Exemptions by the Board.
11. The Board may for reasons recorded in writing, grant exemption from the obligation to make an open offer for acquiring shares under these regulations subject to such conditions as the Board deems fit to impose in the interests of investors in securities and the securities market.
2. The Board may for reasons recorded in writing, grant a relaxation from strict compliance with any procedural requirement under Chapter III and Chapter IV subject to such conditions as the Board deems fit to impose in the interests of investors in securities and the securities market on being satisfied that,—
a. the target company is a company in respect of which the Central Government or State Government or any other regulatory authority has superseded the board of directors of the target company and has appointed new directors under any law for the time being in force, if,—
i. such board of directors has formulated a plan which provides for transparent, open, and competitive process for acquisition of shares or voting rights in, or control over the target company to secure the smooth and continued operation of the target company in the interests of all stakeholders of the target company and such plan does not further the interests of any particular acquirer;
ii. the conditions and requirements of the competitive process are reasonable and fair;
iii. the process adopted by the board of directors of the target company provides for details including the time when the open offer for acquiring shares would be made, completed and the manner in which the change in control would be effected; and
b. the provisions of Chapter III and Chapter IV are likely to act as impediment to implementation of the plan of the target company and exemption from strict compliance with one or more of such provisions is in public interest, the interests of investors in securities and the securities market.
3. For seeking exemption under sub-regulation (1), the acquirer shall, and for seeking relaxation under sub-regulation (2) the target company shall file an application with the Board, supported by a duly sworn affidavit, giving details of the proposed acquisition and the grounds on which the exemption has been sought.
4. The acquirer or the target company, as the case may be, shall along with the application referred to under sub-regulation (3) pay a non-refundable fee of rupees three lakh , by way of a banker’s cheque or demand draft payable in Mumbai in favour of the Board.
5. The Board may after affording reasonable opportunity of being heard to the applicant and after considering all the relevant facts and circumstances, pass a reasoned order either granting or rejecting the exemption or relaxation sought as expeditiously as possible:
Provided that the Board may constitute a panel of experts to which an application for an exemption under sub-regulation (1) may, if considered necessary, be referred to make recommendations on the application to the Board.
6. The order passed under sub-regulation (5) shall be hosted by the Board on its official website.
SEBI (Payment of Fees and Mode of Payment) (Amendment) Regulations, 2017, w.e.f. 06.03.2017
SEBI (Payment of fees) (Amendment) Regulations, 2014 w.e.f. 23-05-2014