SEBI extends validity period of IPOs, rights to one year
Curbs early exit from close-ended schemes.
Paul Noronha
Mr C. B. Bhave (right), Chairman, with Mr M.S. Sahoo, Whole-Time Member, SEBI,
at a press conference held in Mumbai on Thursday. -
Our Bureau
Mumbai, Dec. 4 Indian companies will now have one year's time to launch their
IPOs or rights issues after their draft prospectus has been cleared by SEBI.
The stock markets regulator at its board meeting on Thursday decided to extend
the validity of its approval for IPOs and rights issues from three months
currently, to one year, subject to updating of documents by the issuer.
In the past, many companies had to again file their draft red herring
prospectus if they failed to launch the IPO or rights issue within three months
getting SEBI's approval.
Mutual Funds
To ease redemption pressure on mutual funds, the board has curbed early exit
from close-ended schemes.
SEBI has also made it mandatory for all new close-ended schemes to be listed on
the stock exchanges. Schemes, which have been approved earlier but yet not
launched, will also have to list on the exchanges, said SEBI. Investors can now
make an early exit from such schemes only through the secondary market and not
through the fund house.
For such close-ended schemes, the underlying assets will not have a maturity
beyond the date on which the scheme expires, SEBI said.
To speed up and streamline the rights issue process, the board also approved
the introduction of an alternative mode of application i.e., ASBA mode
(application supported by blocked amount). Here the application money is
blocked in the applicant's bank account till the time of allotment of the
shares. The ASBA mode has already started functioning in the case of
application for IPOs through select SEBI-approved banks.
The board also approved electronic trading of "rights entitlement" in stock
exchanges.
The right entitlement will now be made available in demat form for all
shareholders holding the underlying shares in demat form.
Until now, a shareholder intending to renounce his/her rights entitlement had
to do it by applying physically through a designated application form.
Transparency measures
The board also decided to adopt a "code" for members of the board to avoid any
conflict of interest that may arise; this will be put up in the public domain
before December 12.
In order to bring transparency in the working of the board, the agenda papers
submitted to the board on all policy issues, and the minutes of the meeting
relating to such items will be made available in the public domain, said SEBI's
news release.
Accordingly, the agenda papers for Thursday's board meeting will be made
available on the SEBI Web site by December 15, said Sebi.
RSEs
SEBI board it is learnt also cleared the much-talked about exit option for RSEs
at its board meeting, although no formal announcement was made in the press
conference held later in the day.
According to sources, SEBI has created an exit option for RSEs, subject to
payment of statutory liabilities.
Also, the investor protection fund, with the RSEs will now be entrusted to SEBI.
In addition, the subsidiaries of the RSEs will be allowed to function as
independent brokers, said sources.
Mr T.V. Mohan Das Pai, Director - Human Resources, Infosys, the new nominee on
the SEBI Board also attended the meeting. Mr Pai has replaced the earlier
nominee Mr Venu Srinivasan, CMD, TVS Motors.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/12/05/stories/2008120552001000.htm
Who is wise? He that learns from everyone. Who is powerful? He that governs his
passions. Who is rich? He who is content. Who is that? Nobody
- Benjamin Franklin
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