ACCEPTANCE

OF
DEPOSITS
 •

CONTE NTS

Introduction 1
Definition of certain terms used 2
Prohibition of acceptance of deposit from public 6
Conditions for acceptance of deposit from members 7
Deposit repayment reserve 8
Deposits accepted before the commencement of the
Companies Act, 2013 8
Damages for fraud 9
Acceptance of deposits from public by certain
companies 10
Other remedies provided under Companies Act, 2013 11
Companies (Acceptance of Deposits) Rules, 2014
• Conditions as to acceptance of deposits
• Rate of interest of deposits/payment of brokerage
• Who is eligible to receive brokerage ?
• Form and particulars of advertisements/circulars
• Execution of deposit trust deed before
issuing advertisement
• Certain persons not to be appointed as deposit trustees
• Removal of deposit trustees
• Duties of deposit trustees
• Meeting of depositors through deposit trustee
• Form of application for deposits
• Nomination

(i)
• Furnishing of deposit receipts to depositors
• Maintenance of liquid assets and creation of
Deposit Repayment Reserve Account
• Alteration of any terms or conditions
• Registers of deposits
• General provisions regarding premature
repayment of deposits
• Return of deposits to be filed with the Registrar
• Penal rate of interest
• Power of Central Government to decide certain
questions
• Applicability of sections 73, 74 and 75 to
eligible companies
• Punishment for contravention

(ii)
 ACCEPTANCE OF DEPOSITS

Introduction
Section 73 to 76 of the Companies Act, 2013 (herein after
called the Act) read with Companies (Acceptance of Deposits)
Rules, 2014 made under Chapter V of the Act (herein after called
‘the Rules’) regulate the invitation and acceptance of deposits. It
prohibits acceptance of deposits except from the members
through ordinary resolution or acceptance deposits by “eligible
company “ being a public company, subject to conditions
specified in the rules. (Eligible company is defined under the
rules based on net worth and turnover).
The Act read with the Rules also deals with various aspects
including prohibition of acceptance of deposits except from the
members, subject to conditions, inclusive definition of
deposit, eligible company, depositor etc., conditions for
acceptance of deposits such as approval of shareholders in a
general meeting, credit rating, trustees of deposit holders etc., In
addition the act protect the interest of depositor through Section
37 and 245(class action suit by requisite number of depositors)of
the Act. In addition the act provides for stringent penalty for any
violations in complying with the provisions of this Act, in this
regard.
Proviso to Section 73(1) read with rule 1(3) of Companies
(Acceptance of Deposits) Rules 2014 excludes banking Companies,
non-banking financial companies as defined in the Reserve Bank
of India Act, 1934 and registered with Reserve Bank of India, a
housing finance company registered with National Housing Bank
established under the National Housing Bank Act 1987 and any
other company as may be specified by the government in this
regard.
1
2 Acceptance of Deposits

Definition of certain terms used

What is a deposit ?
Section 2(31) of the Companies Act (herein after called the
act) defines deposit as under
“deposit” includes any receipt of money by way of deposit
or loan or in any other form by a company, but does not
include such categories of amount as may be prescribed in
consultation with the Reserve Bank of India;
What is not a deposit ?
Inclusive Definition of the word “Deposit” under Rule 2(1)(c) of
Rules made under Chapter V is as under
“Deposit” includes any receipt of money by way of deposit
or loan or in any other form, by a company, but does not include-
(i) any amount received from the Central Government or a
State Government, or any amount received from any
other source whose repayment is guaranteed by the
Central Government or a State Government or any
amount received from a local authority, or any amount
received from a statutory authority constituted under
an Act of parliament or a state legislature;
(ii) any amount received from foreign Governments, foreign/
international banks, multilateral financial institutions
(including, but not limited to, International Finance
Corporation, Asian Development Bank, Commonwealth
Development Corporation and International Bank for
Industrial and Financial Reconstruction), foreign
government owned development financial institutions,
foreign export credit agencies, foreign collaborators,
foreign bodies corporate and foreign citizens, foreign
authorities or persons resident outside India subject to
the provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act,
1999 and rules and regulations made there under;
(iii) any amount received as a loan or facility from any
banking company or from the State Bank of India or
any of its subsidiary banks or from a banking institution
Acceptance of Deposits 3

notified by the Central Government under section 51 of

the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949), or a
corresponding new bank as defined in clause (d) of
section 2 of the Banking Companies (Acquisition and
Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980 (5 of 1970), or from
a co-operative bank as defined in clause (b-ii) of section 2
of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (2 of 1934);
(iv) any amount received as a loan or financial assistance
from Public Financial Institutions notified by the Central
Government in this behalf in consultation with the Reserve
Bank of India, regional financial institutions, Insurance
Companies, Scheduled Banks as defined in the Reserve
Bank of India Act, 1934;
(v) any amount received against issue of commercial paper
or any other instrument issued in accordance with the
guidelines or notification issued by the Reserve Bank of
India;
(vi) any amount received by a company from any other
company;
(vii) any amount received and held pursuant to an offer made
in accordance with the provisions of the Act towards
subscription to any securities, including share application
money or advance towards allotment of securities pending
allotment, so long as such amount is appropriated only
against the amount due on allotment of the securities
applied for. If the securities for which application money
or advance for such securities was received cannot be
allotted within 60 days from the date of receipt of the
application money or advance for such securities and
such application money or advance is not refunded to
the subscribers within 15 days from the date of
completion of sixty days, such amount shall be treated
as a deposit under these rules. For the purpose of this
rule any adjustment of the amount for any other purpose
will not be treated as refund;
(viii) any amount received from a person who, at the time of
the receipt of the amount, was a director of the company.
4 Acceptance of Deposits

