Companies Act, 1956
Sec 207 - Penalty for
failure to distribute dividends within thirty days.
Where a dividend has been declared by a company but has not been
paid, or the warrant in respect thereof has not been posted, within thirty days
from the date of the declaration, to any shareholder entitled to the payment of
the dividend, every director of the company shall, if he is knowingly a party
to the default, be punishable with simple imprisonment for a term which may
extend to three days and shall also be liable to fine of one thousand rupees
for every day during which such default continues and the company shall be
liable to pay simple interest at the rate of eighteen per cent per annum during
the period for which such default continues:
Provided that no offence shall be deemed to have been
committed within the meaning of the foregoing provisions in the following
cases, namely :-
(a) where the dividend could not be paid by
reason of the operation of any law ;
(b) where a shareholder has given directions
to the company regarding the payment of the dividend and those directions
cannot be complied with ;
(c) where there is a dispute regarding the
right to receive the dividend ;
(d) where the dividend has been lawfully
adjusted by the company against any sum due to it from the shareholder; or
(e) where, for any other reason, the failure
to pay the dividend or to post the warrant within the period aforesaid was not
due to any default on the part of the company.