22 Procedure to be followed for conducting business through postal ballot.

(1) Where a company is required or decides to pass any resolution by way of postal ballot, it shall send a notice to all the shareholders, along with a draft resolution explaining the reasons therefor and requesting them to send their assent or dissent in writing on a postal ballot because postal ballot means voting by post or through electronic means within a period of thirty days from the date of dispatch of the notice.

(2) The notice shall be sent either (a) by Registered Post or speed post, or (b) through electronic means like registered e-mail id or (c) through courier service for facilitating the communication of the assent or dissent of the shareholder to the resolution within the said period of thirty days.

(3) An advertisement shall be published at least once in a vernacular newspaper in the principal vernacular language of the district in which the registered office of the company is situated, and having a wide circulation in that district, and at least once in English language in an English newspaper having a wide circulation in that district, about having dispatched the ballot papers and specifying therein, inter alia, the following matters, namely:-

(a) a statement to the effect that the business is to be transacted by postal ballot which includes voting by electronic means;

(b) the date of completion of dispatch of notices;

(c) the date of commencement of voting;

(d) the date of end of voting;

(e) the statement that any postal ballot received from the member beyond the said date will not be valid and voting whether by post or by electronic means shall not be allowed beyond the said date;

(f) a statement to the effect that members, who have not received postal ballot forms may apply to the company and obtain a duplicate thereof; and

(g) contact details of the person responsible to address the grievances connected with the voting by postal ballot including voting by electronic means.

(4) The notice of the postal ballot shall also be placed on the website of the company forthwith after the notice is sent to the members and such notice shall remain on such website till the last date for receipt of the postal ballots from the members.

(5) The Board of directors shall appoint one scrutinizer, who is not in employment of the company and who, in the opinion of the Board can conduct the postal ballot voting process in a fair and transparent manner.

(6) The scrutinizer shall be willing to be appointed and be available for the purpose of ascertaining the requisite majority.

(7) If a resolution is assented to by the requisite majority of the shareholders by means of postal ballot including voting by electronic means, it shall be deemed to have been duly passed at a general meeting convened in that behalf.

(8) Postal ballot received back from the shareholders shall be kept in the safe custody of the scrutinizer and after the receipt of assent or dissent of the shareholder in writing on a postal ballot, no person shall deface or destroy the ballot paper or declare the identity of the shareholder.

(9) The scrutinizer shall submit his report as soon as possible after the last date of receipt of postal ballots but not later than seven days thereof;

(10) The scrutinizer shall maintain a register either manually or electronically to record their assent or dissent received, mentioning the particulars of name, address, folio number or client ID of the shareholder, number of shares held by them, nominal value of such shares, whether the shares have differential voting rights, if any, details of postal ballots which are received in defaced or mutilated form and postal ballot forms which are invalid.

(11) The postal ballot and all other papers relating to postal ballot including voting by electronic means, shall be under the safe custody of the scrutinizer till the chairman considers, approves and signs the minutes and thereafter, the scrutinizer shall return the ballot papers and other related papers or register to the company who shall preserve such ballot papers and other related papers or register safely.

(12) The assent or dissent received after thirty days from the date of issue of notice shall be treated as if reply from the member has not been received.

(13) The results shall be declared by placing it, along with the scrutinizer’s report, on the website of the company.

(14) The resolution shall be deemed to be passed on the date of at a meeting convened in that behalf.

(15) The provisions of rule 20 regarding voting by electronic means shall apply, as far as applicable, mutatis mutandis to this rule in respect of the voting by electronic means.

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