Sebi reduces time for trading & transfer of bonus shares

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) reduced the time taken for credit of bonus shares and trading of such shares from the record date of the bonus issue.

In a press release, the market regulator listed out the operational procedure for the same.

1. The issuer proposing a bonus issue shall apply for the in-principle approval to the stock exchange within 5 working days from the date of board meeting approving the Bonus issue.

2. The issuer while fixing and intimating the record date (T day) to the stock exchange for the proposed bonus issue, shall also take on record deemed date of allotment on next working date of record date (T+1 day).

3. Upon receipt of intimation of the record date (T Day) and requisite documents from the Issuer, the stock exchange shall issue notification accepting the record date and notifying the number of shares considered in the bonus issue. The notification shall include the deemed date of allotment (T+1 day).

4. After issuance of notification issued by the Stock Exchange for acceptance of record date, the issuers shall ensure submission of the requisite documents to depositories for credit of bonus shares in the depository system latest by 12 P.M. of next working day of the record date (i.e. T+1 day

5. The Issuer will ensure uploading of the distinctive number (DN) ranges in the DN database of the depository and stock exchange(s) shall ensure updation of relevant dates before credit of bonus shares.

6. The shares allotted after to the bonus issue shall be made available for trading on the next working date of allotment (T+2 day).

7. The directions issued pursuant to SEBI Circular No. CIR/MRD/DP/21/2012 dated August 02, 2012 and CIR/MRD/DP/ 24 /2012 dated September 11, 2012 requiring credit of bonus shares in temporary ISIN shall be exempted in case of bonus issue of equity shares, and credit of shares directly in permanent ISIN (existing ISIN) shall be permitted in case of bonus issue of equity shares.