Power to Close Register of Members or Debenture-Holders or Other Security Holders.

A company may close the register of members or the register of debenture-holders or the register of other security holders for any period or periods not exceeding in the aggregate forty-five days in each year, but not exceeding thirty days at any one time, subject to giving of previous notice of at least seven days or such lesser period as may be specified by Securities and Exchange Board for listed companies or the companies which intend to get their securities listed, in such manner as may be prescribed.

(2) If the register of members or of debenture-holders or of other security holders is closed without giving the notice as provided in sub-section (1), or after giving shorter notice than that so provided, or for a continuous or an aggregate period in excess of the limits specified in that sub-section, the company and every officer of the company who is in default shall be liable to a penalty of five thousand rupees for every day subject to a maximum of one lakh rupees during which the register is kept closed.

Place of keeping and Inspection of Registers, Returns, etc.

94. (1) The registers required to be kept and maintained by a company under section 88 and copies of the annual return filed under section 92 shall be kept at the registered office of the company:

COMMENT: Every company shall keep and maintain the following registers in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed, namely:—

(a) register of members indicating separately for each class of equity and preference shares held by each member residing in or outside India;

(b) register of debenture-holders; and

(2) Every register maintained under sub-section (1) shall include an index of the names included therein.

(3) The register and index of beneficial owners maintained by a depository under section 11 of the Depositories Act, 1996 (22 of 1996), shall be deemed to be the corresponding register and index for the purposes of this Act.

(4) A company may, if so authorised by its articles, keep in any country outside India, in such manner as may be prescribed, a part of the register referred to in sub-section (1), called "foreign register" containing the names and particulars of the members, debenture-holders, other security holders or beneficial owners residing outside India.

(5) If a company does not maintain a register of members or debenture-holders or other security holders or fails to maintain them in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), the company and every officer of the company who is in default shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees but which may extend to three lakh rupees and where the failure is a continuing one, with a further fine which may extend to one thousand rupees for every day, after the first during which the failure continues.

COMMENT: Provided that such registers or copies of return may also be kept at any other place in India in which more than one-tenth of the total number of members entered in the register of members reside, if approved by a special resolution passed at a general meeting of the company ¹[Omitted]:

Provided further that the period for which the registers, returns and records are required to be kept shall be:

Preservation of Register of Members etc. and Annual Return

(1) The register of members along with the index shall be preserved permanently and shall be kept in the custody of the company secretary of the company or any other person authorized by the Board for such purpose; and

(2) The register of debenture holders or any other security holders along with the index shall be preserved for a period of eight years from the date of redemption of debentures or securities, as the case may be, and shall be kept in the custody of the company secretary of the company or any other person authorized by the Board for such purpose.

(3) Copies of all annual returns prepared under section 92 and copies of all certificates and documents required to be annexed thereto shall be preserved for a period of eight years from the date of filing with the Registrar.

(4) The foreign register of members shall be preserved permanently, unless it is discontinued and all the entries are transferred to any other foreign register or to the principal register. Foreign register of debenture holders or any other security holders shall be preserved for a period of eight years from the date of redemption of such debentures or securities.

(5) The foreign register shall be kept in the custody of the company secretary or person authorised by the Board.

(1) The registers and their indices, except when they are closed under the provisions of this Act, and the copies of all the returns shall be open for inspection by any member, debenture-holder, other security holder or beneficial owner, during business hours without payment of any fees and by any other person on payment of such fees

COMMENT: Inspection of Registers, Returns etc

(1) The registers and indices maintained pursuant to section 88 and copies of returns prepared pursuant to section 92, shall be open for inspection during business hours, at such reasonable time on every working day as the board may decide, by any member, debenture holder, other security holder or beneficial owner without payment of fee and by any other person on payment of such fee as may be specified in the articles of association of the company but not exceeding fifty rupees for each inspection.

Explanation.- For the purposes of this sub-rule, reasonable time of not less than two hours on every working day shall be considered by the company.

(2) Any such member, debenture holder, security holder or beneficial owner or any other person may require a copy of any such register or entries therein or return on payment of such fee as may be specified in the articles of association of the company but not exceeding ten rupees for each page. Such copy or entries or return shall be supplied within seven days of deposit of such fee.

(3) Any such member, debenture-holder, other security holder or beneficial owner or any other person may—

(a) take extracts from any register, or index or return without payment of any fee; or

(b) require a copy of any such register or entries therein or return on payment of such fees as may be prescribed.

COMMENT: Copies of the Registers and Annual Return

Copies of the registers maintained under section 88 or entries therein and annual return filed under section 92 shall be furnished to any member, debenture-holder, other security holder or beneficial owner of the company or any other person on payment of such fee as may be specified in the Articles of Association of the company but not exceeding rupees ten for each page and such copy shall be supplied by the company within a period of seven days from the date of deposit of fee to the company.

Provided that such particulars of the register or index or return as may be prescribed shall not be available for inspection under sub-section (2) or for taking extracts or copies under this sub-section.

(4) If any inspection or the making of any extract or copy required under this section is refused, the company and every officer of the company who is in default shall be liable, for each such default, to a penalty of one thousand rupees for every day subject to a maximum of one lakh rupees during which the refusal or default continues.

(5) The Central Government may also, by order, direct an immediate inspection of the document, or direct that the extract required shall forthwith be allowed to be taken by the person requiring it.

DISCLAIMER: THE ARTICLE IS BASED ON THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS AND AS PER THE INFORMATION EXISTING AT THE TIME OF THE PREPARATION. IN NO EVENT I SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT AND INDIRECT RESULT FROM THIS ARTICLE. THIS IS ONLY A KNOWLEDGE SHARING INITIATIVE.

THE AUTHOR – CS DEEPAK SETH (ASSOCIATE PARTNER HELPINGHANDS PROFESSIONALS LLP) AND CAN BE REACHED AT CONTACTHHPRO@GMAIL.COM OR 9910248911.

Power to Close Register of Members or Debenture-Holders or Other Security Holders.