Dividend
What is the ECS facility and how does it work?
Reserve Bank of India's Electronic Clearance Service (ECS) Facility provides investors an option to collect dividend / interest directly through their bank accounts rather than receiving the same through post. Under this option, investor's bank account is directly credited and an advice thereof is issued by the Company after the transaction is effected. The concerned bank branch credits investor's account and indicate the credit entry as "ECS" in his / her passbook / statement of account. If any investor maintains more than one bank account, payment can be received at any one of his / her accounts as per the preference of the investor. The investor does not have to open a new bank account for the purpose.
What are the benefits of ECS facility?
Some of the major benefits of ECS Facility are:
- Shareholder need not make frequent visits to his bank for depositing the physical paper instruments.
- Prompt credit to the bank account of the investor through electronic clearing at no extra cost.
- Exposure to delays / loss in postal service avoided.
- As there can be no loss in transit of warrants, issue of duplicate warrants is avoided.
- Fraudulent encashment of warrants is avoided.
How to avail ECS facility?
Investors holding shares in physical form may send their ECS Mandate Form, duly filled in, to the Company's R&T Agent. ECS Mandate Form is enclosed for immediate use of investors. The Form may also be downloaded from the Company's website under the section "Investors". However, if shares are held in dematerialised form, ECS mandate has to be sent to the concerned Depository Participant (DP) directly, in the format prescribed by the DP.
Can ECS Facility be opted out by the investors?
ECS would be an additional mode of payment. Investors have the right to opt out from this mode of payment by giving an advance notice of four weeks either to the Company's R&T Agent or to the concerned DP, as the case may be.
What is payment of dividend through NEFT Facility and how does it operate?
NEFT denotes payment of dividend electronically through RBI clearing to selected bank branches, which have implemented Core Banking solutions (CBS). This extends to all over the country, and is not necessarily restricted to the 68 designated centres where payment can be handled through ECS. To facilitate payment through NEFT, the shareholder is required to ensure that the bank branch where his/her account is operated, is under CBS and also records the particulars of the new bank account with the DP with whom the demat account is maintained.
What should one do in case he does not receive dividend?
Shareholders may write to the Company's R&T Agent furnishing the particulars of the dividend not received and quoting the folio number/client ID particulars (in case of dematerialized shares). The R&T Agent shall check the records and issue duplicate dividend warrant if the dividend remains unpaid in the records of the Company after expiry of the validity period of the warrant. The Company would request the concerned shareholders to execute an indemnity before issuing the duplicate warrant. If the validity period of the lost dividend warrant has not expired, shareholders will have to wait till the expiry date since duplicate warrant cannot be issued during the validity of the original warrant. On expiry of the validity period, if the dividend warrant is still shown as unpaid in records of the Company, duplicate warrant will be issued. However, duplicate warrants will not be issued against those shares wherein a "stop transfer indicator" has been instituted either by virtue of a complaint or by law, unless the procedure for releasing the same has been completed. No duplicate warrant will be issued in respect of dividends, which have remained unpaid / unclaimed for a period of seven years in the unpaid dividend account of the Company as they are required to be transferred to the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) constituted by the Central Government.
Why should one wait till the expiry of the validity period of the original warrant?
Since the dividend warrants are payable at par at several centers across the country, banks do not accept stop payment instructions. Hence, shareholders have to wait till the expiry of the validity of the original warrant.
How to get dividend by direct electronic deposit to bank account?
While opening accounts with Depository Participants (DPs), shareholders are required to give details of their Bank Accounts, which will be used by the Company for direct credit of the dividend to the respective accounts. However, members who wish to receive dividend in an Account other than the one specified while opening the Depository Account may notify their DPs about any change in Bank account details. Members are requested to furnish complete details of their bank accounts including MICR codes of their banks to their DPs.
Dematerialization/ Rematerialisation
What is De-materialisation of shares?
