Companies act – Page 2 – Vinod Kothari Consultants

FAQs: Appointment of Statutory Auditors

April 28, 2021/5 Comments/in Financial Services /by Staff

-Financial Services Divison (finserv@vinodkothari.com)

Last updated- June 11, 2021

The Reserve Bank of India has issued Guidelines for Appointment of Statutory Central Auditors (SCAs)/Statutory Auditors (SAs) of Commercial Banks (excluding RRBs), UCBs and NBFCs (including HFCs) under Section 30(1A) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, Section 10(1) of the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970/1980 and Section 41(1) of SBI Act, 1955; and under provisions of Chapter IIIB of RBI Act, 1934 for NBFCs, on 27th April 2021 (“Guidelines”).

The Guidelines intend to supersede the existing circulars/notification on appointment of statutory auditors by Banks and NBFC. The Guidelines provide necessary instructions for appointment of SCAs/SAs, the number of auditors, their eligibility criteria, tenure and rotation as well as norms for ensuring the independence of auditors.

We have tried to figure out the probable questions arising out of these Guidelines and respond to the same in the form of these FAQs.

FAQs on CSR 2021 Amendments

January 28, 2021/5 Comments/in Amendments to the Companies Act 2013, Companies Act 2013, Corporate Laws, MCA /by Vinod Kothari Consultants

FAQs on CSR 2021 Amendments

[These FAQs pertain to the amendments made vide the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2020 and the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Amendment Rules, 2021. These FAQs need to be read with our FAQs on CSR]

MCA need not be mandatorily impleaded in applications: NCLAT sets-aside directions issued by of Principal Bench

June 1, 2020/0 Comments/in Case laws, Insolvency and Bankruptcy, MCA /by Vinod Kothari Consultants

–Megha Mittal

(resolution@vinodkothari.com)

The Hon’ble National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (‘NCLAT’), vide its order dated 22^nd May, 2020[1] set aside the directions issued by the Hon’ble Principal Bench for impleadment of Ministry of Corporate Affairs (‘MCA’) as a respondent-party to all applications filed under the Companies Act, 2013 and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.

This comes in light of the order dated 22^nd November, 2019 of the Hon’ble National Company Law Tribunal, Principal Bench of New Delhi (‘NCLT’/ ‘Principal Bench’), in the matter of Oriental Bank of Commerce v. Sikka Papers Ltd. & Ors[2], wherein the Hon’ble NCLT directed that “…In all cases of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, and Company Petition, the Union of India, Ministry of Corporate Affairs through the Secretary be impleaded as a party respondent so that authentic record is made available by the officers of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs for proper appreciation of the matters..”(‘Impugned Directions’). The said requirement was directed to be made applicable in all benches of NCLT, pan-India.

Resources on Virtual AGM

May 15, 2020/1 Comment/in Companies Act 2013, Corporate Laws /by Vinod Kothari Consultants

In the present scenario, it is difficult to conduct physical AGM. Considering the disruption caused due to COVID-19, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs vide its circular dated 5th May, 2020 allowed companies to hold AGM through video conferencing.

We have put up this page to provide the access to all relevant resources on the subject at one place, along with our analysis. Hope that the readers find it useful.

Presentation on General Extension for holding AGM for FY 2019-2020 by Ms. Pammy Jaiswal

Presentation on Virtual AGMs by Ms. Pammy Jaiswal

Presentation on Virtual AGMs

Checklist for AGM by VC for Companies providing e-voting facility

Checklist for AGM by VC for Companies not providing e-voting facility

Pre-notice public advertisement for vitual AGMs

Draft notice of Virtual AGM

Post-notice public advertisement for virtual AGMs

FAQs on conducting AGM through video conferencing

Convening of AGM during COVID-19 crises

Ease of Exit of Businesses in India

May 1, 2020/0 Comments/in Companies Act 2013, Corporate Laws, Insolvency and Bankruptcy, Liquidation & Winding-up, Schemes and Arrangements /by Vinod Kothari Consultants

‘Doing business’ is not only about seamless starts or how less cumbersome the journey can be – it is also about the certainty of freedom to exit, as and when needed. As such, a sound framework for exit is quintessential for businesses – viable or non-viable. A company might opt to liquidate itself voluntarily, or go for a scheme of merger or amalgamation or even striking off. At the same time, it must be noted that exit may not be always voluntary – sometimes, it may be forced upon the business, for example, in case of insolvent companies, creditors may prefer to liquidate the entity rather than drag it as a going concern. Some of the important considerations in making a choice are – solvency of the company, position of assets and liabilities, extent of judicial involvement, extent of flexibility in the conduct of the process, professional involvement, time involved, and costs. With the judicial authorities being clogged with cases, we may need to reinvent the infrastructural framework and take steps to make the exit process easier. The article discusses the aspects as above.

This Article has been published in the April, 2020 issue of Chartered Secretary, issued by the Institute of Companies Secretaries of India, available at- https://www.icsi.edu/media/webmodules/linksofweeks/ICSI-April_2020.pdf