69.

PROHIBITION OF ALLOTMENT UNLE SS MINIMUM SUBSCRIPTION RECEIVED (1) No allotment shall be made of any share capital of a company offered to the public for subscription, unless the amount stated in the prospectus as the minimum amount which, in the opinion of the Board of directors, must be raised by the issue of share capital in order to provide for the matters specified in clause 5 of Schedule II has been subscribed, and the sum payable on application for the amount so stated has been paid to and received by the company, whether in cash or by a cheque or other instrument which has been paid.
Page 52 of 332

(2) The amount so stated in the prospectus shall be reckoned exclusively of any amount payable otherwise than in money, and is in this Act referred to as "the minimum subscription". (3) The amount payable on application on each share shall not be less than five per cent of the nominal amount of the share. (4) All moneys received from applicants for shares shall be deposited and kept deposited in a Scheduled Bank( a ) until the certificate to commence business is obtained under section 149, or ( b ) where such certificate has already been obtained, until the entire amount payable on applications for shares in respect of the minimum subscription has been received by the company, and where such amount has not been received by the company within the time on the expiry of which the moneys received from the applicants for shares are required to be repaid without interest under sub-section (5), all moneys received from applicants for shares shall be returned in accordance with the provisions of that sub-section. In the event of any contravention of the provisions of this sub-section, every promoter, director or other person who is knowingly responsible for such contravention shall be punishable with fine which may extend to
1

[fifty] thousand rupees. (5) If the conditions aforesaid have not been complied with on the expiry of one hundred and twenty days after the first issue of the prospectus, all moneys received from applicants for shares shall be forthwith repaid to them without interest ; and if any such money is not so repaid within one hundred and thirty days after the issue of the prospectus, the directors of the company shall be jointly and severally liable to repay that money with interest at the rate of six per cent per annum from the expiry of the one hundred and thirtieth day : Provided that a director shall not be so liable if he proves that the default in the repayment of the money was not due to any misconduct or negligence on his part. (6) Any condition purporting to require or bind any applicant for shares to waive compliance with any requirement of this section shall be void. (7) This section, except sub-section (3) thereof, shall not apply in relation to any allotment of shares subsequent to the first allotment of shares offered to the public for subscription. 1. Substituted for "five" by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2000 w.e.f .

13-12-2000. 70. PROHIBITION OF ALLOTMENT IN CERTAIN CASE S UNLESS STATEMENT IN LIEU OF PROSPECTUS DELIVERED TO REGISTRAR (1) A company having a share capital, which does not issue a prospectus on or with reference to its formation, or which has issued such a prospectus but has not proceeded to allot any of the shares offered to the public for subscription, shall not allot any of its shares or debentures unless at least three days before the first allotment of either shares or debentures, there has been delivered to the Registrar for registration a statement in lieu of prospectus signed by every person who is named therein as a director or proposed director of the company or by his agent authorised in writing, in the form and containing the partic ulars set out in Part I of Schedule III and, in the cases mentioned in Part II of that Schedule, setting out the repo rts specified therein, and the said Parts I and II shall have effect subject to the provisions contained in Part III of that Schedule. (2) Every statement in lieu of prospectus delivered under sub-section (1), shall, where the persons making any such report as aforesaid have made therein, or have without giving the reasons indicated therein, any such adjustments as are mentioned in clause 5 of Schedule III, have endorsed thereon or attached thereto a written statement signed by those persons, setting out the adjustments and giving the reasons thereof. (3) This section shall not apply to a private company. (4) If a company acts in contravention of sub-section (1) or (2), the company, and every director of the company who wilfully authorises or permits the contravention, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to
1

[ten] thousand rupees. (5) Where a statement in lieu of prospectus delivered to the Registrar under sub-section (1) includes any untrue statement, any person who authorised the delivery of the statement in lieu of prospectus for registration shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to
2

[fifty] thousand rupees or with both, unless he proves either that the statement was immaterial or that he had reasonable ground to believe, and did up to the time of the delivery for registration of the statement in lieu of prospectus believe, that the statement was true. (6) For the purposes of this section ( a ) a statement included in a statement in lieu of prospectus shall be deemed to be untrue if it is misleading in the form and context in which it is included ; and ( b ) where the omission from a statement in lieu of prospectus of any matter is calculated to mislead, the statement

in lieu of prospectus shall be deemed, in respect of such omission, to be a statement in lieu of prospectus in which an untrue statement is included. (7) For the purposes of sub-section (5) and clause ( a ) of sub-section (6), the expression "included", when used with reference to a statement in lieu of prospectus, means included in the statement in lieu of prospectus itself or contained in any report or memorandum appearing on the face thereof, or by reference incorporated therein, or issued therewith. 1. Substituted for "one" by the Companies (Amendment) Act , 2000 w.e.f. 13-12-2000. 2. Substituted for "five", by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2000 w.e.f. 13-12-2000. 71. EFFECT OF IRREGULAR ALLOTMENT
Page 53 of 332

