(1) Where a company2(20) Company means a company incorporated under this Act or under any previous company law issues shares2(84) Share means a share in the share capital of a company and includes stock at a premium, whether for cash or otherwise, a sum equal to the aggregate amount of the premium received on those shares shall be transferred to a “securities premium account” and the provisions of this Act relating to reduction of share capital of a company shall, except as provided in this section, apply as if the securities premium account were the paid-up share capital2(64) Paid-up share capital or share capital paid-up means such aggregate amount of money credited as paid-up as is equivalent to the amount received as paid-up in respect of shares issued and also includes any amount credited as paid-up in respect of shares of the company, but does not include any other amount received in respect of such shares, by whatever name called of the company.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the securities premium account may be applied by the company—
(a) towards the issue of unissued shares of the company to the members2(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 of the company as fully paid bonus shares;
(b) in writing off the preliminary expenses of the company;
(c) in writing off the expenses of, or the commission paid or discount allowed on, any issue of shares or debenture2(30) Debenture, includes debenture stock, bonds or any other instrument of a company evidencing a debt, whether constituting a charge on the assets of the company or not
Provided that— (a) the instruments referred to in Chapter III-D of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934; and
(b) such other instrument, as may be prescribed by the Central Government in consultation with Reserve Bank of India, issued by a company,
shall not be treated as debenture; of the company;
(d) in providing for the premium payable on the redemption of any redeemable preference shares or of any debentures of the company; or
(e) for the purchase of its own shares or other securities2(81) Securities means the securities as defined in clause (h) of section 2 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 (42 of 1956) under section 68.
(3) The securities premium account may, notwithstanding anything contained in sub-sections (1) and (2), be applied by such class of companies, as may be prescribed and whose financial statement2(40) Financial Statement in relation to a company, includes—
(i) a balance sheet as at the end of the financial year;
(ii) a profit and loss account, or in the case of a company carrying on any activity not for profit, an income and expenditure account for the financial year;
(iii) cash flow statement for the financial year;
(iv) a statement of changes in equity, if applicable; and
(v) any explanatory note annexed to, or forming part of, any document referred to in sub-clause (i) to sub-clause (iv):
Provided that the financial statement, with respect to one person company, small company, dormant company and private company (if such private company is a start-up)may not include the cash flow statement;
Explanation. – For the purposes of this Act, the term ‘start-up’ or “start-up company” means a private company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013) or the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) and recognised as start-up in accordance with the notification issued by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. comply with the Accounting Standards2(2) Accounting Standards means the standards of accounting or any addendum thereto for companies or class of companies referred to in section 133. prescribed for such class of companies under section 133,—
(a) in paying up unissued equity shares of the company to be issued to members of the company as fully paid bonus shares; or
(b) in writing off the expenses of or the commission paid or discount allowed on any issue of equity shares of the company; or
(c) for the purchase of its own shares or other securities under section 68.