The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) panel on corporate governance led by Uday Kotak proposed sweeping changes. The recommendations are listed below:
a) Panel proposed more powers for independent directors, limiting chairmanship to non-executive directors, and called for a greater focus on transparency and disclosures to improve corporate governance.
b) The panel recommended that a listed company should have at least six directors on its board. Current Sebi regulations do not mandate a minimum number. The panel has suggested at least one independent director be a woman.
c) It also proposed that directors attend at least half the total board meetings held in a financial year. If they fail to do so, they would require shareholders’ nod for continuing.
d) Companies have asked to make public the relevant skills of directors, and the age of non-executive directors has been capped at 75 years.
e) In addition, the chairperson of a listed company will be a non-executive director to ensure that s/he is independent of the management.
f) An independent director cannot be in more than eight listed companies and a managing director can hold the post of an independent director in only three listed companies.
g) The committee has recommended that the number of independent directors on a company board be increased from 33% to 50%.
UDAY Kotak Committee recommendations UDAY Kotak Committee recommendations UDAY Kotak Committee recommendations UDAY Kotak Committee recommendations
h) The minimum sitting fees of independent directors has been halved from the current Rs1 lakh per meeting as stipulated by the Companies Act 2013 to Rs50,000 for the top 100 companies by market capitalization.
i) Detailed reasons would need to be furnished when an independent director resigns. This is to ensure that they remain independent of the company management.
j) An audit committee is being proposed with the mandate to look into utilization of funds infused by a listed entity into unlisted subsidiaries, including foreign subsidiaries in cases where the total investment is at least Rs100 crore or 10% of the asset size of the subsidiary.
k) The committee has also recommended that Sebi should have clear powers to act against auditors under the securities law.
l) For government companies, the committee has recommended that the board have final say on the appointment of independent directors and not the nodal ministry.
m) The panel has also proposed to tweak the definition of a “material” subsidiary to one whose net worth or income exceeds 10% (currently 20%) of the consolidated income, or net worth of the listed entity. This has been done to improve disclosure, since only the activities of material subsidiaries are disclosed to shareholders.
NPR and NCR
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Naming of cyclonesContext: The newest cyclone to emerge out of the Bay of Bengal has been named Fani. Before that, there were cyclones Hudhud in 2014, Ockhi in 2017 and
Sovereign Internet BillContext: Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a “sovereign internet” bill. Key features: The measures include creating technolo
Mission ShaktiWhy in News? Stating that defence and offensive space technologies are being developed with various aims of spying, gaining control, deactivating se
LG of PuducherryContext: The Madras High Court has ruled that the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) of Puducherry could not interfere with the day-to-day administration o
Electoral bondsWhat is the Electoral Bonds Scheme? The Finance Bill, 2017 introduced “electoral bonds” — interest-free bearer bonds (like Promissory Notes) th
E-cigarettesContext: The Commerce Ministry has asked the Health Ministry to frame a law banning manufacture and sale of e-cigarettes in the country as in the abs
Official Secrets ActRecently ,Supreme Court has rejected the Centre’s twin arguments and ruled that classified documents accessed by the media on the Rafale fighter jet
Arms Trade TreatyContext: US President Donald Trump has rejected the United Nations’ 2013 Arms Trade Treaty aimed at regulating the global arms trade. Trump describ
BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE (BRI)Context: Recently, China held its 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF) to showcase its trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) without India’s p
SAGAR ProgrammeSAGAR Programme (Security and Growth for All in the Region) SAGAR is a term coined by PM Modi in 2015 during his Mauritius visit with a focus on blue
Project MausamMausam Project ‘Mausam’ is a Ministry of Culture project to be implemented by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi as
QUAD and QUAD PlusWhat is QUAD and why are they coming together? The coming together of India, the US, Japan and Australia is being seen as building a strategic partner
Indo-Pacific divisionIndia has set up an Indo-Pacific division in the Ministry of External Affairs. The new division is intended to give a coherent architecture to the
What is the Shangri-La Dialogue?What is the Shangri-La Dialogue? The IISS Asia Security Summit was launched in 2002 by British think tank the International Institute for Strategic St
Lateral entry in IndiaWhat is lateral entry? The lateral entry mode, which pertains to the appointment of specialists from private sector in government organisations, is an
