Section 149: Company to have Board of Directors
This section is for outlining the requirements and rules for a company's Board of Directors, including the number of directors, independent directors, and their roles and responsibilities.
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What the section says
In plain terms
(1)Every company shall have a Board of Directors consisting of individuals as directors and shall have—
Every company must have a Board of Directors with at least 3 directors for public companies, 2 for private companies, and 1 for One Person Companies, and a maximum of 15 directors, although more can be appointed with a special resolution.
(1)(a)a minimum number of three directors in the case of a public company, two directors in the case of a private company, and one director in the case of a One Person Company; and
(1)(b)a maximum of fifteen directors:
provisoProvided that a company may appoint more than fifteen directors after passing a special resolution:
provisoProvided further that such class or classes of companies as may be prescribed, shall have at least one woman director.
(2)Every company existing on or before the date of commencement of this Act shall within one year from such commencement comply with the requirements of the provisions of sub-section (1).
Companies existing before this Act came into effect have 1 year to comply with the director requirements.
(3)Every company shall have at least one director who stays in India for a total period of not less than one hundred and eighty-two days during the financial year:
provisoProvided that in case of a newly incorporated company the requirement under this sub-section shall apply proportionately at the end of the financial year in which it is incorporated];
(4)Every listed public company shall have at least one-third of the total number of directors as independent directors and the Central Government may prescribe the minimum number of independent directors in case of any class or classes of public companies.
Listed public companies must have at least one-third of their directors as independent directors, with any fraction rounded up to the nearest whole number.
explanationExplanation.—For the purposes of this sub-section, any fraction contained in such one-third number shall be rounded off as one.
(5)Every company existing on or before the date of commencement of this Act shall, within one year from such commencement or from the date of notification of the rules in this regard as may be applicable, comply with the requirements of the provisions of sub-section (4).
Companies have 1 year from the commencement of this Act or the notification of relevant rules to comply with the independent director requirements.
(6)An independent director in relation to a company, means a director other than managing director or a whole-time director or a nominee director,—
An independent director is one who is not a managing director or whole-time director, and meets certain criteria such as having no pecuniary relationship with the company, not being a promoter or related to one, and having relevant expertise and experience.
(6)(a)who, in the opinion of the Board, is a person of integrity and possesses relevant expertise and experience;
(6)(b)(i) who is or was not a promoter of the company or its holding, subsidiary or associate company;
(6)(b)(ii)who is not related to promoters or directors in the company, its holding, subsidiary or associate company;
(6)(c)who has or had no 1[pecuniary relationship, other than remuneration as such director or having transaction not exceeding ten per cent. of his total income or such amount as may be prescribed,] with the company, its holding, subsidiary or associate company, or their promoters, or directors, during the two immediately preceding financial years or during the current financial year;
(6)(d)none of whose relatives—
(6)(d)(i)is holding any security of or interest in the company, its holding, subsidiary or associate company during the two immediately preceding financial years or during the current financial year:
provisoProvided that the relative may hold security or interest in the company of face value not exceeding fifty lakh rupees or two per cent. of the paid-up capital of the company, its holding, subsidiary or associate company or such higher sum as may be prescribed;
(6)(d)(ii)is indebted to the company, its holding, subsidiary or associate company or their promoters, or directors, in excess of such amount as may be prescribed during the two immediately preceding financial years or during the current financial year;
(6)(d)(iii)has given a guarantee or provided any security in connection with the indebtedness of any third person to the company, its holding, subsidiary or associate company or their promoters, or directors of such holding company, for such amount as may be prescribed during the two immediately preceding financial years or during the current financial year; or
(6)(d)(iv)has any other pecuniary transaction or relationship with the company, or its subsidiary, or its holding or associate company amounting to two per cent. or more of its gross turnover or total income singly or in combination with the transactions referred to in sub-clause (i), (ii) or (iii);]
(6)(e)who, neither himself nor any of his relatives—
(6)(e)(i)holds or has held the position of a key managerial personnel or is or has been employee of the company or its holding, subsidiary or associate company in any of the three financial years immediately preceding the financial year in which he is proposed to be appointed;
proviso3[Provided that in case of a relative who is an employee, the restriction under this clause shall not apply for his employment during preceding three financial years.]