The director from whom money is received, furnishes to

the company at the time of giving the money, a declaration
in writing to the effect that the amount is not being
given out of funds acquired by him by borrowing or
accepting loans or deposits from others;
(ix) any amount raised by the issue of bonds or debentures
secured by a first charge or a charge ranking pari passu
with the first charge on any assets referred to in Schedule
III of the Act excluding intangible assets of the company
or bonds / debentures compulsorily convertible into shares
of the company within ten years. If such bonds or
debentures are secured by the charge of any assets
referred to in Schedule III of the Act excluding intangible
assets, the amount of such bonds or debentures shall
not exceed the market value of such assets as assessed
by a registered valuer;

Any amount raised by issue of non-convertible

debenture not constituting a charge on the assets of the
company and listed on a recognised stock exchange as
per applicable regulations made by Securities and
Exchange Board of India;
(x) any amount received from an employee not exceeding
his annual salary, under a contract of employment
with the company in the nature of non-interest bearing
security deposit;
(xi) any non-interest bearing amount received or held in trust;
(xii) any amount received in the course of or for the purposes
of the business of the company:
(a) as an advance for the supply of goods or provision of
services provided that such advance is appropriated
against supply of goods or provision of services within
a period of three hundred and sixty five days from
acceptance of such advance. In case of any advance
which is subject matter of any legal proceedings before
any court of law, the said time limit of three hundred
and sixty five days shall not apply.
(b) as advance, accounted for in any manner whatsoever,
received in connection with consideration for an
immovable property under an agreement or
arrangement, provided that such advance is
adjusted against such property in accordance
Acceptance of Deposits 5
with the terms of agreement or arrangement
(c) as security deposit for the performance of the contract
for supply of goods or provision of services.

(d) as advance received under long term projects or for

supply of capital goods except those covered under
item (b) above.

(e) as an advance towards consideration for providing future

services in the form of a warranty or maintenance contract
as per written agreement or arrangement, if the period for
providing such services does not exceed the period
prevalent as per common business practice or five years,
from the date of acceptance of such service whichever is
less;
(f) as an advance received and as allowed by any sectoral
regulator or in accordance with directions of Central or
State Government;
(g) as an advance for subscription towards publication, whether
in print or in electronic to be adjusted against receipt of
such publications;“

If the amount received under (a) (b) and (d) above becomes
refundable (with or without interest) because the
company accepting the money does not have necessary
permission or approval to deal in the goods or properties
or services for which the money is taken, the amount
received shall be deemed to be a Deposit under these
rules. the purposes of this sub-clause the amount shall
be deemed to be deposits on the expiry of fifteen days
from the date they become due for refund.

(xiii) any amount brought in by the promoters of the company

by way of unsecured loan in pursuance of the stipulation
of any lending financial institution or a bank subject to
fulfillment of the following conditions:-

(a) the loan is brought in pursuance of the stipulation

imposed by the lending institutions on the promoters
to contribute such finance; and

(b) the loan is provided by the promoters themselves or

by their relatives or by both; and

(c) the exemption under this sub-clause shall be available

only till the loans of financial institution or bank are
 6 Acceptance of Deposits
repaid and not thereafter.

(xiv) any amount accepted by a Nidhi Company in accordance

with the rules made under Section 406 of the Act.

For the purposes of this clause, any amount.-

(a) received by the company, whether in the form of

instalments or otherwise, from a person with promise
or offer to give returns, in cash or in kind, on
completion of the period specified in the promise or
offe r, or earlier, accounted for in any manner
whatsoever, or

(b) any additional contributions, over and above the

amount under item (a) above, made by the company
as part of such promise or offer, shall be treated as a
deposit.

