Cos 167 — Vacation of office of director

Companies Act, 2013

Statutory text

(1) The office of a director shall become vacant in case—
(a) he incurs any of the disqualifications specified in section 164:

[Provided that where he incurs disqualification under sub-section (2) of section 164, the office of the director shall become vacant in all the companies, other than the company which is in default under that sub-section];
(b) he absents himself from all the meetings of the Board of Directors held during a period of twelve months with or without seeking leave of absence of the Board;
(c)  he  acts  in  contravention  of  the  provisions  of  section  184  relating  to  entering  into  contracts  or arrangements in which he is directly or indirectly interested;
(d) he fails to disclose his interest in any contract or arrangement in which he is directly or indirectly interested, in contravention of the provisions of section 184;
(e) he becomes disqualified by an order of a court or the Tribunal;
(f)  he  is  convicted  by  a  court  of  any  offence,  whether  involving  moral  turpitude  or otherwise and sentenced in respect thereof to imprisonment for not less than six months:

[Provided that the office shall not be vacated by the director in case of orders referred to in     clauses (e) and (f)—
(i) for thirty days from the date of conviction or order of disqualification;
(ii) where an appeal or petition is preferred within thirty days as aforesaid against the conviction resulting  in  sentence  or  order,  until  expiry  of  seven  days  from  the  date  on  which  such  appeal  or petition is disposed of; or (iii) where any further appeal or petition is preferred against order or sentence within seven days, until such further appeal or petition is disposed of.]
(g) he is removed in pursuance of the provisions of this Act;
(h) he, having been appointed a director by virtue of his holding any office or other employment in the holding, subsidiary or associate company, ceases to hold such  office  or other employment in that company.

1. The proviso ins. by Act 1 of 2018, s. 54 (w.e.f. 7-5-2018).
2. The proviso subs. by Act 1 of 2018, s. 54 (w.e.f. 7-5-2018).

(2) If a person, functions as a director even when he knows that the office of director held by him has become vacant on account of any of the disqualifications specified in sub-section (1), he shall be punishable

*** with fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees but which may extend to

[five lakh rupees].
(3) Where all the directors of a company vacate their offices under any of the disqualifications specified in  sub-section  (1),  the  promoter  or,  in  his  absence,  the  Central  Government  shall  appoint  the  required number of directors  who shall hold office till the  directors  are  appointed  by the  company in the  general meeting.
(4) A private company may, by its articles, provide any other ground for the vacation of the office of a director in addition to those specified in sub-section (1).

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