Sebi board clears changes to make delisting easier

Looking to make delisting process more easier, Sebi on Thursday said the requirement of mandatorily purchasing at least 25 per cent shares of public shareholders would be relaxed subject to certain conditions.

In case the acquirer and the concerned merchant banker are able to "demonstrate that they have contacted all the public shareholders, about the offer in the manner prescribed", then the condition of compulsorily acquiring 25 per cent shares from public shareholders would be relaxed.

"... the condition of mandatory participation of 25 per cent of the public shareholders holding shares in demat mode would not be applicable," Sebi said.

In this regard, amendments would be made to the Sebi (Delisting of Equity Shares) Regulations, 2009. The changes were approved by its board during the meeting on Thursday.

Besides, the board has decided to provide 18 months time for entities trading on exiting bourses to get listed on nation-wide stock exchanges.

The move comes after many entities expressed concern that present listing norms do not provide them enough time to get listed on nation-wide bourses.

Sebi said that till such listing, the shares of exclusively listed companies would remain on the dissemination board of nation-wide stock exchanges.