Companies Act, 1956
Sec 77 -
Restrictions on purchase by company, or loans by company for purchase, of its
own or its holding company's shares
(1) No company limited by shares, and no
company limited by guarantee and having a share capital, shall have power to
buy its own shares, unless the consequent reduction of capital is effected and
sanctioned in pursuance of sections 100 to 104 or of section 402.
(2) No public company, and no private company
which is a subsidiary of a public company, shall give, whether directly or
indirectly, and whether by means of a loan, guarantee, the provision of
security or otherwise, any financial assistance for the purpose of or in
connection with a purchase or subscription made or to be made by any person of
or for any shares in the company or in its holding company :
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall
be taken to prohibit :
(a) the lending of money by a banking company
in the ordinary course of its business ; or
(b) the provision by a company, in accordance
with any scheme for the time being in force, of money for the purchase of, or
subscription for, fully paid shares in the company or its holding company,
being a purchase or subscription by trustees of or for shares to be held by or
for the benefit of employees of the company, including any director holding a
salaried office or employment in the company ; or
(c) the making by a company of loans, within
the limit laid down in sub-section (3), to persons (other than directors or
managers) bonafide in the employment of the company with a view to enabling
those persons to purchase or subscribe for fully paid shares in the company or
its holding company to be held by themselves by way of beneficial ownership.
(3) No loan made to any person in pursuance of
clause (c) of the foregoing proviso shall exceed in amount his salary or wages
at that time for a period of six months.
(4) If a company acts in contravention of
sub-sections (1) to (3), the company, and every officer of the company who is
in default, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to ten thousand
rupees.
(5) Nothing in this section shall affect the
right of a company to redeem any shares issued under section 80 or under any
corresponding provision in any previous companies law.