8.3.6-Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (Accounting, Audit, Transfer and Refund) Rules, 2016

6.

(1) The shares shall be credited to DEMAT Account of the Authority to be opened by the Authority for the said purpose, within a period of thirty days of such shares becoming due to be transferred to the Fund:

Provided that, in case the beneficial owner has encashed any dividend warrant  during the last seven years, such shares shall not be required to be transferred to the Fund even though some dividend warrants may not have been encashed:

 in cases where the provided under sub-section (5) of section 124 has been completed or being completed during the period from 7th September, 2016 to 31st May, 2017, the due date of transfer of such shares shall be deemed to be 31st May, 2017.

For removal of all doubts, it is hereby clarified that all shares in respect of which dividend has been transferred to Investor Education and Protection Fund on or before the 7th September 2016, shall also be transferred by the company in the name of Investor Education and Protection Fund.

(2) For the purposes of effecting transfer of such shares, the Board shall authorise the Company Secretary or any other person to sign the necessary documents.

(3) The company shall follow the following procedure while transferring the shares, namely:-

(a) The company shall inform, at the latest available address, the shareholder concerned regarding transfer of shares three months before the due date of transfer of shares and also simultaneously publish a notice in the leading newspaper in English and regional language having wide circulation informing the concerned that the names of such shareholders and their folio number or DP ID – Client ID are available on their website duly mentioning the website address.

(b) In case, where there is a specific order of Court or Tribunal or statutory Authority restraining any transfer of such shares and payment of dividend or where such shares are pledged or hypothecated under the provisions of the Depositories Act, 1996 or shares already been transferred under sub-rule (1) above, the company shall not transfer such shares to the Fund:

Provided that the company shall furnish details of such shares and unpaid dividend to the Authority in  within from the end of financial year.

(c) For the purposes of effecting the transfer, where the shares are dealt with in a depository-

(i) the Company shall inform the depository by way of corporate action, where the shareholders have their accounts for transfer in favour of the Authority.

(ii) on receipt of such intimation, the depository shall effect the transfer of shares in favour of  of the Authority.

For the purposes of effecting the transfer where the shares are held in physical form-

(i) the Company Secretary or the person authorised by the Board shall make an application, on behalf of the concerned shareholders, to the company, for issue of duplicate share certificates;

(ii) on receipt of the application under clause (a), a duplicate certificate for each such shareholder shall be issued and it shall be stated on the face of it and be recorded in the register maintained for the purpose, that the duplicate certificate is “Issued in lieu of share certificate No….. for purpose of transfer to IEPF” and the word “duplicate” shall be stamped or punched in bold letters on the first page of the share certificate;

(iii) particulars of every share certificate issued as above shall be entered forthwith in a register of renewed and duplicate share certificates maintained in Form No. SH-2  as specified in the Companies (Share Capital and Debentures) Rules, 2014;

(iv) after issue of duplicate share certificates, the company shall inform the depository by way of corporate action to convert the duplicate share certificates into DEMAT form and transfer in favour of the Authority.

For the purposes of effecting the transfer shares held in physical form-

(i) the Company Secretary or the person authorised by the Board shall make an application, on behalf of the concerned shareholder, to the company, for issue of a new share certificate;

(ii) on receipt of the application under clause (a), a new share certificate for each such shareholder shall be issued and it shall be stated on the face of the certificate that “Issued in lieu of share certificate No….. for the purpose of transfer to IEPF” and the same be recorded in the register maintained for the purpose;

(iii) particulars of every share certificate shall be in as specified in the Companies (Share Capital and Debentures) Rules, 2014;

(iv) after issue of a new share certificate, the company shall inform the depository by way of corporate action to convert the share certificates into DEMAT form and
transfer in favour of the Authority.

(4) The company shall make such transfers through corporate action and shall preserve copies for its .

While effecting such transfer, the company shall send a statement to the Authority in  within of the corporate action taken under clause (c) of sub-rule (3) of rule 6 containing details of such transfer and the company shall also attach a copy of the public notice published under clause (a) of sub-rule (3) of rule 6 in .

(5) While effecting such transfer, the company shall send a statement to the Authority in  containing details of such transfer.

