a holding company in respect of any loan made to its wholly owned subsidiary company; or

(d) any guarantee given or security provided by a holding company in respect of loan made by any bank or financial institution to its subsidiary company:

Provided that the loans made under clauses (c) and (d) are utilised by the subsidiary company for its principal business activities.

(4) If any loan is advanced or a guarantee or security is given or provided or utilised in contravention of the provisions of this section,—

(i) the company shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than five lakh rupees but which may extend to twenty-five lakh rupees;

(ii) every officer of the company who is in default shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which shall not be less than five lakh rupees but which may extend to twenty-five lakh rupees; and

(iii) the director or the other person to whom any loan is advanced or guarantee or security is given or provided in connection with any loan taken by him or the other person, shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to six months or with fine which shall not be less than five lakh rupees but which may extend to twenty-five lakh rupees, or with both.

 

(1) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, no company shall, directly or indirectly, advance any loan, including any loan represented by a book debt, to any of its directors or to any other person in whom the director is interested or give any guarantee or provide any security in connection with any

Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall apply to—

(a) the giving of any loan to a managing or

(i) as a part of the conditions of service extended by the company to all its employees; or

(ii) pursuant to any scheme approved by the by a special resolution; or

(b) a company which in the ordinary course of its business provides loans or gives guarantees or securities for the due repayment of any loan and in respect of such loans an interest is charged at a rate not less than the bank rate declared by the Reserve Bank of India.

any loan made by a  to its wholly owned or any guarantee given or security provided by a holding company in respect of any loan made to its wholly owned subsidiary company; or

any guarantee given or security provided by a holding company in respect of loan made by any bank or financial institution to its subsidiary company:

Provided that the loans made under clauses (c) and (d) are utilised by the subsidiary company for its principal business activities.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, the expression “to any other person in whom director is interested” means—

(a) any director of the lending company, or of a company which is its holding company or any partner or of any such director;

(b) any firm in which any such director or relative is a partner;

 any of which any such director is a director or member;

(d) any body corporate at a general meeting of which not less than twentyfive per cent. of the may be exercised or controlled by any such director, or by two or more such directors, together; or

(e) any body corporate, the  or , whereof is accustomed to act in accordance with the directions or instructions of the Board, or of any director or directors, of the lending company.

(2) If any loan is advanced or a guarantee or security is given or provided in contravention of the provisions of sub-section (1), the company shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than five lakh rupees but which may extend to twenty-five lakh rupees, and the director or the other person to whom any loan is advanced or guarantee or security is given or provided in connection with any loan taken by him or the other person, shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to six months or with fine which shall not be less than five lakh rupees but which may extend to twenty-five lakh rupees, or with both.

Substituted vide Companies (Amendment) Act, 2017 dated 03.01.2018, Effective from 7th May,2018
To view commencement notification,Click Here
To view the notification of Companies Amendment Act,2017 Click Here
2(46) Holding Company, in relation to one or more other companies, means a company of which such companies are subsidiary companies.

Explanation.- For the purposes of this clause, the expression “company” includes any body corporate;

2(87) Subsidiary Company or Subsidiary, in relation to any other company (that is to say the holding company), means a company in which the holding company—

(i) controls the composition of the Board of Directors; or

(ii) exercises or controls more than one-half of the total voting power either at its own or together with one or more of its subsidiary companies:

Provided that such class or classes of holding companies as may be prescribed shall not have layers of subsidiaries beyond such numbers  as may be prescribed.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause,—

(a) a company shall be deemed to be a subsidiary company of the holding company even if the control referred to in sub-clause (i) or sub-clause (ii) is of another subsidiary company of the holding company;

(b) the composition of a company’s Board of Directors shall be deemed to be controlled by another company if that other company by exercise of some power exercisable by it at its discretion can appoint or remove all or a majority of the directors;

(c) the expression “company” includes any body corporate;

(d) “layer” in relation to a holding company means its subsidiary or subsidiaries.

1)This section shall not apply to a Government Company in case such company obtains approval of the Ministry of Department of the Central Government which is administratively in charge of the company, or, as the case may be, the State Government before making any loan or giving any guarantee or providing any security under the section. vide notification no. G.S.R. 463(E) dated 5th June, 2015.

(The exceptions, modifications and adaptations provided above shall be applicable only to those Government Companies which has not committed a default in filing its financial statements under section 137 of the said act or annual return under section 92 of the said act with the registrar, vide notification dated 13th June, 2017)

To view the notification,Click Here

2)This section shall not apply to Private Companies
(a) in whose share capital no other  body corporate has invested any money;
(b) if the borrowings of such a company from banks or financial institutions or any body corporate is less than twice of its paid up share capital or fifty crore rupees, whichever is lower; and
(c) such a company has no default in repayment of such borrowings subsisting at the time of making transactions under this section. Notification no. G.S.R. 464(E) dated 5th June 2015

(The exceptions, modifications and adaptations provided above shall be applicable only to those Private Companies which has not committed a default in filing its financial statements under section 137 of the said act or annual return under section 92 of the said act with the registrar, vide notification dated 13th June 2017)

To view the notification,Click Here

3)This section shall not apply to Nidhi Companies, provided the loan is given to a director  or his relative in their capacity as members and such transaction is disclosed in the annual accounts by a note. Refer notification no.G.S.R. 465(E) dated 5th June, 2015.