(xv) any amount received by way of subscription in

respect of a chit under the Chit Fund Act, 1982 (40 of
1982);

(xvi) any amount received by the company under any

collective investment scheme in compliance with
regulations framed by the Securities and Exchange
Board of India;

(xvii) an amount of twenty five lakh rupees or more

received by a start-up company, by way of a
convertible note (convertible into equity shares or
repayable within a period not exceeding ten
years from the date of issue) in a single tranche, from
a person.
Explanation.- For the purposes of this sub-clause,-
I. “start-up company” means a private company
incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 or
Companies Act, 1956 and recognised as such in
accordance with notification number G.S.R. 127 (E),
dated the 19th February, 2019 issued by the
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal
Trade;
II. “convertible note” means an instrument evidencing
receipt of money initially as a debt, which is
repayable at the option of the holder, or which is
convertible into such number of equity shares of the
Acceptance of Deposits 7
start-up company upon occurrence of specified
events and as per the other terms and conditions
agreed to and indicated in the instrument.
(xviii) any amount received by a company from Alternate
Investment Funds, Domestic Venture Capital
Funds, "Infrastructure Investment Trusts" [Real
Estate Investment Trusts] and Mutual Funds
registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of
India in accordance with regulations made by it

Who is depositor ?
Rule 2(1)(d) under Chapter XV defines depositor as under
‘Depositor’ means-
(i) any member of the company who has made a deposit
with the company in accordance with sub-section (2) of
section 73 of the Act, or
(ii) any person who has made a deposit with a public
company in accordance with section 76 of the Act.
Who is an Eligible Company ?
Rule 2(1)(e) of Rules made under Chapter V defines eligible company
as under :
“Eligible company” means a public company as referred to
in sub- section (1) of section 76, having a net worth of not less
than one hundred crore rupees or a turnover of not less than
five hundred crore rupees and which has obtained the prior
consent of the company in general meeting by means of a special
resolution and also filed the said resolution with the Registrar
of Companies and where applicable, with the Reserve Bank of
India before making any invitation to the Public for acceptance
of Deposits;
Provided that an eligible company, which is accepting deposits
within the limits specified under clause (c) of sub-section (1) of
section 180, may accept deposits by means of an ordinary
resolution;
“Trustee” means the Trustee as defined in section 3 of the
Indian Trusts Act, 1882.
Prohibition on acceptance of deposits from public
Section 73(1) states that, no company shall invite, accept or
renew deposits under this Act from the public except in a manner
provided under Chapter V.
 8 Acceptance of Deposits

Exceptions
Section 73(1) prohibition, does not apply to
— a banking company; and
— non- banking financial company as defined in the Reserve
Bank of India Act, 1934; and
— to such other company as the Central Government may,
after consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, specify
in this behalf.
Conditions for acceptance of deposits from Members
Section 73(2) states that a company may, subject to
(i) the passing of a resolution in general meeting; and
(ii) subject to such rules as may be prescribed in consultation
with the Reserve Bank of India,
accept deposits from its members on such terms and conditions,
including the provision of security, if any, or for the repayment
of such deposits with interest, as may be agreed upon between
the company and its members, subject to the fulfilment of the
following conditions, namely:—
(a) issuance of a circular to its members including therein a
statement showing the financial position of the company,
the credit rating obtained, the total number of depositors
and the amount due towards deposits in respect of any
previous deposits accepted by the company and such
other particulars in such form and in such manner as
may be prescribed;
(b) filing a copy of the circular along with such statement
with the Registrar within thirty days before the date of
issue of the circular;
(c) depositing such sum which shall not be less than fifteen
per cent. of the amount of its deposits maturing during
a financial year and the financial year next following,
and kept in a scheduled bank in a separate bank account
to be called as deposit repayment reserve account;
Acceptance of Deposits 9

(d) certifying that the company has not committed any

default in the repayment of deposits accepted either before
or after the commencement of this Act or payment of
interest on such deposits; and
(e) providing security, if any for the due repayment of the
amount of deposit or the interest thereon including the
creation of such charge on the property or assets of the
company. In case when a company does not secure the
deposits or secures such deposits partially, then, the
deposits shall be termed as ‘‘unsecured deposits’’ and
shall be so quoted in every circular, form, advertisement
or in any document related to invitation or acceptance of
deposits.
Section 73(3) states that every deposit accepted by a company
under sub-section (2) shall be repaid with interest in accordance
with the terms and conditions of the agreement referred to in
that sub-section.
Section 73(4) states that when a company fails to repay the
deposit or part thereof or any interest thereon under sub-
section (3), the depositor concerned may apply to the Tribunal
for an order directing the company to pay the sum due or for
any loss or damage incurred by him as a result of such non-
payment and for such other orders as the Tribunal may deem
fit.
Deposit Repayment reserve
Section 73(5) states that the deposit repayment reser ve
account referred to in clause (c) of sub-section (2) shall not be
used by the company for any purpose other than repayment
of deposits.
Deposit accepted before the commencement of the Act
Section 74(1) states that when, in respect of any deposit
accepted by a company before the commencement of this Act,
the amount of such deposit or part thereof or any interest due
 10 Acceptance of Deposits

