Dated: April 29, 2010
N O
T I C E
Trading members are hereby informed that the Exchange has
received a Circular from SEBI Ref. No.CIR/MRD/DMS/13/2010 dated 23rd
April, 2010 regarding Execution of Power of Attorney by clients in favour of
stock brokers and depository participant. The contents of the said Circular are
given here under for information of the members.
Quote: -
CIR/MRD/DMS/13/2010 April 23,
2010
To
The Managing Directors of Stock
Exchanges and Depositories
Dear Sir(s),
Sub: Execution of
Power of Attorney (PoA) by the Client in favour of the Stock Broker/ Stock
Broker and Depository Participant
1. A Power of Attorney is executed by
the client in favour of the stock broker /stock broker and depository
participant to authorize the broker to operate the client’s demat account and
bank account to facilitate the delivery of shares and pay – in/ pay – out of
funds.
2. Generally, the PoA is taken from the
clients who want to avail internet based trading services. For offering
internet based trading services, a Stock Broker requires necessary
authorizations for seamless trading, collection of margins as well as
settlement of funds and securities. Further, some of the Stock Brokers also
obtain authorizations from their clients to offer non-internet based services.
3. It has come to SEBI’s notice that
the clients are compelled to give irrevocable power of attorney to manage
client’s demat account and bank account so that the client is able to pay funds
or deliver shares to its broker on time. In some cases, the PoA even allows a
broker to open and close accounts on behalf of the client and to trade on
client’s account without the consent of the client.
4. In order to standardize the norms to
be followed by stock brokers/ stock broker and depository participants while
obtaining PoA from the clients guidelines have been finalized based on
discussions in Secondary Market Advisory Committee of SEBI (SMAC) and feedback
from market participants, investor associations, major stock exchanges and
depositories on discussion paper on the captioned subject put on SEBI website.
It has been decided that the guidelines as set out in the annexure shall be
made applicable to stock brokers/ stock broker and depository participants.
5. Standardizing the norms for PoA must
not be construed as making the PoA a
condition precedent or mandatory for
availing broking or depository participant services. PoA is merely an option
available to the client for instructing his broker or depository participant to
facilitate the delivery of shares and pay-in/pay-out of funds etc. No stock
broker or depository participant shall deny services to the client if the
client refuses to execute a PoA in their favour.
6. The Stock Brokers shall take
necessary steps to implement this circular latest by May 31, 2010 for the new
clients and ensure to take necessary steps latest by September 01, 2010 to
revoke those authorizations given by the existing clients to the stock brokers/
stock broker and depository participants through PoA that are inconsistent with
the present guidelines.
7. The Stock Exchanges/ Depositories
are directed to:
a) bring the provisions of this
circular to the notice of the Stock Brokers/Depository Participants and also
disseminate the same on their websites;
b) make necessary amendments to the
relevant bye-laws, rules and regulations for the implementation of the above
decision;
c) communicate to SEBI, the status of
the implementation of the provisions of this
circular in their Monthly Development
Reports.
8. This circular is issued in exercise
of powers conferred under Section 11(1) of the Securities and Exchange Board of
India Act, 1992 to protect the interests of investors in securities and to
promote the development of, and to regulate the securities markets.
Yours faithfully,
MANOJ KUMAR
General Manager
+91-22-26449260
manojk@sebi.gov.in
Encl: Guidelines
for execution of Power of Attorney by Clients favouring Stock Brokers / Stock
Broker and Depository Participants Guidelines for execution of Power of
Attorney by Clients favouring Stock Brokers / Stock Broker and Depository
Participants PoA favouring Stock Brokers
PoA executed in favour of a Stock
Broker by the client should be limited to the following:
1. Securities
i. Transfer of securities held in the
beneficial owner account(s) of the client(s) towards stock exchange related
margin / delivery obligations arising out of trades executed by the Client(s)
on the stock exchange through the same Stock Broker.
ii. Pledge the securities in favour of
Stock Broker for the limited purpose of meeting the margin requirements of the
client(s) in connection with the trades executed by the clients on the stock
exchange through the same Stock Broker. Necessary audit trail should be
available with the Stock Broker for such transactions.
iii. To apply for various products like
Mutual Funds, Public Issues (shares as well as debentures), rights, offer of
shares, tendering shares in open offers etc. pursuant to the instructions of
the Client(s). However, a proper audit trail should be maintained by the Stock
Broker to prove that the necessary application/act was made/done pursuant to
receipt of instruction from Client.
