Companies Act, 1956
Sec 67 -
Construction of references to offering shares or debentures to the public, etc.
(1) Any reference in this Act or in the
articles of a company to offering shares or debentures to the public shall,
subject to any provision to the contrary contained in this Act and subject also
to the provisions of sub-sections (3) and (4), be construed as including a
reference to offering them to any section of the public, whether selected as
members or debenture holders of the company concerned or as clients of the
person issuing the prospectus or in any other manner.
(2) Any reference in this Act or in the
articles of a company to invitations to the public to subscribe for shares or
debentures shall, subject as aforesaid, be construed as including a reference
to invitations to subscribe for them extended to any section of the public,
whether selected as members or debenture holders of the company concerned or as
clients of the person issuing the prospectus or in any other manner.
(3) No offer or invitation shall be treated as
made to the public by virtue of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), as the case
may be, if the offer or invitation can properly be regarded, in all circumstances
(a) as not being calculated to result,
directly or indirectly, in the shares or debentures becoming available for
subscription or purchase by persons other than those receiving the offer or
invitation ; or
(b) otherwise as being a domestic concern of the
persons making and receiving the offer or invitation.
Provided that nothing contained in this
sub-section shall apply in a case where the offer or invitation to subscribe
for shares or debentures is made to fifty persons or more :
Provided further that nothing contained in the
first proviso shall apply to the non-banking financial companies or public
financial institutions specified in section 4A of the Companies Act,
1956.
(3A) Notwithstanding anything contained in
sub-section (3), the Securities and Exchange Board of India shall, in
consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, by notification in the Official
Gazette, specify the guidelines in respect of offer or invitation made to the
public by a public financial institution specified under section 4A or
non-banking financial company's referred to in clause (f) of section 45-I of
the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (2 of 1934).
(4) Without prejudice to the generality of
sub-section (3), a provision in a company's articles prohibiting invitations to
the public to subscribe for shares or debentures, shall not be taken as
prohibiting the making to members or debenture holders of an invitation which
can properly be regarded in the manner set forth in that sub-section.
(5) The provisions of this Act relating to
private companies shall be construed in accordance with the provisions
contained in sub-sections (1) to (4).