(6) The voting rights on shares transferred to the Fund shall remain frozen until the rightful owner claims the shares:

Provided that for the purpose of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011, the shares which have been transferred to the Authority shall not be excluded while calculating the total voting rights.

 The company shall maintain all such statements filed under sub – rule (5) in the same format along with all supporting documents and the Authority shall have the powers to inspect such records.

(7) The company shall maintain the details of shareholding of each individual shareholders whose shares have been credited to the DEMAT account of the Authority.

 All benefits accruing on such shares like bonus shares, split, consolidation, fraction shares and the like except right issue shall also be credited to such DEMAT account [by the company which shall send a statement to the Authority in   within of the corporate action containing details of such transfer.]

(8) All benefits accruing on such shares e.g., bonus shares, split, consolidation, fraction shares etc., except right issue shall also be credited to such DEMAT account.

The shares held in such DEMAT account shall not be transferred or dealt with in any manner whatsoever except for the purposes of transferring the shares back to the claimant as and when he approaches the Authority or in accordance with sub-rules (10), (11) and (11A).

(9) The shares held in such DEMAT account shall not be transferred or dealt with in any manner whatsoever except for the purposes of transferring the shares back to the claimant as and when he approaches the Authority or in accordance with sub-rule (10) and (11).

(10) If the company is getting delisted, the Authority shall surrender shares on behalf of the shareholders in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Delisting of Equity Shares) Regulations, 2009 and the proceeds realised shall be credited to the Fund and a separate ledger account shall be maintained for such proceeds.

(11) In case the company whose shares or securities are held by the Authority is being wound up, the Authority may surrender the securities to receive the amount entitled on behalf of the security holder and credit the amount to the Fund and a separate ledger account shall be maintained for such proceeds.

In case an application for purchase of shares under section 236 is received through the company, the Authority may receive the amount entitled on behalf of the minority shareholders from the company as per procedures provided under sub-section 5 of the said section 236 and credit the amount to the Fund and a separate ledger account shall be maintained for such proceeds:

Provided that Authority before such receipt of money on behalf of such shareholders shall verify that the conditions provided under the relevant section of the Act and rules framed thereunder have been satisfied and shall also call a report from the company on the following, namely:-

(a) whether the acquirer to whom the shares held by the Authority would be transferred has fulfilled the requirements of section 236;

(b) whether the shares have been valued in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (2) of section 236 and the rules made thereunder; and

(c) any other relevant information:

Provided further that the company shall be liable under all circumstances whatsoever to indemnify the Authority in case of any dispute or lawsuit that may be initiated and the Authority shall not be liable to indemnify the minority shareholder or the Company or any other person for any liability arising, leading to any litigation or complaint arising thereof:

Provided also that any claimant entitled to claim transfer of such shares from the Authority under sub-section (6) of section 124 shall only be entitled to the amount received by the Authority on behalf of the minority shareholder without any interest thereon.

(12) Any further dividend received on such shares shall be credited to the Fund and a separate ledger account shall be maintained for such proceeds.

Any amount required to be credited by the companies to the Fund as provided under sub-rules (10), (11) and sub-rule (12) shall be remitted into the specified account of the IEPF Authority maintained in the   from the date of remittance or within thirty days from the date of enforcement of these Rules,

Any amount required to be credited by the companies to the Fund as provided under sub-rule (11A) shall be remitted into the specified account of the IEPF Authority maintained in the Punjab National Bank and the details thereof shall be furnished to the Authority in Form No. IEPF-7 within thirty days from the date of remittance or within thirty days from the date of commencement of the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (Accounting, Audit, Transfer and Refund), Third Amendment, Rules, 2021, as the case may be.

Authority shall furnish its report to the Central Government as and when noncompliance of the rules by companies came to its knowledge.

(1) The shares shall be credited to an IEPF suspense account (on the name of the company) with one of the depository participants as may be identified by the Authority within a of such shares becoming due to be transferred to the Fund:

Provided that, in case the beneficial owner has encashed any dividend warrant during the last seven years, such shares shall not be required to be transferred to the Fund even though some dividend warrants may not have been encashed.

(2) For the purposes of effecting transfer of such shares, the Board shall authorise the Company Secretary or any other person to sign the necessary documents.

