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Background

On June 15, 2023, Securities and Exchange Board of India [“SEBI”] had released— (i) Master Circular for Investment Advisers; and (ii) Master Circular for Research Analysts.

The Master Circulars serve as comprehensive compilations of all directions issued by SEBI pertaining to Investment Advisers [“IAs”] and Research Analysts [“RAs“]. SEBI’s Master Circulars for IAs and RAs aim to provide easy access to relevant guidelines and promote compliance among IAs and RAs.Continue Reading FIG Paper No. 22: Decoding SEBI’s Master Circular for Investment Advisers and Research Analysts

SEBI Adjudicates on Pledging of Securities held by Category I AIFs

Background

In a recent order[1] (“Order”), the Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) held that a category I alternative investment fund registered with it (“Fund”); its investment manager (“Manager”); and its trustee (“Trustee”), were in violation of certain SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012 (“AIF Regulations”). Specifically, these violations were with respect to provisions associated with (i) the code of conduct applicable to the Fund, Manager and Trustee; and (ii) provisions related to leverage and borrowings applicable to the Fund.Continue Reading SEBI Adjudicates on Pledging of Securities held by Category I AIFs

SEBI’s MUTUAL FUND EXPENSE RATIO CONSULTATION PAPER

BACKGROUND

On May 18, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Board of India [“SEBI”] had placed a consultation paper related to the total expense ratio charged by Asset Management Companies [“AMC”] to unitholders of mutual funds. June 8, 2023 was set as the deadline for submission of public comments. The due date, however, was extended to June 8, 2023.

The proposal is aimed at curbing distributor practices such as unnecessary switching of schemes and pushing new fund offerings for higher commissions. SEBI in its consultation paper proposed to introduce performance fees for funds. It proposed two approaches, but also suggested testing the models under the Regulatory Sandbox.Continue Reading FIG Paper (No. 21 – Series 1): SEBI’s Mutual Fund Expense Ratio Consultation Paper: Impact Analysis

FVCI Regulations

Introduction

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) has released a consultation paper[1] on May 18, 2023 suggesting changes to the regulatory framework for registration and eligibility of Foreign Venture Capital Investors (“FVCIs”). Public comments have been invited on the consultation paper.

SEBI’s proposals are broadly to align the conditions under the SEBI (Foreign Venture Capital Investor) Regulations, 2000 (“FVCI Regulations”) with certain conditions under the SEBI (Foreign Portfolio Investors) Regulations, 2019 (“FPI Regulations”), and with a view to ensure adequate due-diligence and regulate the inflow of foreign capital in India through the FVCI route.Continue Reading FVCI Regulations 2.0: SEBI Proposes to revise FVCI Registration and Eligibility Conditions

Disenfranchising Majority Shareholders

Context

Even after the ‘right to property’ was abolished as a fundamental right by the 44th Amendment to our Constitution[1], it has continued as a ‘constitutional right’ by virtue of Article 300-A, which provides that – “No person shall be deprived of his property save by authority of law”.Continue Reading Disenfranchising Majority Shareholders – Is it Constitutionally Valid?

Introduction

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) vide its circular dated February 05, 2020, had introduced certain disclosure standards by way of a private placement memorandum (“PPM”) template that all SEBI registered Alternative Investment Funds (“AIFs”) were expected to adhere to. The PPM template inter-alia provided for disclosures under the term “Excuse and Exclusion” and “Direct Plan for investors and constituents of fees that may be charged by the AIFs”.Despite the PPM template, SEBI observed certain disclosure-related inconsistencies and lack of transparency. SEBI by way of circulars dated April 10, 2023, updated the regulatory framework by way of new guidelines to bring in consistency related to disclosures in the PPM.Continue Reading SEBI Codifies Norms for Excuse and Exclusion and Direct Plan for Investors

Financial Statement

Context

The cardinal principle of company law, as enshrined under Section 129(1) of the Companies Act, 2013 (“Companies Act”), is that the financial statements (“FS”) should give a ‘true and fair view’ of the state of affairs of the company, comply with the accounting standards notified under Section 133, and also be in the form provided for different classes of companies under Schedule III.Continue Reading Non-compliance with Accounting Standards – Will it amount to an FUTP Offence?

SEBI

The concept of promoter and promoter group of a listed company finds a mention in the SEBI regulations, and assumes significance as it impacts a wide range of M&A transactions involving listed companies. After closing in a change in control deal, one needs to follow the conditions prescribed in Regulation 31A of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 (LODR Regulations), to re-classify the outgoing promoter. The conditions in Regulation 31A are onerous, cumbersome, and not in consonance with the way the transacting parties and market participants think. We will also explain below how Regulation 31A is not in consonance with the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011 (Takeover Regulations), and does not reflect the realities of deal making and therefore, needs a change.Continue Reading Fresh Look Needed for Re-Classification of Promoters

SEBI

Background

SEBI has been progressively tightening the regulatory regime surrounding transactions impacting listed entities – beginning with the implementation of the Kotak Committee recommendations on related party transactions (RPTs) through amendments to the LODR Regulations on May 9, 2018. Shortly thereafter, in November, 2019, SEBI constituted a Working Group (WG) to re-examine the RPT provisions of LODR Regulations, which resulted in the markets regulator notifying amendments on November 9, 2021, which took effect from April 01, 2022. These amendments brought about a paradigm shift by making the RPT approval and disclosure requirements applicable to listed companies in India very expansive and stringent.Continue Reading Proposed Amendments to LODR on Agreements Affecting Listed Companies – Swatting Flies with a Sledgehammer?

SEBI Delisting Regime

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”), after much deliberation, replaced the 2009 SEBI Delisting Regulations with the SEBI Delisting Regulations in 2021. The current delisting regime is essentially under two routes, (i) voluntary delisting by the exiting promoters under the SEBI Delisting Regulations, and (ii) delisting by non-promoters/ third party acquirers under Regulation 5A of the SEBI Takeover Regulations.Continue Reading Need for Amendments to the Delisting Regime in India