Can Private Company fill up the casual vacancy in the Board?

Section 161 of the Companies Act 2013 provides for appointment of additional, alternate and nominee director on the Board of the any Company. Sub section (4) provides that Board of Public Company can fill up the casual vacancy caused at the office of director (who is appointed by general meeting) before expiry of his tenure.

This clearly indicates that Act don’t permit the private Company’s Board to fill up the causal vacancy. It would be difficult to digest as to why it is so.  The entire scheme of the Act is based on bifurcation of Companies in to Small or non small, however in certain section like this, suddenly restriction is placed on the Private Company. I am not sure what is going to be achieved by this.

If you have a family owned company having 3 directors & if casual vacancy is created for 1 director, then remaining two can not by passing a Board resolution fill up the said vacancy.  They have to necessarily adopt the route of induction of a director on the Board as Additional Director.

Such additional director will have to be again appointed in the next Annual General Meeting. This act further requires depositing of Rs 1 lacs to the Company for the said election process.  Depositing of 1 lacs for election of family director is unnecessary.

If private Company has only two director and vacancy is created for 1 post, then remaining director can take necessary steps to fill up such vacancy & can appoint one more director.

There may not be a need to require a private company directorship candidate to deposit Rs 1 lacs. There should be a provisions available to Private Company to fill up the vacancy by passing a Board Resolution.

Hope sooner or later new government will adopt the prudent view by placing in required exemptions to small private companies who are majority in numbers in India.

Disclaimer: This document is a copyright of Makarand Lele. The entire contents of this document have been developed on the basis of relevant statutory provisions. Though the author has made utmost efforts to provide authentic information however, the author expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person who has read this document, or otherwise, in respect of anything, and of consequences of anything done, or omitted to be done by any such person in reliance upon the contents of this document. This is only a knowledge sharing initiative and author do not intend to solicit any business or profession.

 

 


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2 thoughts on “Can Private Company fill up the casual vacancy in the Board?”

  1. In a private Limited Company having authorised capital of Rs. 1,00,000 there is only two Directors who are Shareholder of 50-50% shares of the Company. Some time ago one of director is died and diseased Director was husband of second director. And both director has only a minor son. Article is silent about this. Than what should this company do for run company.

  2. CS Ramakrishna Gupta

    In case of Private Company, there is retirement of Directors by rotation. Normally, a Director in Casual Vacancy is appointed to hold the office for the remaining term of Original Director. In the absence of retirement of Directors in Private Company, there will not be remaining term of original director and hence filling a casual vacancy does not arise.

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