Regulations of Mergers & Acquisitions in India

Competition Law - The Competition Act primarily covers (i) anti-competitive agreements
(Section 3), (ii) abuse of dominance (Section 4), and (iii) combinations (Section 5, 6, 20, 29,
30 and 31).

Anti Competitive Agreements - Anti-competitive agreements that cause or are likely to cause
an AAEC within India are void under the provisions of the Competition Act.
- A horizontal agreement that determines purchase / sale prices or limits or controls
production supply, markets, technical development, investment or provision of services
or shares the market or source of production or provision of services, by allocation of
geographical areas/type of goods or services or number of customers in the market or
results in bid rigging / collusive bidding, are presumed to have an AAEC.
- Vertical agreements, such as tie in arrangements, exclusive supply or distribution
agreements, etc., are anti-competitive only if they cause or are likely to cause an
appreciable adverse effect on competition in India

Abuse of Dominant Position - An entity is considered to be in a dominant position if it is able

to operate independently of competitive forces in India, or is able to affect its competitors or
consumers or the relevant market in India in its favor. Abuse of dominance would include
imposing unfair or discriminatory conditions or prices in purchase/sale of goods or services
and predatory pricing, limiting or restricting production / provision of goods/services, technical
or scientific development, indulging in practices resulting in denial of market access etc

Regulation of Combinations - The Combination Regulations are the key regulations through
which the CCI regulates combinations such as mergers and acquisitions. Under Section 32 of
the Competition Act, the CCI has been conferred with extra-territorial jurisdiction. This means
that any acquisition where assets / turnover are in India (and exceed specified limits) would be
subject to the scrutiny of the CCI, even if the acquirer and target are located outside India.

Company Law Sections 390 to 394 of the CA 1956 (the Merger Provisions) and Section 230
to 234 of CA 2013 govern mergers and schemes of arrangements between a company, its shareholders
and/or its creditors.

Acquisition of Shares Whenever a foreign company acquires an Indian company, it can be

done through buying existing shares of the target or by subscription to new shares of the target.
Transferability of shares The transferability of shares is limited in private company being
mentioned in articles of association. In case of public company, earlier it was free but after CA
2013 enactment, share transfer restrictions for even public companies have been granted
statutory sanction.

Squeeze out Provisions According to the section 395 of the CA 1956, the transfer of shares
or a class of shares in a company to another company (the transferee company) is approved
by the holders of at least 9/10ths (in value) of the shares whose transfer is involved, the
transferee company may give notice to the dissenting shareholders that it desires to acquire the
shares held by them. This is the case of a complete takeover.
Section 236 of CA 2013(not yet notified) - Under the CA 2013, if a person or group of persons
acquire 90% or more of the shares of a company, then such person(s) have a right to make an
offer to buy out the minority shareholders at a price determined by a registered valuer in
accordance with prescribed rules. The provisions in the CA 2013 aim to provide a fair exit to
the minority shareholders.

Scheme of capital reduction under section 66 of CA 2013( not yet notified) - The capital
reduction requirements are more stringent under the CA 2013. In addition to giving notice to
creditors of the company, the NCLT is required to give notice of the application for reduction
of capital to the Central Government and the SEBI (in case of a listed company), who will have
a period of three months to file any objections.

New Share Issuance - Section 42, 62 of CA 2013 and Rule 13 of the Companies (Share Capital
and Debenture) Rules 2014 prescribe the requirements for any new issuance of shares on a
preferential basis. Some of the requirements are
- The company must engage a registered valuer to arrive at a fair market value of the
shares for the issuance of shares
- The issuance must be authorized by the articles of association of the company23 and
approved by a special resolution24 passed by shareholders in a general meeting,
authorizing the board of directors of the company to issue the shares
- The explanatory statement to the notice for the general meeting should contain key
disclosures pertaining to the object of the issue, pricing of shares including the relevant
date for calculation of the price, shareholding pattern, change of control
- Shares must be allotted within a period of 60 days, failing which the money must be
returned within a period of 15 days thereafter. Interest is payable @ 12%p.a. from the
60th day
- These requirements apply to equity shares, fully convertible debentures, partly
convertible debentures or any other financial instrument convertible into equity

Limits on Acquirer - Section 186 of CA 2013 provides for certain limits on inter-corporate
loans and investments. An acquirer that is an Indian company might acquire by way of
subscription, purchase or otherwise, the securities of any other body corporate upto (i) 60% of
the acquirers paid up share capital and free reserves and securities premium, or (ii) 100% of
its free reserves and securities premium account, whichever is higher. However, the acquirer
is permitted to acquire shares beyond such limits, if it is authorized by its shareholders vide a
special resolution passed in a general meeting.