thereon remains unpaid on such commencement or becomes

due at any time thereafter, the company shall—
(a) file, within a period of three months from such
commencement or from the date on which such
payments, are due, with the Registrar a statement of all
the deposits accepted by the company and sums
remaining unpaid on such amount with the interest
payable thereon along with the arrangements made for
such repayment, notwithstanding anything contained
in any other law for the time being in force or under the
terms and conditions subject to which the deposit was
accepted or any scheme framed under any law; and
(b) repay within one year from such commencement or from
the date on which such payments are due, whichever is
earlier.
Section 74(2) states that the tribunal may on an application
made by the company, after considering the financial condition
of the company, the amount of deposit or part thereof and the
interest payable thereon and such other matters, allow further
time as considered reasonable to the company to repay the
deposit.
Section 74(3) states that if a company fails to repay the
deposit or part thereof or any interest thereon within the time
specified in sub-section (1) or such further time as may be
allowed by the Tribunal under sub-section (2), the company
shall, in addition to the payment of the amount of deposit or
part thereof and the interest due, be punishable with fine which
shall not be less than one crore rupees but which may extend
to ten crore rupees and every officer of the company who is in
default shall be punishable with imprisonment which may
extend to seven years or with fine which shall not be less than
twenty-five lakh rupees but which may extend to two crore
rupees, or with both.
Damages for fraud
Section 75(1) states that when a company fails to repay the
deposit or part thereof or any interest thereon referred to in
section 74 within the time specified in sub-section (1) of that
Acceptance of Deposits 11

section or such further time as may be allowed by the Tribunal

under sub-section (2) of that section, and it is proved that the
deposits had been accepted with intent to defraud the depositors
or for any fraudulent purpose, every officer of the company
who was responsible for the acceptance of such deposit shall,
without prejudice to the provisions contained in sub-section (3)
of that section and liability under section 447, be personally
responsible, without any limitation of liability, for all or any of
the losses or damages that may have been incurred by the
depositors.
Section 75(2) states that any suit, proceedings or other action
may be taken by any person, group of persons or any association
of persons who had incurred any loss as a result of the failure
of the company to repay the deposits or part thereof or any
interest thereon.
Acceptance of deposit from public by certain companies
Section 76(1) states that notwithstanding anything contained
in section 73, a public company, having such net worth or
turnover as may be prescribed, may accept deposits from persons
other than its members subject to compliance with the
requirements provided in sub-section (2) of section 73 and subject
to such rules as the Central Government may, in consultation
with the Reserve Bank of India, prescribe.
Such a company shall be required to obtain the rating
(including its networth, liquidity and ability to pay its deposits
on due date) from a recognised credit rating agency for informing
the public the rating given to the company at the time of
invitation of deposits from the public which ensures adequate
safety and the rating shall be obtained for every year during
the tenure of deposits.
Every company accepting secured deposits from the public
shall within thirty days of such acceptance, create a charge on
its assets of an amount not less than the amount of deposits
accepted in favour of the deposit holders in accordance with
such rules as may be prescribed.
Section 76(2) states that the provisions of this Chapter shall,
 12 Acceptance of Deposits

mutatis mutandis, apply to the acceptance of deposits from

public under this section.
Other remedies provided under Companies Act, 2013
As per Section 245(1)(g) requisite number of depositor or
depositors may, if they are of the opinion that the management
or conduct of the affairs of the company are being conducted
in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the company or its
members or depositors, file an application before the Tribunal
on behalf of the depositors for seeking orders including claiming
damages or compensation or demand any other suitable action
from or against—
— the company or its directors for any fraudulent, unlawful
or wrongful act or omission or conduct or any likely act
or omission or conduct on its or their part;
— the auditor including audit firm of the company for any
improper or misleading statement of particulars made in
his audit report or for any fraudulent, unlawful or
wrongful act or conduct; or
— any expert or advisor or consultant or any other person
for any incorrect or misleading statement made to the
company or for any fraudulent, unlawful or wrongful
act or conduct or any likely act or conduct on his part;
— to seek any other remedy as the Tribunal may deem fit.
Section 245 (2) states that when the depositors seek any
damages or compensation or demand any other suitable action
from or against an audit firm, the liability shall be of the firm
as well as of each partner who was involved in making any
improper or misleading statement of particulars in the audit
report or who acted in a fraudulent, unlawful or wrongful
manner.
Section 245(3)(ii) states that the requisite number of depositors
provided in sub-section (1) shall not be less than one hundred
depositors or not less than such percentage of the total number
of depositors as may be prescribed, whichever is less, or any
depositor or depositors to whom the company owes such
percentage of total deposits of the company as may be prescribed.
Acceptance of Deposits 13

