Process For Removing A Director

A company is empowered to remove its directors before the expiry of their term, the powers of which is vested with the shareholders. This article deals with the process of removal of directors in a company. Non-compliance with any of the stipulated processes can make the decision void, if appealed in a court.

Basic Prerequisite

One of the common requisites in the various laws ordained involves providing the defendant or defaulter with an opportunity of being heard. It is no different with the removal of a director. The process of removal cannot not be initiated without providing this opportunity to the director who is to be removed.

Issue of Notice

The process of removal must be initiated by way of a notice. This notice must be processed by shareholders holding a minimum voting power of 1%; or who holds shares on which an aggregate sum of not more than Rs 5,00,000 has been paid up on the date of notice. Such a notice, known as special notice must be signed by all the members. The special notice must be delivered to the company at-least 14 days prior to the date of meeting, at which the resolution will be passed. It may be delivered earlier but wouldn’t be valid if issued before three months of the date of meeting.

Notice to Members

A copy of the notice must be sent to the director concerned, who in-turn is entitled to be heard on the resolution at the meeting, whether or not the director is a member of a company. The notice must be served at-least seven days, which is a week prior to the date of meeting. Alternatively, if the shareholders are unable to deliver the notice due to any reasonable circumstances, it can be published in two newspapers, one in English and the other in the regional language. In addition to this, the notice must mandatorily be posted on the company’s website, if it maintains any. Similar to the issuance of copy to the directors, the notice must be posted on the website at-least seven days prior to the date of meeting.

Representation in Writing

The concerned director can make a representation in writing to the company against the notice of removal. He/she is also entitled to make a plea to the company that the representation must be sent to all the members. Also, the members must be notified of the representation through a notice. If the company is unable to send the copies to all the members, the director may request for the representation to be read out at the meeting. The director is entitled to this right in addition to and without prejudice to his right to be heard orally.

Appeal to the Tribunal

If the organization or any aggrieved person decides against sending out the representation to the members or reading it out in a meeting, they can make an application to the Tribunal, requesting a nullification of the process. The Tribunal is entitled to annul the process, if it finds that the director uses this right to secure unnecessary publicity for defamatory matter. Further, the director is also bestowed with the right to issue an order demanding the director to cover the cost of application borne by the company.

To remove a director, get in touch with an IndiaFilings Advisor for completing the formalities.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Director Removal Process.

The basic prerequisite for removing a director is providing them with an opportunity of being heard. The process of removal cannot be initiated without giving the director who is to be removed a chance to present their case.

The process of removing a director must be initiated by issuing a special notice. This notice must be signed by shareholders holding a minimum voting power of 1% or holding shares worth an aggregate sum of not more than Rs 5,00,000 on the date of notice.

The special notice must be delivered to the company at least 14 days prior to the date of the meeting where the resolution for removal will be passed. It can be issued earlier, but not more than three months before the meeting date.

A copy of the special notice must be sent to the director concerned at least seven days before the meeting date. The director is entitled to be heard on the resolution at the meeting, whether or not they are a member of the company.

If the shareholders are unable to deliver the notice directly due to reasonable circumstances, it can be published in two newspapers (one in English and one in the regional language), and also mandatorily posted on the company's website, if it maintains one.

Yes, the concerned director can make a written representation to the company against the notice of removal. They are also entitled to request the company to send this representation to all the members or have it read out at the meeting.

If the company decides against sending the director's representation to the members or reading it out at the meeting, the director can make an application to the Tribunal, requesting a nullification of the removal process.

The Tribunal has the power to annul the removal process if it finds that the director is misusing their right to secure unnecessary publicity for defamatory matter. It can also order the director to cover the costs of the application borne by the company.

The article does not mention any specific voting requirement for passing the resolution to remove a director. It focuses more on the procedural aspects of issuing notices and providing opportunities for the director to be heard.

The article suggests that companies can get in touch with an IndiaFilings Advisor for completing the formalities involved in the process of removing a director.