To view the notifications,Click Here

Refer rule 10 Companies (Meetings of Board and its Powers) Rules,2014. To view the rule,Click Here
2(94) Whole-time director includes a director in the whole-time employment of the company
2(55) Member, in relation to a company, means—

(i) the subscriber to the memorandum of the company who shall be deemed to have agreed to become member of the company, and on its registration, shall be entered as member in its register of members;

(ii) every other person who agrees in writing to become a member of the company and whose name is entered in the register of members of the company;

(iii) every person holding shares of the company and whose name is entered as a beneficial owner in the records of a depository

 Inserted by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2015 (21 of 2015), notified on 26th May, 2015, with effect from 29th May 2015 vide notification S.O. 1440(E). To view the notifications,Click Here
2(46) Holding Company, in relation to one or more other companies, means a company of which such companies are subsidiary companies
2(87) Subsidiary company , in relation to any other company (that is to say the holding company), means a company in which the holding company—

(i) controls the composition of the Board of Directors; or

(ii) exercises or controls more than one-half of the total share capital either at its own or together with one or more of its subsidiary companies:

Provided that such class or classes of holding companies as may be prescribed shall not have layers of subsidiaries beyond such numbers as may be prescribed (Not notified)

Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause,—

(a) a company shall be deemed to be a subsidiary company of the holding company even if the control referred to in sub-clause (i) or sub-clause (ii) is of another subsidiary company of the holding company;

(b) the composition of a company’s Board of Directors shall be deemed to be controlled by another company if that other company by exercise of some power exercisable by it at its discretion can appoint or remove all or a majority of the directors;

(c) the expression “company” includes any body corporate;

(d) “layer” in relation to a holding company means its subsidiary or subsidiaries

 Inserted by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2015 (21 of 2015), notified on 26th May, 2015, with effect from 29th May 2015 vide notification S.O. 1440(E). To view the notifications,Click Here
2(77) Relative, with reference to any person, means any one who is related to another, if—

(i) they are members of a Hindu Undivided Family;

(ii) they are husband and wife; or

(iii) one person is related to the other in such manner as may be prescribed

 For IFSC Public Company clause (c) is substituted as

(c) any private company of which any such director is a director or member in which director of the lending company do not have direct or indirect shareholding through themselves or through their relatives and a special resolution is passed to this effect.

For IFSC Private Company to be read as

(c) any private company of which any such director is a director or member in which director of the lending company do not have director indirect shareholding through themselves or through their relatives and a special resolution is passed to this effect.

 

vide GSR 8(E) and GSR 9(E) dated 04.01.2017.

To view the notification Click Here

2(68) Private company means a company having a minimum paid-up share capital as may be prescribed, and which by its articles, —

(i) restricts the right to transfer its shares;

(ii) except in case of One Person Company, limits the number of its members to two hundred:

Provided that where two or more persons hold one or more shares in a company jointly, they shall, for the purposes of this clause, be treated as a single member:

Provided further that—

(A) persons who are in the employment of the company; and

(B) persons who, having been formerly in the employment of the company, were members of the company while in that employment and have continued to be members after the employment ceased, shall not be included in the number of members; and

(iii) prohibits any invitation to the public to subscribe for any securities of the company

 2(89) Total voting power, in relation to any matter, means the total number of votes which may be cast in regard to that matter on a poll at a meeting of a company if all the members thereof or their proxies having a right to vote on that matter are present at the meeting and cast their votes
2(10) Board of Directors, in relation to a company, means the collective body of the directors of the company
2(54) Managing Director means a director who, by virtue of the articles of a company or an agreement with the company or a resolution passed in its general meeting, or by its Board of Directors, is entrusted with substantial powers of management of the affairs of the company and includes a director occupying the position of managing director, by whatever name called.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause, the power to do administrative acts of a routine nature when so authorised by the Board such as the power to affix the common seal of the company to any document or to draw and endorse any cheque on the account of the company in any bank or to draw and endorse any negotiable instrument or to sign any certificate of share or to direct registration of transfer of any share, shall not be deemed to be included within the substantial powers of management.

2(53) Manager means an individual who, subject to the superintendence, control and direction of the Board of Directors, has the management of the whole, or substantially the whole, of the affairs of a company, and includes a director or any other person occupying the position of a manager, by whatever name called, whether under a contract of service or not.

12.1.10-Companies (Meetings of Board and its Powers) Rules,2014

(1) Any loan made by a holding company to its wholly owned subsidiary company or any guarantee given or security provided by a holding company in respect of any loan made to its wholly owned subsidiary company is exempted from the requirements under this section; and

(2) Any guarantee given or security provided by a holding company in respect of loan made by any bank or financial institution to its subsidiary company is exempted from the requirements under this section:

Provided that such loans made under sub-rule(1) and (2) are utilised by the subsidiary company for its principle business activities.

 Rule 10 omitted vide Companies (Meetings of Board and its Powers) Second Amendment Rules, 2015. To view the Notification,Click Here

Commencement Notification dated 07/05/2018


Companies (Meetings of Board and its Powers) Second Amendment Rules, 2015 [G.S.R. 971 (E)] dated 14/12/2015


Enforcement Notification S.O. 1440(E) dated 29/05/2016


Enforcement notification S.O.2754 (E) dated 12/09/2013


Exemption to Govt Companies G.S.R. 463(E) dated 05/06/2015


Exemption to Nidhi Companies [G.S.R 465(E)] dated 05/06/2015


Exemption to Specified IFSC Private company [GSR 09(E)] dated 04/01/2017


Exemption to Specified IFSC Public company [GSR 08(E)] dated 04/01/2017


Exemptions to Government Companies [Amendment to GSR 463(E)] dated 13/06/2017


Exemptions to Private Companies [Amendment to GSR 464(E)] dated 13/06/2017


Exemptions to private companies [GSR 464 (E)] dated 05/06/2015


The Companies (Amendment) Act, 2017 (Effective from 03.01.2018)


The Companies (Amendment) Act,2015

 


General Circular 03/2014


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