Rules under Chapter V

Rule 3 - Terms and conditions as to acceptance of deposits
Rule 3 under Chapter V states that on and from the
commencement of these rules,—
— No company under sub-section (2) of section 73 and no
eligible company shall accept or renew any deposit,
whether secured or unsecured, which is repayable on
demand or upon receiving a notice, within a period of
less than six months or more than thirty-six months
from the date of acceptance or renewal of such deposit:
Exceptions
A company may, for the purpose of meeting any of its short-
term requirements of funds, accept or renew such deposits for
repayment earlier than six months from the date of deposit or
renewal, as the case may be, subject to the condition that-
(a) such deposits shall not exceed ten per cent of the aggregate
of the paid up share capital and free reserves of the
company, and
(b) such deposits are repayable not earlier than three months
from the date of such deposit or renewal thereof.
Deposits may be accepted in joint names not exceeding three,
with or without any of the clauses, namely, “Jointly”, “Either
or Survivor ”, “First named or Survivor”, “Anyone or Survivor ”,
if the depositors desires so.
Rule 3(3) states that no company referred to in sub-section
(2) of section 73 shall accept or renew any deposits if the amount
of such deposits together with the amount of other deposits
outstanding as on the date of acceptance or renewal of such
deposits exceeds 25 per cent of the aggregate of the paid-up
share capital and free reserves of the company.
Rule 3(4) states that no Eligible company shall accept or renew
(a) Any deposit from its members, if the amount of such
deposit together with the amount of deposits outstanding
as on the date of acceptance or renewal of such deposits
14 Acceptance of Deposits

from members exceeds ten per cent of the aggregate of

the paid-up share capital and free reser ves of the
company;
(b) Any other deposit, if the amount of such deposit together
with the amount of such other deposits, other than the
deposit referred to in (a) above, together with the amount
of deposits outstanding on the date of acceptance or
renewal exceeds twenty-five per cent of aggregate of the
paid-up share capital and free reserves of the company.

Provided that a Specified IFSC Public company and a

private company may accept from its members monies
not exceeding one hundred per cent. of aggregate of the
paid up share capital, free reserves and securities
premium account and such company shall file the details
of monies so accepted to the Registrar in Form DPT-3.

Explanation.- For the purpose of this rule, a Specified

IFSC Public company means an unlisted public company
which is licensed to operate by the Reserve Bank of India
or the Securities and Exchange Board of India or the
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of
India from the International Financial Services Centre
located in an approved multi services Special Economic
Zone set-up under the Special Economic Zones Act 2005
(28 of 2005) read with the Special Economic Zones
Rules, 2006:
Provided further that the maximum limit in respect of
deposits to be accepted from members shall not apply to
following classes of private companies, namely:-
i. a private company which is a start-up, for ten years
from the date of its incorporation;

ii. a private company which fulfils all of the following

conditions, namely:-
a) which is not an associate or a subsidiary company of
any other company;
b) the borrowings of such a company from banks or
financial institutions or any body corporate is less
than twice of its paid up share capital or fifty crore
rupees, whichever is less ; and
c) such a company has not defaulted in the repayment of
such borrowings subsisting at the time of accepting
deposits under section 73:
Acceptance of Deposits 15
Provided also that all the companies accepting deposits shall
file the details of monies so accepted to the Registrar in Form
DPT-3.

Rule 3(5) - deposits by Government Companies

No Government company eligible to accept deposits under
section 76 shall accept or renew any deposit, if the amount of
such deposits together with the amount of other deposits
outstanding as on the date of acceptance or renewal exceeds
thirty five per cent. of the aggregate of its paid up share capital
and free reserves of the company.

Rule 3(6) -Rate of interest of deposits/payment of brokerage

Rule 3(6) states that no company under sub-section (2) of
section 73 or any Eligible company shall invite or accept or
renew any deposits in any form, carrying a rate of interest or
pay brokerage thereon at a rate exceeding the maximum rate of
interest or brokerage prescribed by the Reserve Bank of India
for acceptance of deposits by non-banking financial companies.
Who is eligible to receive brokerage ?
Only the person who is authorized, in writing, by a company
to solicit deposits on its behalf and through whom deposits are
actually procured will be entitled to the brokerage and payment
of brokerage to any other person for procuring deposits shall
be deemed to be in violation of these Rules.
Rule 3(7) states that the company shall not reserve to itself
either directly or indirectly a right to alter, to the prejudice or
disadvantage of the depositor, any of the terms and conditions
of the deposit and deposit trust deed after circular or circular in
the form of advertisement is issued and deposits are accepted.
14 Acceptance of Deposits

Rule 4 - Form and particulars of advertisements/circulars

(1) Every company referred to in sub-section (2) of
section 73 intending to invite deposit from its members
shall issue a circular to all its members by registered post
with acknowledgement due or speed post or by electronic
mode in Form DPT-1. In addition to issue of such circular
to all members in the manner specified above, the circular
may be published in English language in an English
newspaper and in vernacular language in a vernacular
newspaper having wide circulation in the State in which
the registered office of the company is situated.

