[The following guest post is contributed by Professor Bala N. Balasubramanian, who is an Adjunct Professor at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.][1] The scholarly debate on primacy among the shareholders, boards and the executive in corporate governance is intellectually as challenging as it is yet inconclusive, although more recent trends around the world would seem to suggest at...
Survey of Corporate Governance in Asia
The OECD has just published its OECD Survey of Corporate Governance Frameworks in Asia. Covering 14 different economies in Asia, the Survey covers various aspects of corporate governance from ownership structures, regulatory issues, board matters, shareholder rights, and the like that are prominent in relation to corporate governance of companies in those countries. The key is that in most of...
Issue of Convertible Notes by Startups Permitted
[The following guest post is contributed by Bhushan Shah & Neha Lakshman from Mansukhlal Hiralal & Company. The views expressed in the post are personal] A convertible note is an instrument issued as debt and convertible into equity of a startup at the option of the holder, upon a future contingency taking place, usually when the startup obtains an additional round of investments...
Listing of Stock Exchanges and Addressing Conflicts of Interests
A few years ago, we had discussed possible issues that arise out of the commercial operations of a stock exchange. While an exchange is a profit-making institution and is required to act in the interests of its shareholders, it also carries out a regulatory role in selecting companies that are to be listed on it and thereafter in overseeing their compliance with the listing requirements. These...
Supreme Court on Board Appointments During a Takeover Offer
Background In Securities and Exchange Board of India v. Burren Energy India Limited (decided on 2 December 2016), the Supreme Court of India was concerned with a couple of issues relating to the technical interpretation of the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 1997 (the “1997 Regulations”). This case involved an indirect acquisition of shares by an English...
SEBI Order in the United Spirits Case
Over the last year or so, there has been considerable discussion in the press about the allegations of diversion of funds by the erstwhile management of United Spirits Limited (USL) to other companies within the United Breweries (UB) group, including Kingfisher Airlines Limited (KFA). This was also a result of investigations conducted by USL through certain audit firms. Subsequently, this became...
SEBI Order under the Investment Advisers Regulations
A whole-time member of the Securities and Exchange Board of India passed an order involving CapitalVia Global Research Limited under the SEBI (Investment Advisers) Regulations 2013 (the “IA Regulations”). The case arose out of an inspection carried out by SEBI on CapitalVia, which resulted in an interim order being passed by SEBI on November 11, 2016. Since then, SEBI has held hearings and...
Resolving the Conflict between the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process and Relief Undertaking Legislation
[The following guest post has been contributed by contributed by Sikha Bansal of Vinod Kothari & Company, who can be reached at [email protected]] The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (the “Code”) is under speedy implementation: while its provisions relating to corporate resolution and liquidation (except voluntary liquidation) have been notified, provisions relating to individual...
Exemptions to companies operating from the IFSC
[The following guest post is contributed by Amitabh Robin Singh, who is a corporate lawyer practising in Mumbai.] Continuing with the Government’s efforts to promote the International Financial Services Centre (“IFSC“), the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (“MCA“) has issued notifications dated January 4, 2017, which provide an exemption from (or modify) certain...
Delaware Supreme Court on Board Independence
Issues of board independence, and particularly the position and role of independent directors, have resurfaced to the fore in India in recent months. Given this scenario, it may be useful to consider developments relating to board independence occurring elsewhere. Here, a ruling last month from the Delaware Supreme Court on the determination of board independence would be of interest. In Thomas...
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