Companies (Amendment) Act, 2000
94.
Substitution of new section for section 207.-
For
section 207 of the principal Act, the following section shall be substituted,
namely:- "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
declaration, to any sh reholder 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 years
and shall also be liable to a fine of one housand 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.".