Provided that a certificate of the statutory auditor of the

company shall be attached in Form DPT-1, stating that the
company has not committed default in the repayment of
deposits or in the payment of interest on such deposits accepted
either before or after the commencement of the Act and in case
a company had committed a default in the repayment of
deposits accepted either before or after the commencement of
the Act or in the payment of interest on such deposits, a
certificate of the statutory auditor of the company shall be
attached in Form DPT-1, stating that the company had made
good the default and a period of five years has lapsed since the
date of making good the default as the case may be
(2) Every eligible company intending to invite deposits shall
issue a circular in the form of an advertisement in Form
DPT-1 for the purpose in English language in an English
newspaper and in vernacular language in one vernacular
newspaper having wide circulation in the State in which
the registered office of the company is situated.
(3) Every company inviting deposits from the public shall
upload a copy of the circular on its website, if any.
(4) No company shall issue or allow any other person to
issue or cause to be issued on its behalf, any circular or a
circular in the form of advertisement inviting deposits,
unless such circular or circular in the for m of
advertisement is issued on the authority and in the name
of the Board of directors of the company.
(5) No circular or a circular in the form of advertisement
shall be issued by or on behalf of a company unless, not
less than thirty days before the date of such issue, there
has been delivered to the Registrar for registration a copy
Acceptance of Deposits 15
thereof signed by a majority of the directors of the
company as constituted at the time the Board approved
the circular or circular in the form of advertisement, or
their agents, duly authorised by them in writing.
(6) A circular or circular in the form of advertisement issued
shall be valid until the expiry of six months from the
date of closure of the financial year in which it is issued
or until the date on which the financial statement is laid
 16 Acceptance of Deposits

before the company in annual general meeting or, where

the annual general meeting for any year has not been
held, the latest day on which that meeting should have
been held in accordance with the provisions of the Act,
whichever is earlier, and a fresh circular or circular in the
form of advertisement shall be issued, in each succeeding
financial year, for inviting deposits during that financial
year.
For the purpose of this rule, the date of the issue of the
newspaper in which the advertisement appears shall be taken
as the date of issue of the advertisement and the effective date
of issue of circular shall be the date of dispatch of the circular.

Rule 6 – Creation of Security

(1) For the purposes of providing security, every company
referred to in sub-section (2) of section 73 and every
eligible company inviting secured deposits shall provide
for security by way of a charge on its assets as referred
to in Schedule III of the Act excluding intangible assets of
the company for the due repayment of the amount of
deposit and interest thereon. In the case of deposits which
are secured by the charge on the assets referred to in
Schedule III of the Act excluding intangible assets, the
amount of such deposits and the interest payable thereon
shall not exceed the market value of such assets as
assessed by a registered valuer.
For the purposes of proviso to sub-clause (ix) of clause
Acceptance of Deposits 17

(c) of sub-rule (1) of rule 2 and this sub-rule, it is hereby

clarified that pending notification of sub-section (1) of
section 247 of the Act and finalisation of qualifications
and experience of valuers, valuation of stocks, shares,
debentures, securities etc. shall be conducted by an
independent merchant banker who is registered with the
Securities and Exchange Board of India or an independent
chartered accountant in practice having a minimum
experience of ten years.
(2) The security (not being in the nature of a pledge) for
deposits as specified in sub-rule (1) shall be created in
favour of a trustee for the depositors on:
(a) specific movable property of the company, or
(b) specific immovable property of the company wherever
situated, or any interest therein.
Rule 7 – Appointment of deposit trustees.
Consent of deposit trustees with respect to their appointment
No company under sub-section (2) of section 73 or any
eligible company shall issue a circular or advertisement inviting
secured deposits unless the company has appointed one or more
deposit trustees for creating security for the deposits. A written
consent shall be obtained from the deposit trustee(s) before their
appointment and a statement shall appear in the circular or
circular in the form of advertisement with reasonable prominence
to the effect that the deposit trustee(s) have given their consent
to the company to be so appointed.
Execution of deposit trust deed before issuing advertisement
The company shall execute a deposit trust deed in Form No.
DPT-2 at least 7 days before issuing the circular or circular in
the form of advertisement.
Certain persons not to be appointed as deposit trustees
No person including a company that is in the business of
providing trusteeship services shall be appointed as a trustee
for the deposit holders, if the proposed trustee -
(a) is a director, key managerial personnel or any other officer
18 Acceptance of Deposits

or an employee of the company or of its holding,

subsidiary or associate company or a depositor in the
company;
(b) is indebted to the company, or its subsidiary or its holding
or associate company or a subsidiary of such holding
company;
(c) has any material pecuniary relationship with the
company;
(d) has entered into any guarantee arrangement in respect
of principal debts secured by the deposits or interest
thereon;
(e) is related to any person specified in clause (a) above.
Removal of deposit trustees
No deposit trustee may be removed from office after the
issue of circular or advertisement and before the expiry of his
term except with the consent of all the directors present at a
meeting of the board. In case the company is required to appoint
independent directors, at least one independent director shall be
present in such meeting of the Board
Duties of deposit trustees.
It shall be the duty of every deposit trustee to -
(1) ensure that the assets of the company on which charge
is created are sufficient to cover the repayment of the
principal amount of secured deposits outstanding and
interest accrued thereon;
(2) satisfy himself that the circular or advertisement inviting
deposits does not contain any information which is
inconsistent with the terms of the deposit scheme or
with the trust deed and is in compliance with the rules
and provisions of the Act;
(3) ensure that the company does not commit any breach
of covenants and provisions of the trust deed;
(4) take such reasonable steps as may be necessary to procure
Acceptance of Deposits 19

