Companies Act, 2013
152.
Appointment
of directors.
1. Where no provision is
made in the articles of a company for the appointment of the first director,
the subscribers to the memorandum who are individuals shall be deemed to be the
first directors of the company until the directors are duly appointed and in
case of a One Person Company an individual being member shall be deemed to be
its first director until the director or directors are duly appointed by the
member in accordance with the provisions of this section.
2. Save as otherwise
expressly provided in this Act, every director shall be appointed by the
company in general meeting.
3. No person shall be
appointed as a director of a company unless he has been allotted the Director
Identification Number under section 154.
4. Every person proposed
to be appointed as a director by the company in general meeting or otherwise,
shall furnish his Director Identification Number and a declaration that he is
not disqualified to become a director under this Act.
5. A person appointed as
a director shall not act as a director unless he gives his consent to hold the
office as director and such consent has been filed with the Registrar within
thirty days of his appointment in such manner as may be prescribed:
Provided
that in the case of appointment of an independent director in the general
meeting, an explanatory statement for such appointment, annexed to the notice
for the general meeting, shall include a statement that in the opinion of the
Board, he fulfils the conditions specified in this Act for such an appointment.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
a.
Unless
the articles provide for the retirement of all directors at every annual
general meeting, not less than two-thirds of the total number of directors of a
public company shall—
i.
be
persons whose period of office is liable to determination by retirement of
directors by rotation; and
ii.
save
as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, be appointed by the company in
general meeting.
a.
b.
The
remaining directors in the case of any such company shall, in default of, and
subject to any regulations in the articles of the company, also be appointed by
the company in general meeting.
c.
At
the first annual general meeting of a public company held next after the date
of the general meeting at which the first directors are appointed in accordance
with clauses (a ) and (b ) and at every subsequent annual general
meeting, one-third of such of the directors for the time being as are liable to
retire by rotation, or if their number is neither three nor a multiple of
three, then, the number nearest to one-third, shall retire from office.
d.
The
directors to retire by rotation at every annual general meeting shall be those
who have been longest in office since their last appointment, but as between
persons who became directors on the same day, those who are to retire shall, in
default of and subject to any agreement among themselves, be determined by lot.
e.
At
the annual general meeting at which a director retires as aforesaid, the
company may fill up the vacancy by appointing the retiring director or some
other person thereto.
Explanation. —For the purposes of
this sub-section, “total number of directors” shall not include independent
directors, whether appointed under this Act or any other law for the time being
in force, on the Board of a company.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
a.
If
the vacancy of the retiring director is not so filled-up and the meeting has
not expressly resolved not to fill the vacancy, the meeting shall stand
adjourned till the same day in the next week, at the same time and place, or if
that day is a national holiday, till the next succeeding day which is not a
holiday, at the same time and place.
b.
If
at the adjourned meeting also, the vacancy of the retiring director is not
filled up and that meeting also has not expressly resolved not to fill the
vacancy, the retiring director shall be deemed to have been re-appointed at the
adjourned meeting, unless—
i.
at
that meeting or at the previous meeting a resolution for the re-appointment of
such director has been put to the meeting and lost;
ii.
the
retiring director has, by a notice in writing addressed to the company or its
Board of directors, expressed his unwillingness to be so re-appointed;
iii.
he
is not qualified or is disqualified for appointment;
iv.
a
resolution, whether special or ordinary, is required for his appointment or
re-appointment by virtue of any provisions of this Act; or
v.
section
162 is applicable to the case.
Explanation .—For the purposes of
this section and section 160, the expression “retiring director” means a
director retiring by rotation.