VVPATRecently A PIL has been moved in the Delhi High Court seeking directions to the Election Commission to inspect the paper slips of the VVPAT electronic
Water quality in IndiaWhy in news? A recent report of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution highlight the concern with tap water quality in major I
Plague in ChinaChina reported a third case of bubonic plague on Sunday after two other plague cases were revealed last week, but the disease remains rare despite its
Aging Population issue in IndiaAging Population issue in India Ageing in India is exponentially increasing due to the impressive gains that society has made in terms of increased li
Citizenship Amendment BillThe government intends to introduce The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Parliament’s Winter Session that commences on Monday and is scheduled to con
CJI and RTIWhat is the recent ruling of supreme court in RTI Case? The Supreme Court ruled that the office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) is a public author
Employment Growth in India?Ever since the results of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2017-18 became public — they showed that unemployment in India was at a 45-year
What is Edge computing?What is cloud computing? Cloud computing — by which remote servers hosted on the Internet store and process data, rather than local servers or perso
Modi-Xi meet in Mahabalipuram for ‘Informal Summit.What are informal summmits?What is their importance? Informal Summits act as supplementary exchanges to annual Summits and other formal exchanges such
What is IIP and why does it matter?Why is it in News? According to the data for the “Quick Estimates of Index of Industrial Production” released by the Ministry of Statistics and Pr
Why Lok Sabha is still 543Why the issue is in news? Last week, former Union Minister and Congress leader Jitin Prasada said the number of Lok Sabha seats should be rationalised
What is PMC Bank fraud and how it startedWhat was RBI’s orders w.r.t PMC Bank fraud ? The RBI also put sanctions on the withdrawal of money from the bank to just Rs 1,000 per customer f
Bangladesh v/s India growth rateThe latest economic outlook update released by the Asian Development Bank has shown how Bangladesh, and not India, is the standout economy in terms of
National Population RegisterWhat is the NPR(National Population Register)? The NPR is a list of “usual residents of the country”. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, a
Quantum SupremacyWhat is quantum supremacy? It means only that researchers have been able to use a quantum computer to perform a single calculation that no convention
Bank Merger in India- Indepth analysisRecently, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the government’s decision to merge 10 state-owned banks to create four large entities or l
What is Houthi Movement ?What is Houthi Movement? The Houthis officially called Ansar Allah, is a Zaidi tribal political movement that emerged from and is based around Sa̵
Failed Talbian USA peace talks?What is the result of Failed talks between USA and Iran? How has taliban responded to the failed talks? When the U.S.-Taliban talks collapsed last wee
What is Corporate Social ResponsibilityWhat is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulating business model that helps a company be social
Amazon Forest FiresThe record number of fires ravaging the Amazon has drawn international outrage because of the rainforest’s importance to the global environment
NPT and NSGNPT(nuclear non proliferation treaty ) was signed in 1968 to prevent spread of nuclear materials,technology and weapons and to develop co-operation am
India’s Three stage Nuclear Power ProgrammeIndia’s Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme India’s three-stage nuclear power programme was formulated by Homi Bhabha in the 1950s to secure the
Causes for the slowdown in the Indian EconomyMuch has been written and said about the ongoing economic slowdown in the Indian Economy. What was being indirectly said about several economic indica
NRC issue explained in detailWhat is the issue? The final updated list of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was released on August 31, 2018. Fear and disquiet have gripped n
Chief of Defence StaffPractice so far: India has had a feeble equivalent known as the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC); but this is a toothless office, given the
Delimitation in Jammu and KashmirWhat is the provision of delimitation in Jammu and kashmir in Jammu and Kashmir reorganisation Act 2019 The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 20
Consumer Protection Bill, 2019Consumer Protection Bill, 2019 The Consumer Protection Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Dis
Recently Passed bills in 2019This was the first session of the Parliament after the Lok Sabha elections, the Parliament passed not only landmark bills like repealing of Article 37
Slowdown in the economyIs Slowdown phenomenon confined to India? INDIA is not alone in suffering an economic slowdown. From Japan to Thailand, the economic scene is not rosy
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019 The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was intr
Hong Kong China ConflictIs Hong Kong an independent nation? Hong Kong is semi-autonomous – with it’s own money, passports, immigration channels and legal system.