Dematerialisation (Demat) is the process by which securities held in physical form evidencing the holding of securities by any person are cancelled and destroyed and the ownership thereof is entered into and retained in a fungible form on a depository by way of electronic balances. The two depositories presently functioning in India are National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) and Central Depository Services (India) Limited (CDSL).
Why dematerialise shares? What are the benefits of De-materialising the Share Certificate?
SEBI has notified various companies whose shares shall be traded in demat form only. By virtue of such notification, the shares of the Company are also subject to compulsory trading only in demat form on the stock exchange. Benefits of Demat
- Elimination of bad deliveries.
- Elimination of all risks associated with physical certificates.
- No stamp duty on transfers.
- Faster settlement cycle.
- Immediate transfer/trading of securities.
- Faster disbursement of non-cash corporate benefits like rights, bonus etc.
- Lower brokerage is charged by many brokers for trading in dematerialised securities.
- Periodic status reports and information available on Internet.
- Ease related to change of address of investors.
- Elimination of problems related to transmission of demat shares.
- Ease in portfolio monitoring.
How to dematerialise shares?
The procedure for dematerialising the shares is as under:
- Open Beneficiary Account with a Depository Participant (DP) registered with SEBI.
- Submit Demat Request Form (DRF) as given by the DP, duly signed by all the holders with the names and signatures in the same order as appearing in the concerned certificate(s) and the Company's records.
- Obtain acknowledgment from the DP on handling over the share certificate (s) along with the DRF.
- Demat confirmations are required to be completed in 21 days as against 30 days (excluding time for dispatch) for physical transfer.
- Service standards prescribed by the Company for completing demat is three days from the date of receipt of requisite documents for the purpose.
- Receive a confirmation statement of holdings from the DP. Statement of holdings is sent by the DPs from time to time. Presently confirmation is given by DPs on an immediate basis through email or SMS facilities, thus enabling shareholders to further trade in the securities immediately.
What is the SMS alert facility?
NSDL and CDSL have launched SMS Alert facility for demat account holders whereby investors can receive alerts for debits (transfers) to their demat accounts and for credits in respect of corporate actions for IPO and offer for sale. Under this facility, investors can receive alerts, a day after such debits (transfers) / credits take place. These alerts are sent to those account holders who have provided their mobile numbers to their Depository Participants (DPs). Alerts for debits are sent, if the debits (transfers) are up to five ISINs in a day. In case debits (transfers) are for more than five ISINs, alerts are sent with a message that debits for more than five ISINs have taken place and that the investor can check the details with the DP.
How does the Company pay dividend on shares De-materialised?
The dividend warrants in respect of all shares, whether held in electronic form or by way of share certificates, are sent by the company directly to the shareholders whose names are on the company's register of members or in the electronic form under the depository system on the designated date to be notified by the Company. While opening Accounts with Depository Participants (DPs), shareholders are required to give details of their bank Accounts, which will be used by the Company for direct credit of the dividend to the respective accounts.
Why cannot the Company take on record bank details in case of dematerialized shares?
As per the Depository Regulations, the Company is obliged to pay dividend on dematerialised shares as per the details furnished by the concerned DP. The Company cannot make any change in such records received from the Depository.
How are transactions effected through the Depository?
After you open an account with a DP, you can buy or sell shares in the electronic form without share certificate or transfer forms, provided the seller/buyer also holds shares in the electronic form. You can sell the shares in the depository mode through any share broker. All you need to do is to provide him the details of your account with the DP, with a delivery instruction to debit your share account with the number of shares sold by you. When you buy shares in the depository mode, you must, similarly, inform the broker about your depository account details so that the shares bought would be credited to your account with the DP.
What is rematerialisation of shares?
It is the process through which shares held in demat form are converted into physical form by issuance of share certificate(s).
What is the procedure for rematerialisation of shares?
- Shareholders should submit duly filled in Rematerialisation Request Form (RRF) to the concerned DP.