a remedy for any breach of covenants of the trust deed

or the terms of invitation of deposits;
(5) take steps to call a meeting of the holders of depositors
as and when such meeting is required to be held;
(6) supervise the implementation of the conditions regarding
creation of security for deposits;
(7) do such acts as are necessary in the event the security
becomes enforceable;
(8) carry out such acts as are necessary for the protection of
the interest of depositors and to resolve their grievances.
Rule 9 - Meeting of depositors through deposit trustee
The meeting of all the depositors shall be called by the deposit
trustee on - (1) requisition in writing signed by at least one-
tenth of the depositors in value for the time being outstanding;
(2) the happening of any event, which constitutes a default or
which in the opinion of the deposit trustee affects the interest
of the depositors.
Rule 10 - Form of application for deposits
(i) On and from the commencement of these rules, no
company shall accept, or renew any deposit, whether
secured or unsecured, unless an application, in the form
prescribed by the company, is submitted by the intending
depositor for the acceptance of such deposit.
(ii) The application referred to in rule 18(i) shall contain a
declaration by the intending depositor to the effect that
the deposit is not being made out of any money borrowed
by him from any other person.
Rule 11 - Nomination
A depositor may, at any time, make a nomination and the
provisions of section 72 shall, as far as may be, apply to the
nomination made under this Rule.
Rule 12 - Furnishing of deposit receipts to depositors
Every company shall, on the acceptance or renewal of a
20 Acceptance of Deposits

deposit, furnish to the depositor or his agent a deposit receipt

for the amount received by the company, within a period of
two weeks from the date of receipt of money or realization of
cheques.
Deposit receipt referred to above shall be signed by an officer
of the company duly authorized by the Board in this behalf
and shall state the date of deposit, the name and address of the
depositor, the amount received by the company as deposit, the
rate and periodicity of interest payable thereon and the date on
which the deposit is repayable.
Rule 13 - Maintenance of liquid assets and creation of Deposit
Repayment Reserve Account
Every company referred to in sub-section (2) of section 73
and every eligible company shall on or before the 30th day of
April of each year deposit the sum as specified in clause (c) of
the said sub-section with any scheduled bank and the amount
so deposited shall not be utilised for any purpose other than for
the repayment of deposits. The amount remaining deposited
shall not at any time fall below twenty per cent. of the amount
of deposits maturing, until the end of the current financial year
and the next financial year.
Rule 14 - Registers of deposits
(1) Every company accepting deposits shall, from the date
of such acceptance, keep at its registered office one or
more separate registers for deposits accepted/renewed,
in which there shall be entered separately in the case of
each depositor the following particulars, namely:
(a) Name, address and PAN of the depositor/s;
(b) Particulars of guardian, in case of a minor;
(c) Particulars of the nominee;
(d) Deposit receipt number;
(e) Date and amount of each deposit;
(f) Duration of the deposit and the date on which each
deposit is repayable;
Acceptance of Deposits 21

(g) Rate of interest;

(h) Due date(s) for payment of interest;
(i) Mandate and instructions for payment of interest and
for non-deduction of tax at source, if any;
(j) Date or dates on which payment of interest will be
made;

(k) Particulars of other security/ charge created;

(l) Any other particulars relating to the deposit;
(2) Entries in the register shall be made within seven days
from the date of issuance of the deposit receipt and such
entries shall be authenticated by a director or secretary
of the company or by any other officer authorized by
the Board for this purpose.
(3) The register or registers referred to in sub-rule (1) shall
be preserved in good order for a period of not less than
eight years from the financial year in which the latest
entry is made in the register.
Rule 15 - General provisions regarding premature repayment of
deposits
When a company makes a repayment of deposits, on the
request of the depositor, after the expiry of a period of six months
from the date of such deposit but before the expiry of the period
for which such deposit was accepted, the rate of interest payable
on such deposit shall be reduced by one per cent. from the rate
which the company would have paid had the deposit been
accepted for the period for which such deposit had actually run
and the company shall not pay interest at any rate higher than
the rate so reduced. Nothing contained in this rule shall apply
to the repayment of any deposit before the expiry of the period
for which such deposit was accepted by the company, if such
repayment is made solely for the purpose of—
(a) complying with the provisions of rule 3; or
22 Acceptance of Deposits

(b) providing war risk or other related benefits to the

personnel of the naval, military or air forces or to their
families, on an application made by the associations or
societies formed by such personnel, during the period
of emergency declared under article 352 of the
Constitution:
When a company referred to in under sub-section (2) of
section 73 or any eligible company permits a depositor to renew
his deposit, before the expiry of the period for which such deposit
was accepted by the company, for availing of a higher rate of
interest, the company shall pay interest to such depositor at
the higherrate if such deposit is renewed in accordance with the
other provisions of these rules and for a period longer than the
unexpired period of the deposit. For the purposes of this rule,
where the period for which the deposit had run contains any
part of a year, then, if such part is less than six months, it shall
be excluded and if such part is six months or more, it shall be
reckoned as one year.
Rule 16 - Return of deposits to be filed with the Registrar
Every company to which these rules apply, shall on or before
the 30th day of June, of every year, file with the Registrar, a
return in Form DPT-3 along with the fee as provided in Companies
(Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014 and furnish the
information contained therein as on the 31st day of March of
that year duly audited by the auditor of the company.