(3) The company shall follow the following procedure, namely:-

(a) The company shall inform at the latest available address, the shareholder concerned regarding transfer of shares three months before the due date of transfer of shares and also simultaneously publish a notice in the leading newspaper in English and regional language having wide circulation. and on their website giving details of such shareholders and shares due for transfer.

Provided that in cases, where the seven years as provided under sub-section (5) of section 124 have been completed or are being completed within three months from the date of Coming into force of these rules, the company shall initiate the aforesaid procedure immediately and transfer the shares on completion of three months;

(b) In case, In where there is a specific order of Court or Tribunal or statutory Authority restraining any transfer of such shares and payment of dividend, the company shall not transfer such shares to the Fund:

Provided that the company shall furnish details of such shares and unpaid dividend to the Authority in    within from the end of financial year;

(c) For the purposes of effecting the transfer where the Shares are dealt with in a depository,-

(i) the Company Secretary or the person authorised by the Board shall sign on behalf of such shareholders, the delivery instruction slips of the depository participants where the shareholders had their accounts for transfer in favour of IEPF suspense account (name of the company);

(ii) on receipt of the delivery instruction slips. the depository shall effect the transfer of shares in favour of the Fund in its records.

(d) For the purposes of effecting the transfer where the shares are held in physical form,-

(i) the Company Secretary or the person authorised by the Board shall make an application, on behalf of the concerned shareholders, to the company, for issue of duplicate share certificates;

(ii) on receipt of the application under clause (a), duplicate certificate for each such shareholder shall be issued and it shall be Stated on the face of it and be recorded in the register maintained for the purpose, that the duplicate certificate is “Issued in lieu of share certificate No… for purpose of transfer to IEPF” and the word “duplicate” shall be stamped or punched in bold letters across the face of the share certificate;

(iii) particulars of every share certificate issued as above shall entered forthwith in a register of renewed and duplicate share certificates maintained in Form NO. SH 2 as specified in the Companies (Share Capital and Debentures) Rules, 2014;

(iv) after issue of duplicate share certificates. the Company Secretary or the person authorised by the Board, shall sign the necessary Form No. SH 4 i.e„ securities transfer Form as specified in the Companies (Share Capital and Debentures) Rules, 2014, for transferring the shares in favour of the Fund;

(v) on receipt of the duly filled transfer forms along with the duplicate share certificates, the Board or its Committee shall approve the transfer and thereafter the transfer of shares shall be effected in favour of the Fund in the records of the company.

(4) The company or depository, as the case may be, shall preserve copies of the depository instruction slips, transfer deeds and duplicate certificates for its records

(5) While effecting such transfer. the company shall send a statement to the Fund in  containing details of such transfer.

(6) on shares transferred to the Fund shall remain frozen until the rightful owner claims the shares:

Provided that for the purpose of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011, the shares which have been transferred to the Authority shall not excluded while calculating the total voting rights.

(7) Once the physical shares are transferred in the name of the Authority, the Authority Shall dematerialise these shares and it shall keep only those shares in physical form, where dematerialisation of shares is not possible.

(8) The Authority shall maintain IEPF Suspense account (name of the company) with depository participant on behalf of the shareholders who are entitled for the shares and all benefits accruing on such shares e.g. bonus shares, split. Consolidation, fraction shares etc. except right issue Shall also credited to such IEPF suspense account (name of the company).

(9) The shares held in such IEPF suspense account shall not be transferred or dealt with in any manner whatsoever except for the purposes of transferring the shares back to the claimant as and when he approaches the Authority or in accordance with sub-rule (10) and (11).

(10) If the company is getting delisted, the Authority shall surrender shares on behalf of the shareholders in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Delisting of Equity Shares) Regulations, 2009 and the proceeds realised shall be credited to the Fund and a separate ledger account shall be maintained for such proceeds.

(11) In case the company whose shares or are held by the Authority is being wound up, the Authority may surrender the securities to receive the amount entitled on behalf of the security holder and credit the amount to the Fund and a ledger account shall be maintained for such proceeds.

(12) Any further dividend received on such shares shall be credited to the Fund and a separate ledger account shall be maintained for such proceeds.