The meeting of SEBI’s board held today has resulted in some crucial decisions. An important one relates to SEBI’s new approach towards reconsidering the definition of “control” under the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011. This is because an acquirer who acquires control without obtaining the minimum number of shares (i.e. 25% voting rights) could be required...
Indian REITs – Story So Far, Challenges and Expectations from Budget 2016
[This guest post is contributed by Yashesh Ashar and Swati Adukia. They are tax professionals and specialize in mergers and acquisition tax. Please note that the views are personal] I. Introduction The Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) notified the SEBI (Real Estate Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014 (“REIT Regulations”)...
Cashless Employee Stock Option Scheme and Insider Trading Regulations
Last year, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) issued a guidance note clarifying certain matters regarding employee stock option plans (ESOPs) and their implications under the SEBI (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations, 2015 (the “Insider Trading Regulations”). Specifically, it stated that the “contra-trade” restrictions do not apply to the exercise of stock options by...
Update: Proposed Amendments to the AIF Regulations
[The following post is contributed by Bhushan Shah and Labdhi Shah from Mansukhlal Hiralal & Company] Alternative Investment Funds (AIF(s)) play a vital role in Indian economy as they drive economic growth and contribute significantly to nation building. To regulate AIFs under one single regime, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in 2012 notified SEBI (Alternative...
Fiduciary Capacity of Regulators and the Right to Information
[The following guest post is contributed by Apoorv Chaturvedi, who is a 4th year BA LLB student at the Jindal Global Law School] The regulatory regime in India is a complex system with multiple regulators set up for promoting “healthy and orderly development”[1] and to “prevent malpractices”[2] of companies, banks, stock markets etc. This healthy development is very closely related to the...
SEBI: Report on Alternative Investment Funds
Yesterday, the Alternative Investment Policy Advisory Committee appointed by SEBI under the chairmanship of Mr. Narayana Murtyh issued its first report. The Committee has suggested a number of reforms on different fronts, including creating a favourable tax environment for investors, unlocking domestic sources of venture capital and private equity, enabling and encouraging onshore fund management...
SEBI Adjudication Order: Disclosure of Encumbrances Over Shares
The SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011 (the “SAST Regulations”) contains provisions in Reg. 31 that requires promoters of a company to disclose to the company and the stock exchanges the details of shares encumbered by them and also any invocation or release of encumbrance. The genesis of the requirement to disclose pledge and other encumbrances arose after...
A Rule of Reason for Self-Trades?
[The following guest post is contributed by Nikunj Agarwal, a 4th year student at RML National Law University, Lucknow and Arjun Agarwal, a 3rd year student at WB National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata. The authors can be contacted at [email protected]] Prefatory It is one of the well-known principles of securities regulation that the primary objective of such regulation is to...
SEBI Order on Delisting Price
Delisting transactions tend to be sensitive as they underscore the conflicts between controlling shareholders (or promoters) and minority shareholders. The promoters are in a position to delist the company at any time they consider appropriate even though the circumstances may not necessarily favour the minority shareholders. Moreover, due to the information asymmetry between the two groups of...
Enhanced Disclosure Requirements for Listed Companies
SEBI this week issued a series of circulars pursuant to the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 (“Listing Regulations”), which seek to streamline and enhance the disclosure obligations of listed companies. The three different circulars are briefly discussed below. Shareholder Voting Results In the case of shareholders’ meetings, SEBI has prescribed that a...
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