Explanation.- It is hereby clarified that Form DPT-3 shall be used

for filing return of deposit or particulars of transaction not
considered as deposit or both by every company other than
Government company

16A. Disclosures in the financial statement.-

Every company, other than a private company, shall disclose in

its financial statement, by way of notes, about the money received
from the director.
Every private company shall disclose in its financial statement, by
way of notes, about the money received from the directors, or
relatives of directors.
Every company other than Government company shall file a
onetime return of outstanding receipt of money or loan by a
company but not considered as deposits, in terms of clause (c) of
sub-rule 1 of rule 2 from the 01st April, 2014 to31st March 2019,
Acceptance of Deposits 23
as specified in Form DPT-3 within ninety days from 31st March,
2019 along with fee as provided in the Companies (Registration
Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014

Rule 17 - Penal rate of interest

Every company shall pay a penal rate of interest of eighteen
per cent. per annum for the overdue period in case of deposits,
whether secured or unsecured, matured and claimed but
remaining unpaid..
Rule 18 - Power of Central Government to decide certain questions
If any question arises as to the applicability of these rules to
a particular company, such question shall be decided by the
Central Government in consultation with the Reserve Bank of
India.
 24 Acceptance of Deposits

Rule 19 - Applicability of sections 73, 74 and 75 to eligible companies

Pursuant to provisions of sub-section (2) of section 76 of
the Act, the provisions of sections 73, 74 and 75 shall, mutatis
mutandis, apply to acceptance of deposits from public by eligible
companies.
It may be noted that
For the purposes of this rule, it is hereby clarified that in
case of a company which had accepted or invited public deposits
under the relevant provisions of the Companies Act, 1956 and
rules made under that Act (hereinafter known as “Earlier
Deposits”) and has been repaying such deposits and interest
thereon in accordance with such provisions, the provisions of
clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 74 of the Act shall be
deemed to have been complied with if the company complies
with requirements under the Act and these rules and continues
to repay such deposits and interest due thereon on due dates
for the remaining period of such deposit in accordance with the
terms and conditions and period of such Earlier Deposits and in
compliance with the requirements under the Act and these rules.
The fresh deposits by every eligible company shall have to be in
accordance with the provisions of Chapter V of the Act and
these rules; Without prejudice to above, in case of deposits
accepted by an eligible company under section 76 of the Act,
the provisions of sub- section (3) and (4) of section 73, provisions
of sub-sections (2) and (3) of section 74 and provisions of
section 75 shall be applicable irrespective of the fact that such
deposits were not accepted by the company before the
commencement of this Act.
Rule 21 - Punishment for contravention
If any company referred to in sub-section (2) of section 73
or any eligible company inviting deposits or any other person
contravenes any provision of these rules for which no
punishment is provided in the Act, the company and every
officer of the company who is in default shall be punishable
with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees and where
the contravention is a continuing one, with a further fine which
may extend to five hundred rupees for every day after the first
day during which the contravention continues.
Acceptance of Deposits 25

Conclusion
The provisions of Companies Act 2013 read with rules made
under Chapter V, has brought several revamping aspects to
protect the interest of depositors. The gist of provisions discussed
above is as follows.
— Company may accept deposit from its members by passing
a resolution in general meeting and subject to conditions
as may be prescribed in the Rules including Credit rating,
etc.
— Public companies may accept deposits, if it has a net worth
of not less than one hundred crore rupees or a turnover
of not less than five hundred crore rupees and which has
obtained the prior consent of the company in general
meeting by means of a special resolution and also filed
the said resolution with the Registrar of Companies and
where applicable, with the Reserve Bank of India before
making any invitation to the Public for acceptance of
Deposits.
— No company under sub-section (2) of section 73 or any
eligible company shall issue a circular or advertisement
inviting secured deposits unless the company has
appointed one or more deposit trustees for creating
security for the deposits.

— Companies accepting deposit from members or eligible

companies as defined, has to fulfill the conditions specified
in Companies(Acceptance of Deposits)Rules 2014.

Every eligible company shall obtain, at least once in a

year, credit rating for deposits accepted by it and a copy of
the rating shall be sent to the Registrar of Companies
along with the form DPT-3

The credit rating shall not be below the minimum

investment grade rating or other specified credit rating for
fixed deposits, from any one of the approved credit rating
agencies as specified for Non-Banking Financial
Companies in the Non-Banking Financial Companies
Acceptance of Public Deposits (Reserve Bank) Directions,
1998, issued by the Reserve Bank of India, as amended
from time to time.