Banking Regulation Act, 1949
15. Restrictions as to payment of dividend
[(1)] No banking company shall pay any
dividend on its shares until all its capitalized expenses (including
preliminary expenses, organization expenses, share selling commission,
brokerage, amounts of losses incurred and any other item of expenditure not
represented by tangible assets) have been completely written off.
[(2) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in sub-section (1) or in the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), a
banking company may pay dividends on its shares without writing off-
(i) the depreciation,
if any, in the value of its investments in approved securities in any case
where such depreciation has not actually been capitalized or otherwise
accounted for as a loss;
(ii) the depreciation,
if any, in the value of its investments in shares, debentures or bonds (other
than approved securities) in any case where adequate provision for such
depreciation has been made to the satisfaction of the auditor of the banking
company;
(iii) the bad debts,
if any, in any case where adequate provision for such debts has been made to
the satisfaction of the auditor of the banking company.]