- DP intimates the relevant Depository of the request through the system.
- DP submits RRF to Company's R&TA.
- Depository confirms rematerialisation request to the Company's R&TA.
- The Company's R&TA updates accounts and prints certificate(s) and informs the Depository.
- Depository updates the Beneficiary Account of the shareholder by deleting the shares so rematerialised.
- Share certificate(s) is despatched to the shareholder.
Can one get his original share Certificate?
No, as the share certificates on De-materialisation are cancelled you will not receive the same share certificate on Re-materialisation. The shares represented by De-materialised share certificates are fungible and, therefore, certificate numbers and distinctive numbers become irrelevant.
Transfer/Duplicate Certificates etc.
How to get shares registered in favour of transferee(s)?
Transferee(s) need to send share certificate(s) alongwith share transfer deed in the prescribed Form 7B, duly filled in, executed and affixed with share transfer stamps, to the Company's R&T Agent. The statutory time limit for processing the transfer is one month.
Is Permanent Account Number for transfer of shares in physical form mandatory?
SEBI vide its Circular dated May 20, 2009 has stated that for securities market transactions and off-market transactions involving transfer of shares in physical form of listed companies, it shall be mandatory for the transferee(s) to furnish copy of PAN card to the Company/ RTA for registration of such transfer of shares.
How can the change in order of names (i.e. transposition) be effected?
Share certificates alongwith a request letter duly signed by all the joint holders may be sent to the Company's R&T Agent for change in order of names, known as "transposition". Transposition can be done only for the entire holdings under a folio and therefore, requests for transposition of part holding cannot be accepted by the Company / R&T Agent.
What is the procedure for obtaining duplicate share certificate(s) in case of loss / misplacement of original share certificate(s)?
Shareholders who have lost / misplaced share certificate(s) should inform the Company's R&T Agent, immediately about loss of share certificate(s) quoting their folio number and details of share certificate(s), if available. The R&T Agent shall immediately mark a "stop transfer" on the folio to prevent any further transfer of shares covered by the lost share certificate(s). It is recommended that the shareholders should lodge a FIR with the police regarding loss of share certificate(s). They should send their request for duplicate shares to the Company's R&T Agent. Documents required to be submitted alongwith the application include Indemnity Bond, Surety Form, copy of FIR, Memorandum of Association and Certified Copy of Board Resolution (in case of companies).
Change of Address
What is the procedure to get changes in address registered in the Company's records?
Shareholders holding shares in physical form, may send a request letter duly signed by all the holders giving the new address alongwith Pin Code. Shareholders are also requested to quote their folio number and furnish proof such as attested copies of Ration Card / PAN Card / Passport / Latest Electricity or Telephone Bill / Lease Agreement etc. If shares are held in dematerialised form, information about change in address need.
Can there be multiple addresses for a single folio?
There can only be one registered address for one folio.
Change of Name
What is the procedure for registering change of name of shareholders?
Shareholders may request the Company's R&T Agent for effecting change of name in the share certificate(s) and records of the Company. Original share certificate(s) alongwith the supporting documents like marriage certificate, court order etc. should be enclosed. The Company's R&T Agent, after verification, will effect the change of name and send the share certificate(s) in the new name of the shareholders. Shareholders holding shares in demat form, may request the concerned DP in the format prescribed by DP.
Nomination Facility
What is nomination facility and to whom it is more useful?
Section 109A of the Companies Act, 1956 provides the facility of nomination to shareholders. This facility is mainly useful for individuals holding shares in sole name. In the case of joint holding of shares by individuals, nomination will be effective only in the event of the death of all joint holders.
What is the procedure for appointing a nominee?
Investors, especially those who are holding shares in single name, are advised to avail of the nomination facility by submitting the prescribed Form 2B to the Company's R&TA. However, if shares are held in dematerialised form, nomination has to be registered with the concerned DP directly, as per the format prescribed by the DP.