valid as on 19/12/2024

Section 29.Public offer of securities to be in dematerialised form.
Effective from 12.09.2013

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other provisions of this Act,—

(a) every making public offer; and

(b) such other class or classes of companies

shall issue the  only in dematerialised form by complying with the provisions of the Depositories Act, 1996 (22 of 1996) and the regulations made thereunder.

 In case of such class or classes of unlisted companies as may be prescribed, the securities shall be held or transferred only in dematerialised form in the manner laid down in the Depositories Act, 1996 and the regulations made thereunder.

(2) Any company, other than a company mentioned in sub-section (1), may convert its securities into dematerialised form or issue its securities in physical form in accordance with the provisions of this Act or in dematerialised form in accordance with the provisions of the Depositories Act, 1996 (22 of 1996) and the regulations made thereunder.

Company means a company incorporated under this Act or under any previous company law
Omitted vide the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2019 dated 31.07.2019 w.e.f., 15.08.2019. To view the Amendment Act, Click Here. To view the commencement Notification, Click Here.
Refer rule 9 of the Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Rules,2014.  To view the rule,Click Here
2(81) Securities means the securities as defined in clause (h) of section 2 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 (42 of 1956)
Inserted vide the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2019 dated 31.07.2019 w.e.f., 15.08.2019. To view the Amendment Act, Click Here. To view the commencement Notification, Click Here.

3.1.9-Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Rules,2014

9. Dematerialisation of securities.—

The promoters of every public company making a public offer of any convertible securities may hold such securities only in dematerialised form:

Provided that the entire holding of convertible securities of the company by the promoters held in physical form up to the date of the initial public offer shall be converted into dematerialised form before such offer is made and thereafter such promoter shareholding shall be held in dematerialized form only.

Every public company which issued share warrants prior to commencement of the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013) and not converted into shares shall, –

(a) within a period of three months of the commencement of the Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Second Amendment Rules, 2023 inform the Registrar about the details of such share warrants in ; and

(b) within a period of six months of the commencement of the Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Second Amendment Rules, 2023, require the bearers of the share warrants to surrender such warrants to the company and get the shares dematerialised in their account and for this purpose the company shall place a notice for the bearers of share warrants in on the website of the company, if any and shall also publish the same in a newspaper in the vernacular language which is in circulation in the district and in English language in an English newspaper, widely circulated in the State in which the registered office of the company is situated.

In case any bearer of share warrant does not surrender the share warrants within the period referred to in sub-rule (2), the company shall convert the such share warrants into dematerialised form and transfer the same to the Investor Education and Protection Fund established under section 125 of the Act.

(1) Every unlisted public company shall –

(a) issue the securities only in dematerialised form; and

(b) facilitate dematerialisation of all its existing securities

in accordance with provisions of the Depositories Act, 1996 and regulations made there under.

(2) Every unlisted public company making any offer for issue of any securities or buyback of securities or issue of bonus shares or rights offer shall ensure that before making such offer, entire holding of securities of its promoters, directors, key managerial personnel has been demateriarised in accordance with provisions of the Depositories Act 1996 and regulations made there under.

(3) Every holder of securities of an unlisted public company,_

(a) who intends to transfer such securities on or after 2nd  October, 2018, shall get such securities dematerialised before the transfer; or

(b) who subscribes to any securities of an unnlisted public company (whether by way of private placement or bonus shares or rights offer) on or after 2nd October, 2018 shall ensure that all his existing securities are held in dematerialized form before such subscription.

(4) Every unlisted public company shall facilitate dematerialisation of all its existing securities by making necessary application to a depository as defined in clause (e) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Depositories Act, 1996 and shall secure International security Identification Number (ISIN) for each type of security and shall in-form all its existing security holders about such facility.

(5) Every unlisted public company shall ensure that-

(a) it makes timely payment of fees (admission as well as annual) to the depository and registrar to an issue and share transfer agent in accordance with the agreement executed between the parties;

(b) it maintains security deposit at all times, of not less than two years, fees with the depository and registrar to an issue and share transfer agent in such form as may be agreed between the parties; and

(c) it complies with the regulations or directions or guidelines or circulars, if any, issued by the securities and Exchange Board or Depository from time to time with respect to dematerialisation of shares of unlisted public companies and matters incidental or related thereto.

(6) No unlisted public company which has defaulted in sub-rule (5) shall make offer of any securities or buyback its securities or issue any bonus or right shares till the payments to depositories or registrar to an issue and share transfer agent are made.

(7) Except as provided in sub-rule(s), the provisions of the Depositories Act 1996, the securities and Exchange Board of India (Depositories and participants)  Regulations, 1996 and the securities and Exchange Board of India (Registrars to an Issue and share Transfer Agents) Regulations, 1993 shall apply mutatis mutandis to dematerialisation of securities of unlisted public companies.

Every unlisted public company governed by this rule shall submit to the Registrar with such fee as provided in Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014 within sixty days from the conclusion of each half year duly certified by a company secretary in practice or chartered accountant in practice.