(1) An allotment made by a company to an applicant in contravention of the provisions of section 69 or 70 shall be voidable at the instance of the applicant ( a ) within two months after the holding of the statutory meeting of the company, and not later, or ( b ) in any case where the company is not required to hold a statutory meeting or where the allotment is made after the holding of the statutory meeting, within two months after the date of the allotment, and not later. (2) The allotment shall be voidable as aforesaid, notwithstanding that the company is in course of being wound up. (3) If any director of a company knowingly contravenes, or wilfully authorises or permits the contravention of, any of the provisions of section 69 or 70 with respect to allotment, he shall be liable to compensate the company and the allottee respectively for any loss, damages or costs which the company or the allottee may have sustained or incurred thereby : Provided that proceedings to recover any such loss, damages or costs shall not be commenced after the expiration of two years from the date of the allotment. 72. APPLICATIONS FOR, AND ALLOTMENT OF, SHARES AND DEBENTURES (1) ( a ) No allotment shall be made of any shares in or debentures of a company in pursuance of a prospectus issued generally, and no proceedings shall be taken on applications made in pursuance of a prospectus so issued, until the beginning of the fifth day after that on which the prospectus is first so issued or such later time, if any, as may be specified in the prospectus : Provided that where, after a prospectus is first issued generally, a public notice is given by some person responsible under section 62 for the prospectus which has the effect of excluding, limiting or diminishing his responsibility, no

allotment shall be made until the beginning of the fifth day after that on which such public notice is first given. ( b ) Nothing in the foregoing proviso shall be deemed to exclude, limit or diminish any liability that might be incurred in the case referred to therein under the general law or this Act. ( c ) The beginning of the fifth day or such later time as is mentioned in the first paragraph of clause ( a ), or the beginning of the fifth day mentioned in the second paragraph of that clause, as the case may be, is hereinafter in this Act referred to as "the time of the opening of the subscription lists". (2) In sub-section (1), the reference to the day on which the prospectus is first issued generally shall be construed as referring to the day on which it is first so issued as a newspaper advertisement : Provided that, if it is not so issued as a newspaper advertisement before the fifth day after that on which it is first so issued in any other manner, the said reference shall be construed as referring to the day on which it is first so issued in any manner. (3) The validity of an allotment shall not be affected by any contravention of the foregoing provisions of this section ; but, in the event of any such contravention, the company, and every officer of the company who is in default, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to
1

[fifty] thousand rupees. (4) In the application of this section to a prospectus offering shares or debentures for sale, sub-sections (1) to (3) shall have effect with the substitution of references to sale fo r references to allotment, and with the substitution for the reference to the company and every officer of the company who is in default of a reference to any person by or through whom the offer is made and who is knowingly guilty o f, or wilfully authorises or permits, the contravention. (5) An application for shares in, or debentures of, a company, which is made in pursuance of a prospectus issued generally shall not be revocable until after the expiration of the fifth day after the time of the opening of the subscription lists, or the giving, before the expiry of the said fifth day by some person responsible under section 62 for the prospectus, of a public notice having the effect unde r that section of excluding, limiting or diminishing the responsibility of the person giving it. 1. Substituted for "five" by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2000 w.e.f. 13-12-2000. 73. ALLOTMENT OF SHARES AND DEBENTURES TO BE DEALT IN ON STOCK EXCHANGE
1

[(1) Every company intending to offer shares or debentures to the public for subscription by the issue of a prospectus shall, before such issue, make an application to one or more recognised stock exchanges for permission for the shares or debentures intending to be so offered to be deal t with in the stock exchange or each such stock exchange.]
2

[(1A)] Where a prospectus, whether issued generally or not, states that an

3

[application under sub-section (1) has

been] made for permission for the shares or debentures offered thereby to be dealt in one or more recognised stock exchanges, such prospectus shall state the name of the stock exchange or, as the case may be, each such stock exchange, and any allotment made on an application in pursuanc e of such prospectus shall, whenever made, be void,
4

[***] if the permission has not been granted by the stock ex change or each such stock exchange, as the case may be, before the expiry of ten weeks from the date of the closing of the subscription lists : Provided that where an appeal against the decision of any recognised stock exchange refusing permission for the shares or debentures to be dealt in on that stock exchange has been preferred under section 22 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 (42 of 1956), such allotment shall not be void until the dismissal of the appeal. (2) Where the permission has not been applied
5

