Related Party Transactions can present a potential or actual conflict of interest which may be against the best interest of the company and its shareholders. Considering the requirements for approval of Related Party Transactions as prescribed under the Companies Act, 2013 (“the Act”) read with the Rules made thereunder, Board of Shubham Housing Development Finance Company Limited has framed this Policy on Related Party Transactions. This Policy has been adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company based on recommendations of the Audit Committee.
Section 177(4) of the Act deals with approval or any subsequent modification of transactions of the Company with related parties by the Audit Committee.
All Related Party Transactions pursuant to section 188 of the Act which are not in the ordinary course of business and / or not on an Arms’ length basis require prior approval of the Board and if such transactions cross the threshold limits prescribed under the Act, such transactions also require the approval of shareholders of the Company and the Related Party/ies with whom transactions are being entered shall abstain from voting on such resolution(s).
It also requires specified Related Party Transactions to be disclosed in the Board’s Report along with the justification for entering into such transactions.
As per the requirements of Notification No. NHB. HFC.CG-DIR.1/MD&CEO/2016 dated 9th February 2017 issued by the National Housing Bank (NHB) read with Circular No. NHB (ND)/DRS/Policy Circular No.79/2016-17 dated 27th April 2017 vide which the NHB notified the Housing Finance Companies – Corporate Governance (National Housing Bank) Directions, 2016, the company shall disclose the policy on dealing with Related Party Transactions on its website and also in the Annual Report.
The Objective of this policy is to set out (a) the materiality thresholds for related party transactions and (b) the manner of dealing with the transactions between the Company and its related parties based on the Act, and any other laws and regulations as may be applicable to the Company; and (c) lay down the guiding principles and mechanism to ensure proper approval, disclosure and reporting of transactions as applicable, between the Company and any of its related parties in the best interest of the Company and its stakeholders.
This Policy shall apply on transactions entered into by Company with Related Party/ies and shall be governed by the Act read with Rules made thereunder, as may be in force from time to time and regulations, if any, of NHB and other statutory laws, if applicable in this regard. Any references to statutory provisions shall be construed as references to those provisions as amended or re-enacted or as their application is modified by other statutory provisions (whether before or after the date hereof) from time to time and shall include any provisions of which they are re-enactments (whether with or without modification).
The Company shall be responsible, among others, for the following:
Any other term not defined herein shall have the same meaning as defined in the Act or any other applicable law or regulation.
Every Director will be responsible for providing a declaration in format provided by Company from time to time, containing the following information to the Company Secretary on an annual basis (preferably in first board meeting of beginning of financial year) and whenever there is a change in the information provided:
Each director is responsible for providing Notice to the Company Secretary of any potential Related Party Transaction, including any additional information about the transaction that the Board/Audit Committee may request, for being placed before the Audit Committee and the Board.
Provided that every Key Managerial Personnel who is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, concerned or interested in a contract or arrangement, or proposed contract or arrangement, entered into or to be entered into, by or on behalf of the Company, shall disclose the nature of his concern or interest to the Company. Provided further that in case of a proposed contract or arrangement, the disclosure shall be made on or before the meeting of Board at which the question of entering into the contract or arrangement is first taken into consideration or if he was not, at the date of that meeting, concerned or interested in the proposed contract or arrangement, on or before first meeting of Board held after he becomes so concerned or interested. In case of other contract or arrangement, the required disclosure shall be made on or before the first meeting of the Board held after the Key Managerial Personnel becomes concerned or interested in the contract or arrangement.
5.2.1 Prior approval of Audit Committee
All Related Party Transactions of the Company shall require prior approval of Audit Committee, whether at a meeting or by resolution by circulation. Any member of the Audit Committee who has a potential interest in any Related Party Transaction will not remain present at the meeting when such Related Party Transaction is considered.
The approval of the Audit Committee will be sought in the following manner:
a.) All Related Party Transactions will be submitted to the Audit Committee for prior approval irrespective of whether such transactions are in the ordinary course of business and / or at arm’s length or not.
b.) Where the Company has entered into a master agreement with a related party, which stipulates details of every transaction like nature of the transaction, basis of pricing, credit terms etc., the prior approval once given by the Audit Committee would suffice and Audit Committee would only note the transactions that are entered into pursuant to such master agreement and will not require any further approval of the Audit Committee unless there is any change in the terms of the master agreement.
The Audit Committee may grant omnibus approval for Related Party Transactions proposed to be entered into by the Company subject to the following conditions:
a.) The Audit Committee shall, after obtaining the approval of the Board of Directors, specify the criteria for granting the omnibus approval in line with the Policy on Related Party Transactions of the Company and such approval shall be applicable in respect of transactions which are repetitive in nature.
b.) The criteria for making the omnibus approval shall include the following:-
a. Repetitiveness of the transactions (in past or in future)
b. Justification for the need of omnibus approval.
c.) The Audit Committee shall satisfy itself on the need for omnibus approval and that such approval is in the interest of the Company;
d.) Such omnibus approval shall specify (i) the name/s of the related party (ii) nature and duration of transaction (iii) maximum amount of transaction that can be entered into, (iv) the indicative base price/current contracted price and the formula for variation in the price, if any and (v) such other conditions as the Audit Committee may deem fit;
e.) Provided that where the need for Related Party Transaction cannot be foreseen and aforesaid details are not available, Audit Committee may grant omnibus approval for such transactions subject to their value not exceeding Rs. One Crore per Transaction.
The Audit Committee shall review at such intervals as the Audit Committee may deem fit, the details of Related Party Transactions entered into by the Company pursuant to each of the omnibus approvals given.
Such omnibus approvals shall be valid for a period not exceeding one financial year and shall require fresh approvals after the expiry of one financial year.
Without prejudice to generality of provision contained in 5.2.1 omnibus approval shall not be granted for transactions in respect of selling or disposing of the undertaking of the Company.
Transactions with the related parties within the scope of Section 188 of the Act, other than transactions which are in the Ordinary Course of Business and at Arm’s Length basis shall require prior approval of the Board of Directors.
Where any Director is interested in any contract or arrangement with a related party, such Director shall not be present at the meeting during discussions on the subject matter of the resolution relating to such contract or arrangement.
If the following transactions with related parties are likely to exceed the thresholds prescribed under the Act, the same will require prior approval of the Board of Directors and the Shareholders:
a.) Not in the ordinary course of business but at arm’s length; or
No member of the Company shall vote on resolution if such a member is a related party in the context of the contract or arrangement which is being considered under the Act.
Where any contract or arrangement is entered into by a director or any other employee, without obtaining the prior consent of the Board or approval by a resolution in the general meeting and if it is not ratified by the Board or, as the case may be, by the shareholders at a meeting within three months from the date on which such contract or arrangement was entered into, such contract or arrangement shall be voidable at the option of the Board and if the contract or arrangement is with a related party to any director, or is authorized by any other director, the directors concerned shall indemnify the company against any loss incurred by it.
In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Policy and of the Companies Act, 2013 or any other statutory enactments, rules, the provisions of Companies Act, 2013 or statutory enactments, rules shall prevail over this Policy.
This policy shall be hosted on the Company's website. Every Related Party Transaction entered into by the Company shall be referred to in the Board’s report. Necessary entries shall be entered in the Register of Contracts required to be maintained under the Companies Act, 2013.
Last updated on 11.05.2017