(6)(e)(ii)is or has been an employee or proprietor or a partner, in any of the three financial years immediately preceding the financial year in which he is proposed to be appointed, of—
(6)a firm of auditors or company secretaries in practice or cost auditors of the company or its holding, subsidiary or associate company; or (B) any legal or a consulting firm that has or had any transaction with the company, its holding, subsidiary or associate company amounting to ten per cent. or more of the gross turnover of such firm;
(6)(e)(iii)holds together with his relatives two per cent. or more of the total voting power of the company; or
(6)(e)(iv)is a Chief Executive or director, by whatever name called, of any nonprofit organisation that receives twenty-five per cent. or more of its receipts from the company, any of its promoters, directors or its holding, subsidiary or associate company or that holds two per cent. or more of the total voting power of the company; or
(6)(f)who possesses such other qualifications as may be prescribed.
(7)Every independent director shall at the first meeting of the Board in which he participates as a director and thereafter at the first meeting of the Board in every financial year or whenever there is any change in the circumstances which may affect his status as an independent director, give a declaration that he meets the criteria of independence as provided in sub-section (6). Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, “nominee director” means a director nominated by any financial institution in pursuance of the provisions of any law for the time being in force, or of any agreement, or appointed by any Government, or any other person to represent its interests.
Independent directors must declare their independence at their first Board meeting and annually thereafter, or whenever their circumstances change.
(8)The company and independent directors shall abide by the provisions specified in Schedule IV.
Companies and independent directors must follow the provisions outlined in Schedule IV.
(9)Notwithstanding anything contained in any other provision of this Act, but subject to the provisions of sections 197 and 198, an independent director shall not be entitled to any stock option and may receive remuneration by way of fee provided under sub-section (5) of section 197, reimbursement of expenses for participation in the Board and other meetings and profit related commission as may be approved by the members. 1[Provided that if a company has no profits or its profits are inadequate, an independent director may receive remuneration, exclusive of any fees payable under sub-section (5) of section 197, in accordance with the provisions of Schedule V.]
Independent directors are not entitled to stock options, but may receive fees, reimbursement of expenses, and profit-related commissions, with special rules applying if the company has no profits.
(10)Subject to the provisions of section 152, an independent director shall hold office for a term up to five consecutive years on the Board of a company, but shall be eligible for reappointment on passing of a special resolution by the company and disclosure of such appointment in the Board's report.
Independent directors can serve up to 5 consecutive years, but can be reappointed with a special resolution.
(11)Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (10), no independent director shall hold office for more than two consecutive terms, but such independent director shall be eligible for appointment after the expiration of three years of ceasing to become an independent director:
Independent directors can serve a maximum of 2 consecutive terms, but can be reappointed after 3 years.
provisoProvided that an independent director shall not, during the said period of three years, be appointed in or be associated with the company in any other capacity, either directly or indirectly.
explanationExplanation.—For the purposes of sub-sections (10) and (11), any tenure of an independent director on the date of commencement of this Act shall not be counted as a term under those sub-sections.
(12)Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act,—
Independent directors and non-executive directors are only liable for acts of omission or commission that occurred with their knowledge and consent.
(12)(i)an independent director;
(12)(ii)a non-executive director not being promoter or key managerial personnel, shall be held liable, only in respect of such acts of omission or commission by a company which had occurred with his knowledge, attributable through Board processes, and with his consent or connivance or where he had not acted diligently.
(13)The provisions of sub-sections (6) and (7) of section 152 in respect of retirement of directors by rotation shall not be applicable to appointment of independent directors.
Independent directors are exempt from the retirement by rotation rules that apply to other directors.
The right-hand column is written from the section text, not quoted from it, and it has no legal force. Where the two differ, the left-hand column is the law.
Amendment notes
- 1. Subs. by Act 1 of 2018, s. 46, for sub-section (3) (w.e.f. 7-5-2018).
- 1. Subs. by Act 1 of 2018, s. 46, for “pecuniary relationship” (w.e.f. 7-5-2018).
- 2. Subs. by s. 46, ibid., for clause (d) (w.e.f. 7-5-2018).
- 3. The proviso ins. by s. 46, ibid., (w.e.f. 7-5-2018).
- 1. Ins. by Act 29 of 2020, s. 32 (w.e.f. 18-3-2021).
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Reproduced from the official India Code print for reference. Check the current text on India Code before you rely on it, and read the section alongside its Rules. Nothing here is legal advice.