Income Tax - The ITA contemplates and recognizes the following types of mergers and
acquisitions activities: Amalgamation, Demerger or spin-off, Slump sale/asset sale and
Transfer of shares. The ITA defines an amalgamation as the merger of one or more companies
with another company, or the merger of two or more companies to form one company.

Tax on Capital Gains - Section 45 of the ITA levies tax on capital gains arising on the transfer
of a capital asset. If a merger or any other kind of restructuring results in a transfer of a capital
asset for a resident or a capital asset that is situated in India for a non-resident, it would lead to
a taxable event.
Computation of Capital Gains Tax - Income chargeable to tax as capital gains is computed
by deducting the following from the value of the consideration received expenditure incurred
wholly and exclusively with such transfer & cost of acquisition of the capital asset and any cost
of improvement of the capital asset.
Section 49(1) provides that the cost of acquisition of assets transferred by way of a scheme of
amalgamation that are covered by the exemptions under Section 47 mentioned above would be
deemed to be the cost of acquisition of the assets by the amalgamating company.
Section 49 (2) provides that the cost of acquisition for a shareholder, of shares of the
amalgamated company, is deemed to be the cost of acquisition of the shares of the
amalgamating company.

Capital Gains tax Implications on transfer of Shares - If a capital asset is held by an assessee
for not more than 3 years immediately prior to the transfer, such capital asset would be a short
term capital asset. If the capital asset is held for more than 3 years, then it is a long term capital
asset. This distinction is important as the rate of capital gains tax on transfer of short term
capital assets and long term capital assets differs.
- Long-term capital gains realized on the transfer of listed shares of Indian companies on
the floor of a recognized stock exchange in India are exempt from taxation in India,
provided such transaction is subject to securities transaction tax (STT)
- Long-term capital gains arising on transfer of listed shares of Indian companies off the
recognized stock exchange in India or arising to a non-resident on transfer of shares of
an unlisted public company will be chargeable to tax at a rate of 10% (excluding
surcharge and education cess
- Short-term capital gains realized on the transfer of listed shares of Indian companies on
the floor of a recognized stock exchange in India are subject to tax at a rate of 15%
(excluding surcharge and education cess), provided such transaction is subject to STT.
- Short-term capital gains on the transfer of an Indian security that is listed but not subject
to STT, or is unlisted are added to the gross total income are subject to tax at applicable
rates.
- All transactions entered into on a recognized stock exchange in India will be subject to
STT, which is levied on the transaction value. In the case of sale of equity shares on a
delivery basis, STT is generally levied at the rate of 0.125% on the value of the
transaction on both the buyer and seller of the equity shares.

Taxes on Business Income Carry forward of Losses. - Section 72A of the ITA provides
that in case of amalgamation of a company owning an industrial undertaking with another
company, the accumulated loss and the unabsorbed depreciation of the amalgamating company
is deemed to be the loss / allowance for depreciation, of the amalgamated company. The
amalgamated company would then be entitled to carry forward such loss and depreciation, and
set off such amounts against its future profits.

Transfers Declared Void under Section 281 - Where there are assessment proceedings or tax
litigations under the ITA pending on any person, including a company, any charge created on
or transfer envisaged of any assets of such person shall be considered void as per Section 281
of the ITA
- if it is not made for adequate consideration and there is a notice of the pendency of such
proceeding or, as the case may be, with a notice of such tax or other sum payable by
such person
- if it is not made with the previous permission of the Assessing Officer
A certificate under Section 281 is key in a merger or acquisition situation in a case where the
transferor has pending tax litigations under the ITA at any level.