[under sub-section (1)], or, such permission having been applied for, has not been granted as aforesaid, the company shall forthwith repay without interest all moneys received from applicants in pursuance of the prospectus, and, if any such money is not repaid within eight days after the company becomes liable to repay it,
1

[the company and every director of the company who is an officer in default shall, on and from the expiry of the eighth day, be jointly and severally liable to repay that money with interest at such rate, not less than four per cent and not more than fifteen per cent, as may be prescribed, having regard to the length of the period of delay in making the repayment of such money.]
Page 54 of 332

[ Proviso omitted by the Companies ( Amendment ) Act, 1988 with effect from 15-6-1988. ] (2A) Where permission has been granted by the recognised stock exchange or stock exchanges for dealing in any shares or debentures in such stock exchange or each such stock exchange and the moneys received from applicants for shares or debentures are in excess of the aggregate of the application moneys relating to the shares or debentures in respect of which allotments have been made, the company shall repay the moneys to the extent of such excess forthwith without interest and if such money is not repaid within eight days, from the day the company becomes liable to pay it,
1

[the company and every director of the company who is an officer in default shall, on and from the expiry of the eighth day, be jointly and severally liable to repay that money with interest at such rate, not less than four per cent and not more than fifteen per cent, as may be prescribed, having regard to the length of the period of delay in making the repayment of such money.] [ Proviso omitted by the Companies (

Amendment ) Act, 1988 with effect from 15-6-1988. ] (2B) If default is made in complying with the provisions of sub-section (2A), the company and every officer of the company who is in default shall be punishable with fine which may extend to
2

[fifty] thousand rupees, and where repayment is not made within six months from the expiry of the eighth day, also with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year. (3) All moneys received as aforesaid shall be kept in a separate bank account maintained with a Scheduled Bank until the permission has been granted, or where an appeal has b een preferred against the refusal to grant such permission, until the disposal of the appeal, and the money standing in such separate account shall, where the permission has not been applied for as aforesaid or has not been granted, be repaid within the time and in the manner specified in subsection (2) ; and if default is made in complying with this sub-section, the company, and every officer of the company who is in default, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to
1

[fifty] thousand rupees. (3A) Moneys standing to the credit of the separate bank account referred to in sub-section (3) shall not be utilised for any purpose other than the following purposes, namely : ( a ) adjustment against allotment of shares, where the shares have been permitted to be dealt in on the stock exchange or each stock exchange specified in the prospectus ; or ( b ) repayment of moneys received from applicants in pursuance of the prospectus, where shares have not been permitted to be dealt in on the stock exchange or each stock exchange specified in the prospectus, as the case may be, or, where the company is for any other reason unable to make the allotment of share. (4) Any condition purporting to require or bind any applicant for shares or debentures to waive compliance with any of the requirements of this section shall be void. (5) For the purposes of this section, it shall be deemed that permission has not been granted if the application for permission, where made, has not been disposed of within the time specified in sub-section (1). (6) This section shall have effect ( a ) in relation to any shares or debentures agreed to be taken by a person underwriting an offer thereof by a prospectus, as if he had applied therefor in pursuance of the prospectus ; and ( b ) in relation to a prospectus offering shares for sa le, with the following mo difications, namely, ( i ) references to sale shall be substi tuted for references to allotment ; ( ii

) the persons by whom the offer is made, and not the company, shall be liable under sub-section (2) to repay money received from applicants, and references to the company's liability under that sub-section shall be construed accordingly; and ( iii ) for the reference in sub-section (3) to the company and every officer of the company who is in default, there shall be substituted a reference to any person by or through whom the offer is made and who is knowingly guilty of, or wilfully authorises or permits, the default. (7) No pros pectus shall state that application has been made for permission for the shares or debentures offered thereby to be dealt in on any stock exchange, unless it is a recognised stock exchange. 1. Inserted by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 1988 w.e.f. 15-6-1988. 2. Renumbered by the Companies (Amend ment) Act, 1988 w.e.f. 15-6-1988. 3. Substituted for "application has been, or will be," by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 1988 w.e.f. 15-61988. 4. The words "if the permission has not been applied for before the tenth day after the first issue of the prospectus, or, where such permission has been applied for before that day," omitted by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 1988 w.e.f. 15-6-1988. 5. Substituted for "for as aforesaid" by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 1988 w.e.f. 15-6-1988. 6. Substituted for "the directors of the company shall be jointly and severally liable to repay that money with interest at the rate of twelve per cent per annum from the expiry of the eighth day :" by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 1988 w.e.f. 15-6-1988. 7. Substituted for "five" by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2000 w.e.f. 13-12-2000. 8. Substituted for "five" by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2000 w.e.f. 13-12-2000.