2. Funds
iv. Transfer of funds from the bank
account(s) of the clients for the following:
a. For meeting the settlement
obligations of the client(s)/ margin requirements of the client(s) in
connection with the trades executed by the clients on the stock exchange
through the same Stock Broker.
b. For recovering any outstanding
amount due from the client(s) arising out of clients trading activities on the
stock exchanges through the same Stock Broker.
c. For meeting obligations arising out
of the client subscribing to such other products/facilities/services through
the Stock Broker like Mutual Funds, Public Issues (shares as well as
debentures), rights, offer of shares in etc.
d. Towards monies/fees/charges, etc.
due to the Stock Broker/Depository Participant/ Principal payable by virtue of
the client using/subscribing to any of the facilities/services availed by the
Client at his/her instance. Necessary audit trail should be available with the
Stock Broker for such transactions.
POA favouring Stock
Brokers and Depository Participants
PoA executed in favour of a Stock
Broker and Depository Participant by the client should:
3. identify/provide the particulars of
the beneficial owner account(s) and the bank
account(s) of the client(s) that the
Stock Broker is entitled to operate.
4. provide the list of clients’ &
brokers’ Bank accounts & demat accounts where funds and securities can be
moved. Such bank & demat accounts should be accounts of related party only.
5. be executed in the name of the
concerned SEBI registered entity only and not in the name of any employee or
representative of the Stock Broker/Depository Participant.
6. not provide the authority to
transfer the rights in favour of any assignees of the Stock Broker/Depository
Participant.
7. be executed and stamped as per the
rules / law prevailing in the place where the PoA is executed or the place
where the PoA is kept as a record, as applicable.
8. contain a clause by which the Stock
Broker would return to the client(s), the securities or fund that may have been
received by it erroneously or those securities or fund that it was not entitled
to receive from the client(s).
9. be revocable at any time, without
notice.
10. be executed by all the joint
holders (in case of a demat account held jointly). If the constitution of the
account is changed for whatever reason, a new PoA should be executed.
11. authorize the Stock
Broker/Depository Participant to send consolidated summary ofClient's
scrip-wise buy and sell positions taken with average rates to the client by way
of SMS / email on a daily basis, notwithstanding any other document to be
disseminated as specified by SEBI from time to time.
General Guidelines
The POA shall not
facilitate the stock broker to do the following:
12. Transfer of securities for off
market trades.
13. Transfer of funds from the bank
account(s) of the Clients for trades executed by the clients through another
stock broker.
14. Open a broking / trading facility
with any stock broker or for opening a Beneficial Owner account with any
Depository Participant.
15. Execute trades in the name of the
client(s) without the client(s) consent.
16. Prohibit issue of Delivery
Instruction Slips (DIS) to beneficial owner (client).
17. Prohibit client(s) from operating
the account.
18. Merging of balances (dues) under
various accounts to nullify debit in any other account.
19. Open an email ID/ email account on
behalf of the client(s) for receiving statement of transactions, bills,
contract notes etc. from stock broker / Depository Participant.
20. Renounce liability for any loss or
claim that may arise due to any blocking of funds that may be erroneously
instructed by the Stock Broker to the designated bank.
Stock Broker /
Depository Participant should ensure that:
21. A duplicate/ certified true copy of
the PoA is provided to the Client(s) after execution.
22. In case of merger/ demerger of the
Stock Broker/Depository Participant with another entity/ into another entity,
the scheme of merger/ demerger should be approved by High Court and one month
prior intimation given to the client about the corporate restructuring to
facilitate investor/ client to continue or discontinue with the broker.
Unquote :
Members are requested to note that the aforesaid guideline of SEBI and
act comply accordingly.
DGM (Surveillance & MOP)