Applicable Rules
- Section 77A, 77AA and 77B of the Companies Act, 1956.
- SEBI Private Limited Companies and Unlisted Public Limited Companies (Buy-back of Securities) Rules, 1999.
Buy-Back (Rule 3)
- From existing shareholders on a proportionate basis through private offers
- Purchasing securities issued to employees through a scheme of stock option or sweat equity
- The process of buy-back commences with the BoD passing the necessary resolutions and approving the buy-back.
- The buy-back must be subsequently approved by the shareholders at a general meeting of the company through a SPECIAL RESOLUTION.
- The notice to the meeting should have an explanatory statement annexed thereto. It should contain the details required to be specified under these rules.
Filing Letter of offer with RoC (Rule 5)
- The company should file draft LOO with Registrar before the buy-back in the specified form given under the rules.
- The draft LOO should be accompanied by a declaration of solvency in the prescribed Form 4A with the RoC.
Offer Procedure (Rule 6)
- The LOO should be dispatched immediately after filing with the RoC but not later than 21 days from such filing.
- The offer should remain open for a period of not less than 15 days but not later than 30 days from date of dispatch of LOO.
- The company should complete verification of offers within 15 days of the closure of offer.
- The shares lodged will be deemed to have been accepted unless a communication of rejection is made within 21 days from the closure of the offer.
- Where the number of shares offered by the shareholders is more than the total number of shares to be bought back by the company, the acceptance per shareholder should be on a proportionate basis.
Payments to Shareholders (Rule 7)
- The company should open a separate bank a/c and deposit the entire sum payable as consideration immediately after the date of closure of the offer.
- The company should make the payment to shareholders within 7 days of the specified period in cash or bank draft/pay order to the shareholders whose offer has been accepted or return the share certificates to the shareholders.
General obligations of the company (Rule 8)
- The letter of offer should contain true, factual and material information and not any misleading information. It should also state that the directors accept the responsibility for the information contained in the offer documents.
- No issue of bonus shares shall be made till the date of closure of offer.
- The company should confirm that a separate bank a/c has been opened and the consideration has been transferred to the same and the same will be payable only in cash/bank draft/pay order
- No withdrawal of buy-back offer after draft LOO is filed with the Roc.
- The company should not utilize money borrowed from Banks/FIs for the purpose of buy-back of shares.
Return of Buy-back (Rule 9)
The company should file a return of buy-back with Roc after completion of buy-back in the form prescribed under these rules.
Extinguishment of share certificates (Rule 10)
- The company should extinguish the share certificates within 7 days from the date of acceptance of the shares in the presence of a CS in whole-time practice.
- The company should furnish a certificate to the Roc, certifying the compliance of these rules within 7 days from the date of extinguishment and destruction of certificates duly signed by -
ü Two WTDs including the Managing Director, if any and
ü CS in whole-time practice.
- The company should maintain a record of share certificates cancelled and destroyed within 7 days of the buy-back of shares.
Register of Shares bought back (Rule 11)
The company should maintain a register of shares bought back in the form prescribed under these rules.
