CHAPTER XII
MEETINGS OF BOARD AND ITS POWERS

Meetings of Board

Notified Date of Section: 01/04/2014

173. 1,2&3[ (1) Every company shall hold the first meeting of the Board of Directors within thirty days of the date of its incorporation and thereafter hold a minimum number of four meetings of its Board of Directors every year in such a manner that not more than one hundred and twenty days shall intervene between two consecutive meetings of the Board:

Provided that the Central Government may, by notification, direct that the provisions of this sub-section shall not apply in relation to any class or description of companies or shall apply subject to such exceptions, modifications or conditions as may be specified in the notification.]

(2) The participation of directors in a meeting of the Board may be either in person or through video conferencing or other audio visual means, as may be prescribed, which are capable of recording and recognising the participation of the directors and of recording and storing the proceedings of such meetings along with date and time:

Provided that the Central Government may, by notification, specify such matters which shall not be dealt with in a meeting through video conferencing or other audio visual means.

5[Provided further that where there is quorum in a meeting through physical presence of directors, any other director may participate through video conferencing or other audio visual means in such meeting on any matter specified under the first proviso.]

(3) A meeting of the Board shall be called by giving not less than seven days’ notice in writing to every director at his address registered with the company and such notice shall be sent by hand delivery or by post or by electronic means:

Provided that a meeting of the Board may be called at shorter notice to transact urgent business subject to the condition that at least one independent director, if any, shall be present at the meeting:

Provided further that in case of absence of independent directors from such a meeting of the Board, decisions taken at such a meeting shall be circulated to all the directors and shall be final only on ratification thereof by at least one independent director, if any.

(4) Every officer of the company whose duty is to give notice under this section and who fails to do so shall be liable to a penalty of twenty-five thousand rupees.

4[(5) A One Person Company, small company and dormant company shall be deemed to have complied with the provisions of this section if at least one meeting of the Board of Directors has been conducted in each half of a calendar year and the gap between the two meetings is not less than ninety days:

Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section and in section 174 shall apply to One Person Company in which there is only one director on its Board of Directors.]

 

 Exceptions/ Modifications/ Adaptations

1. In case of Section 8 company - Section 173 (1) shall apply only to the extent that the Board of Directors, of such Companies shall hold at least one meeting within every six calendar months. - Notification dated 5th june, 2015.

2.  In case of Specified IFSC Public Company - In sub-section (1) of Section 173, after the proviso, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely:-

 “Provided further that a Specified IFSC public company shall hold the first meeting of the Board of Directors within sixty days of its incorporation and thereafter hold atleast one meeting of the Board of Directors in each half of a calendar year.”.  Notification Dated 4th January 2017.

3. In case of Specified IFSC Priavte Company - In sub-section (1) of Section 173 after the proviso, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely:-

 “Provided further that a Specified IFSC private company shall hold the first meeting of the Board of Directors within sixty days of its incorporation and thereafter hold atleast one meeting of the Board of Directors in each half of a calendar year.”.  Notification Dated 4th January 2017.

4. In case of Private Company - For Sub-section(5) of Section 173  the following sub-section shall be substituted, namely:-

(5) A One Person Company, small company, dormant company and a private company (if such private company is a start-up) shall be deemed to have complied with the provisions of this section if at least one meeting of the Board of Directors has been conducted in each half of a calendar year and the gap between the two meetings is not less than ninety days: - Notification Dated 13th June, 2017

 

Amendments 

5.Inserted by The Companies (Amendment) Act, 2017 :- Amendment Effective From 7th May 2018