Simla AgreementQ. What was the Simla agreement? The Simla Agreement was signed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on 2 July
Unlawful Activities prevention Act amendmentBackground: The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 aims at the effective prevention of unlawful activities across India and abroad. Its main o
National Medical Commission Bill:Background: The Medical Council of India was first established in 1934 under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933. This Act was repealed and
Article 370 and its relationship with AfghanistanBackground:Article 370 and its relationship with Afghanistan India’s move to end the special status for Jammu and Kashmir indicates that the gov
Gilgit Baltistan Region IssueThe Gilgit Baltistan was a region of princely state of India ruled by Maharaja Hari Singh. Before independence; a rebellion occurred and rebels establ
Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019: Key AmendmentsMotor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019: Key Amendments 1. Road Safety The Bill proposes to increase penalties for traffic violations to act as a future
Amendments to Forest Act and Tribal RevoltRecently DISTRICTS with sizeable tribal populations saw several protests and demonstrations on Monday. The protests were organised by the Bhumi Adhika
Global Innovation Index and India’s rankingIntroduction: The Government of India has launched the Global Innovation Index (GII) in New Delhi. This is the first time that the GII is being launch
Federal Reserve Cut and its impact on Indian EconomyWhat is the Global Trend w.r.t easing of interest Rates? Central banks globally are moving towards monetary easing. The European Central Bank and Ba
Blockchain Technology UsesBlockchain Technology Uses Blockchain is the digital, distributed, and decentralized ledger underlying most virtual currencies that’s responsibl
Blockchain Technology Explained in Easiest wayBlock Chain Technology Explained in Easiest Way Blockchain explained in easiest way- Let’s imagine you are a singer. You finished recording a song a
What is the Indo-Pacific Strategy?The US Indo-pacific strategy is the US new strategy since last five years across the Indian and Pacific Ocean with the objective of maintaining peace
Huawei company Issue and its likely impact on India?What is Huawei company? Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. is a Chinese multinational technology company that provides telecommunications equipment and se
Kaleshwaram projectWhat is Kaleshwaram Project? The total length of Kaleshwaram project is approximately 1,832 kms, of which 1,531 kms is gravity canals and 203 kms comp
Section 124 AThe recent episodes of sedition in India: Section 124 A The Delhi Police filed a charge sheet against 10 people, including former Jawaharlal Nehru
Agriculture census 2015-16Agriculture census 2015-2016 The first comprehensive Agriculture Census was carried out with Agriculture year 1970-71 as the reference. This was one o
Mahadayi river DisputeWhat is the Mahadayi river Dispute all about? The dispute over Mahadayi river Dispute has resurfaced over the past few weeks and tensions have been r
What is Generalised System of preferences?What is Generalized System of Preferences? Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is a preferential tariff system extended by developed countries to
Masood Azhar and ChinaWho is Masood Azhar? Azhar was released by the A B Vajpayee government in December 1999, along with Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar and Omar Sheikh, in exchange
Uyghurs Conflict of ChinaWho are UYGHURS? Uyghurs are predominately Turkic-speaking Sunni Muslims who live primarily in the autonomous region of Xinjiang. Islam came to the re
BN Srikrishna Committee recommendationsThe ministry of electronics and information technology (MEITY) has released a white paper on data protection framework, prepared by a committee of exp
SashaktWhat is Project Sashakt? Project Sashakt was proposed by a panel led by PNB chairman Sunil Mehta. Bad loans of up to ₹ 50 crore will be managed at t
Compoundable and Non-Compoundable offence in IndiaCompoundable or non compoundable In our society, there are certain criminal offences which are not very serious in nature. In these cases, the Indian
Cognizable and Non Cognizable offencesOffences can be classified as cognizable and non-cognizable offences. Cognizable offences are those in which the police can arrest without any warrant
Contract Farming in India IssuesThe government has been making efforts to integrate farmers with agro-industries to ensure that they get better prices for their produce. This is why
Aadhaar is mandatory and not mandatoryHowever, the top court upheld section 139AA of Income Tax Act, which says quoting of Aadhaar mandatory for making an application for allotment of Perm
AADHAAR VerdictThe 5-judge bench of the Supreme Court in a crucial verdict on Wednesday watered down several sections of the Aadhaar Act, in what seems to be a posit
UDAY Kotak Committee recommendationsThe Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) panel on corporate governance led by Uday Kotak proposed sweeping changes. The recommendations are l
Corporate Governance Rules.The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) panel on corporate governance led by Uday Kotak proposed sweeping changes. The recommendations are l
Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) and India’s MembershipNuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seek to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of mate
Is SCO the right organisation for India?Read the article to find the answers on the following. Has India taken right decision to join anti-west group? Will SCO help India to address its chal
National Sports Development Bill (73)Why the bill? The National Sports Development draft bill was floated as a unique law through which sports associations could be freed from the clutche
PMGDISHA(73)Bachground As per the 71st NSSO Survey on Education 2014, only 6% of rural households have a computer. This highlights that more than 15 crore rural h
Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (72)Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan, intends to shore up the prices that farmers get for their produce. The move follows increasing farmer
10% reservation for Economically weakerIntroduction In the 124th Constitutional Amendment recently passed by both Houses of Parliament, providing for 10% reservation to economically weake