(8A) The company shall immediately bring to the notice of the depositories any difference observed in its issued capital and the capital held in dematerialised form.

(8) The audit report provided under regulation 55A of the securities and Exchange Board of India (Depositories and participants) Regulations, 1996 shall be submitted by the unlisted public company on a half-yearly basis to the Registrar under whose jurisdiction the registered office of the company is situated.

(9) The grievances, if any, of security holders of unlisted public companies under this rule shall be filed before the Investor Education and protection Fund Authority.

(10) The Investor Education and protection Fund Authority shall initiate any action against a depository or participant or registrar to an issue and share transfer agent after prior consultation with the securities and Exchange Board of India.

 This rule shall not apply to an unlisted public company which is:—

(a) a Nidhi;
(b) a Government company or
(c) a wholly owned subsidiary

(1) Every private company, other than a small company, shall within the period referred to in sub-rule (2) –

(a) issue the securities only in dematerialised form; and

(b) facilitate dematerialisation of all its securities,

in accordance with provisions of the Depositories Act, 1996 (22 of 1996) and regulations made thereunder.

(2) A private company, which as on last day of a financial year, ending on or after 31st March, 2023, is not a small company as per audited financial statements for such financial year, shall, within eighteen months of closure of such financial year, comply with the provisions of this rule.

 a producer company covered under this sub-rule shall, within a period of five years of closure of such financial year, comply with the provision of this sub-rule.

(3) Every private company referred to in sub-rule (2) making any offer for issue of any securities or buyback of securities or issue of bonus shares or rights offer, after the date when it is required to comply with this rule, shall ensure that before making such offer, entire holding of securities of its promoters, directors, key managerial personnel has been dematerialised in accordance with the provisions of the Depositories Act, 1996 (22 of 1996)and regulations made thereunder.

(4) Every holder of securities of the private company referred to in sub-rule (2),-

(a) who intends to transfer such securities on or after the date when the company is required to comply with this rule, shall get such securities dematerialised before the transfer; or

(b) who subscribes to any securities of the concerned private company whether by way of private placement or bonus shares or rights offer on or after the date when the company is required to comply with this rule shall ensure that all his securities are held in dematerialised form before such subscription.

(5) The provisions of sub-rules (4) to (10) of rule 9A shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to the dematerialisation of securities under this rule.

(6) The provisions of this rule shall not apply in case of a Government company.

Substituted vide MCA Notification dated 27.10.2023 regarding Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Second Amendment Rules, 2023. To view the notification, Click here.
Inserted vide MCA Notification dated 27.10.2023 regarding Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Second Amendment Rules, 2023. To view the notification, Click here.
1. MCA vide its Circular dated 06.07.2024, has extended the last date for filing Form PAS-7 without any additional fees to 05.08.2024. To view the Circular. Click Here.
2. To view the Return, Click here.
To view the Return, Click here.
Inserted vide MCA Notification dated 27.10.2023 regarding Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Second Amendment Rules, 2023. To view the notification, Click here.
 Inserted vide the Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Third Amendment Rules, 2018 dated 10th September,2018 effective from 2nd October,2018. To view the notification. Click Here.
Substituted vide the Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Third Amendment Rules, 2019 dated 22.05.2019 w.e.f., 30.09.2019. To view the Notification, Click Here.
Substituted vide the Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Third Amendment Rules, 2019 dated 22.05.2019 w.e.f., 30.09.2019. To view the Notification, Click Here.

Form PAS-6  has been revised vide MCA notification dated 20.01.2023. To view the Notification, Click here. To view the revised Return, Click here.

MCA has extended the last date to file Form PAS-6 for the half-year ended on 30.09.2019 upto 60 days from the date of deployment of this form on the website of the Ministry vide its Circular dated 28.11.2019. To view the Circular. Click Here.

To view the Return, Click Here.

Inserted vide the Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Amendment Rules, 2019 dated 22.01.2019. To view the Rules, Click Here.
Inserted vide MCA Notification dated 27.10.2023 regarding Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Second Amendment Rules, 2023. To view the notification, Click here.
Inserted vide MCA Notification dated 20.09.2024 regarding Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Amendment Rules, 2024. To view the Notification, Click here.

Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Amendment Rules, 2024 dated 20.09.2024


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


Notification regarding Commencement of certain sections of the companies (Amendment) Act, 2019 dated 14.08.2019 w.e.f., 15.08.2019


The Companies (Amendment) Act, 2019 dated 31.07.2019


The Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Third Amendment Rules, 2018 dated 10th September,2018


The Companies (Prospectus and Allotment of Securities) Third Amendment Rules, 2019 dated 22.05.2019 w.e.f., 30.09.2019


General Circular extending the last date to file Form PAS-6 dated 28.11.2019


MCA Circular on Extension of time for Filing of Form PAS-7 dated 06.07.2024


Form PAS – 6 – Reconciliation of Share Capital Audit Report (Half-yearly) w.e.f., 30.09.2019


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