Recently, SEBI in an informal guidance to Vulcan Engineers Limited vide Informal Guidance Letter No. CFD/DCR/16403/11, DATED 23-5-2011, opined that a pre agreed purchase of shares of a listed company through call / put option is not valid under the Securities Contract (Regulation) Act, 1956 (SCRA).

Market regulator Sebi today exonerated N Venkataraman, former director of Pyramid Saimira Theatre , saying that he was not a board member when financial irregularities took place at the firm. It said investigations into the company’s affairs have revealed that accounts were manipulated during 2007-08, before Venkataraman was appointed as a director in PSTL.

Market regulator SEBI today asked two Sahara group entities to return money collected from millions of investors through an instrument named Optionally Fully Convertible Debentures (OFCD), citing violation of regulatory norms. As per a Sebi order, Sahara Commodity Services Corp (earlier known as Sahara India Real Estate Corporation) and Sahara Housing Investment Corporation (SHICL) will be required to refund the money raised from hybrid instrument OFCD to investors along with 15 per cent interest.

Market regulator Sebi is likely to make it mandatory for mutual fund players to declare their assets under management (AUM) and details of new schemes to ensure that retail investors take informed decision before investment. SEBI is working towards making MF industry disclose their AUM for a retail investor to understand. If you are making a particular scheme, it is important for a retail investor to know what has been the track record of the fund manager. We see no problem in disclosing that, Sebi chairman U K Sinha said at a CII meet.

CIRCULAR NO. MIRSD/8/2011 Pursuant to the aforesaid notification, commencing from half year ended September 30, 2011, all CRAs shall report the following change(s) to SEBI while submitting the Action Taken Report in accordance with SEBI Circular No. SEBI/MIRSD/CRA/Cir-1/2010, dated January 6, 2010. a. Amalgamation, demerger, consolidation or any other kind of corporate restructuring falling within the scope of section 391 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) or the corresponding provision of any other law for the time being in force; b. Change in Director, including managing director/whole-time director; c. Change in shareholding not resulting in change in control.

CIRCULAR NO. MIRSD/9/2011, Henceforth, the Depositories shall submit a periodical report to SEBI regarding the following changes, as per the format and in accordance with the guidelines given at Annexure A: a. Amalgamation, demerger, consolidation or any other kind of corporate restructuring falling within the scope of section 391 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) or the corresponding provision of any other law for the time being in force;b. Change in Director, including managing director/whole-time director;c. Change in shareholding not resulting in change in control; d. Any other purpose as may be considered appropriate by the Depositories.

CIRCULAR NO. MIRSD/11/2011, The requirement of taking prior approval by the Bankers to an Issue from SEBI for change in status or constitution has been dispensed with. However, the Bankers to an Issue would be required to take prior approval from SEBI for change in control. Pursuant to the aforesaid notification, commencing from the quarter ended June 30, 2011, all Bankers to an Issue shall report the following change(s) to SEBI in the quarterly reports submitted in accordance with the SEBI Circular No. MIRSD/DPS-2/BTI/Circular No. 15/2008, dated May 6, 2008.

CIRCULAR NO. MIRSD/10/2011, With the said amendment, the requirement of taking prior approval by the Debenture Trustees from SEBI for change in status or constitution has been dispensed with. However, the Debenture Trustees are required to take prior approval from SEBI for change in control. Pursuant to the aforesaid notification, commencing from the quarter ended June 30, 2011, all Debenture Trustees shall report the following change(s) to SEBI in the quarterly reports submitted in accordance with SEBI Circular No. MIRSD/DPS-2/DT/Cir. -14/2008, dated May 6, 2008.

Circular No. Cir/ISD/ 3/2011,In order to further promote dematerialization of securities, encourage orderly development of the securities market and to improve transparency in the dealings of shares by promoters including pledge / usage as collateral, SEBI in consultation with Stock Exchanges, has decided that the securities of companies shall be traded in the normal segment of the exchange if and only if, the company has achieved 100% of promoter’s and promoter group’s shareholding in dematerialized form latest by the quarter ended September 2011 as reported to the stock exchanges.

Pursuant to the aforesaid notification, all RTI/STAs shall report the following change(s) to SEBI in the quarterly reports submitted in accordance with the SEBI Circular No. MIRSD/DPS-2/RTA/Cir-1712008 dated May 06, 2008, commencing from the quarter ended June 30, 2011. a. Amalgamation, demerger, consolidation or any other kind of corporate restructuring falling within the scope of section 391 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) or the corresponding provision of any other law for the time being in force b. Change in Director, including managing director/ whole-time director c. In case of a partnership firm any change in partners not amounting to dissolution of the firm d. Change in shareholding not resulting in change in control If there is no change during the relevant quarter, it shall be indicated in the report.