Summary: This blog examines compulsorily convertible preference shares (CCPS), a vital capital raising instrument for startups and M&A transactions in India. It explores the legal framework and key benefits, including balancing investor-founder interests, attracting foreign investment, avoiding tax implications, and providing strategic flexibility, despite limited legislative guidance.Continue Reading CCPS: An important instrument for startups and M&A structuring
Summary: The Board’s discretion to dispose of unsubscribed portion of rights issue to non-shareholders was made a bit easier by the Companies Act, 2013, by giving more flexibility to the Board as compared to the language used in the 1956 Act. However, whether such disposal is tantamount to a preferential allotment or a public offer
Summary: This blog examines the Securities Market Code Bill, 2025, in terms of key changes, and their implications for SEBI and the securities market. SEBI’s regulatory role, along with increased involvement of market infrastructure institutions, securities market service providers and self-regulatory organisations, is poised for significant reform. While the shift towards a principle-based statute upholding good governance, natural justice, transparency and accountability is laudable, certain challenges relating to implementation and capacity-building should be addressed.Continue Reading The Securities Market Code, 2025 (Bill No. 200 of 2025): Raising the Bar to Embrace the Future
Summary: Every time a serious governance failure is discovered, the subject of corporate governance and the role of independent directors take centre stage and become the subject matter of intense media debate. The reality is that independent directors are non-executive directors and have a limited role to play in the day-to-day management of the company. This blog examines the need for regulators to strike a healthy balance between authority and responsibility. The author appeals to the regulators to re-examine the roles and responsibilities of independent directors and set realistic expectations.Continue Reading India Inc’s Governance Dilemma: Are Expectations from Independent Directors Unrealistic?
Summary: This blog examines when private sector companies and Government companies can be regarded as ‘State’ under Article 12 of the Constitution of India, and the legal jurisprudence surrounding this subject. The authors address key questions about when such entities will be considered as ‘State’ and hence amendable to Writ Jurisdiction for the enforcement of fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution. The blog analyses the evolution from structural to functional approach in judicial interpretation, including various SC judgments and the law laid down in the landmark case of P. K Biswas vs IICBContinue Reading Private Sector Companies: State or not State?
Summary: The Companies Act, 2013, imposes absolute structural restrictions on most classes of companies (barring a few) from having more than two layers of subsidiaries. This blog analyses whether such absolute restrictions will meet the test of proportionality laid down by the SC, considering that prima facie such restrictions violate the fundamental right to carry on any occupation, trade or business.Continue Reading Are Layering Restrictions under the Companies Act Constitutionally Valid?
Summary: This article examines certain provisions in India’s key commercial laws, including the Companies Act 2013, Competition Act 2002, and SEBI regulations, analyzing how these laws extend beyond India’s territorial boundaries. While analysing the constitutional permissibility of such provisions, the article highlights potential challenges including jurisdictional overreach and compliance conflicts for multinational corporations.Continue Reading Extra – territorial operation of India’s corporate laws
Summary: This blog examines the concept of “deemed public company” and recommends changes in the legal architecture to deal with large private companies with significant exposure to public funds.Continue Reading Reimagining the Regulatory Architecture for Deemed Public Companies
Summary: India’s legal position on judicial review of the public procurement process has been shaped primarily through constitutional principles, statutory frameworks, and consistent Supreme Court jurisprudence. Public procurement by the State or its instrumentalities is regarded as an exercise of executive power under Article 298, and hence subject to judicial scrutiny to safeguard principles of fairness, transparency, and non-arbitrariness.Continue Reading Judicial Oversight In Public procurement: Striking the right balance
Summary: This blog examines the legal position regarding legal privilege under Evidence law and discusses instances where enforcement agencies have summoned lawyers, along with the recent observations of the Supreme Court on the subject.Continue Reading Investigating Agencies’ Overreach in Summoning Lawyers: SC Intervenes