Rule 6A explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Rule 6A, inserted on 9 June 2021, sets out how a company transfers to the IEPF Authority the shares that section 90(9) of the Act requires to go to the Fund. Unlike the unclaimed-dividend shares of rule 6, these shares go without any restrictions, and no application can be filed to claim them back. This article is as amended up to G.S.R. 733(E) dated 1 October 2025 (Form IEPF-5); the rule text is per the MCA e-book to G.S.R. 552(E) of 9 September 2024. Later amendments should be checked before you rely on it. For help with a Tribunal order and the transfer, see our legal consultation service.
The shares are credited to the DEMAT account of the Authority within thirty days of becoming due to be transferred, treated as transmission of shares. The company reports the transfer in Form IEPF-4 within thirty days of the corporate action, attaching the Tribunal's order under section 90(8) and a declaration that no application under section 90(9) has been made or is pending. The shares go without restrictions, and no application to claim them back may be filed.
Where rule 6A comes from
Section 90 of the Companies Act, 2013 deals with significant beneficial owners. Rule 6A refers to an order of the Tribunal under section 90(8) and to section 90(9), and the conditions for the transfer are those the Act sets. The Act's section is explained in our post on section 90 of the Companies Act, 2013; the SBO Rules are covered in our companion articles on the declaration, return and register and on applications to the Tribunal.
Rule 6A is the transfer mechanism only. It does not decide whether the conditions of section 90 are met.
Rule 6A(1): the transfer and its two provisos
The shares are credited to the DEMAT account of the Authority, opened for the purpose, within thirty days of such shares becoming due to be transferred to the Fund.
- First proviso. The transfer by companies to the Fund is deemed to be transmission of shares, and the transmission procedure is followed.
- Second proviso. The shares are transferred to the Authority without any restrictions and no application shall be filed for claiming back such shares from the Authority.
Rule 6A(2) and (3): authority and procedure
- 6A(2). The Board authorises the Company Secretary or any other person to sign the necessary documents.
- 6A(3)(A) Demat shares. The company informs the depository by way of corporate action; on receipt, the depository transfers the shares to the Authority's DEMAT account.
- 6A(3)(B) Physical shares. The Company Secretary or the authorised person applies, on behalf of the shareholder, for a new share certificate. The certificate states on its face "Issued in lieu of share certificate No..... for the purpose of transfer to IEPF under sub-section (9) of section 90 of the Act" and is recorded in the register. Its particulars are in Form SH-1 of the Share Capital and Debentures Rules, 2014. After issue, the company informs the depository by corporate action to convert the certificates to DEMAT form and transfer them to the Authority.
Rule 6A(4) to (8): corporate action, statement, voting and benefits
| Sub-rule | Provision |
|---|---|
| 6A(4) | Transfers are made through corporate action; copies are preserved |
| 6A(5) | The company sends a statement in Form IEPF-4 to the Authority within thirty days of the corporate action, with details of the transfer, and attaches a copy of the Tribunal's order under section 90(8) along with a declaration that no application under section 90(9) has been made or is pending before the Tribunal |
| 6A(6) | Voting rights on the shares remain frozen. For the SEBI takeover regulations, 2011, shares transferred to the Authority are not excluded in calculating total voting rights |
| 6A(7) | The company maintains the statements with supporting documents; the Authority may inspect the records |
| 6A(8) | Benefits such as bonus shares, split, consolidation and fraction shares, except a right issue, are credited to the same DEMAT account, with an IEPF-4 statement within thirty days of the corporate action |
Rule 6A(9) to (13): delisting, winding up, dividend and remittance
- 6A(9). If the company is delisted, the Authority surrenders the shares under the SEBI delisting regulations (the 2009 regulations are cited as printed) and credits the proceeds to the Fund in a separate ledger account.
- 6A(10). If the company is wound up, the Authority may surrender the securities to receive the entitled amount and credit it to the Fund in a separate ledger.
- 6A(11). Further dividend received on the shares is credited to the Fund in a separate ledger.
- 6A(12). Amounts under sub-rules (9), (10) and (11) are remitted online to the Authority, with details in Form IEPF-1, within thirty days of the amount becoming due. A proviso says all such amounts go to the Authority without any restrictions and no application is filed to claim them back.
- 6A(13). The Authority reports non-compliance by companies to the Central Government when it comes to know of it.
Form IEPF-4 and Form IEPF-1 were substituted in 2024; use the forms as currently notified.
Rule 6 and rule 6A compared
| Point | Rule 6 (unclaimed dividend shares) | Rule 6A (section 90(9) shares) |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Dividend unclaimed for the Act's period | A transfer required under section 90(9) |
| Notice to shareholder | Three months before the due date, with newspaper notice | None printed |
| Exceptions | Court-restrained, pledged and already transferred shares are not transferred | None printed |
| Statement | IEPF-4 within thirty days of the corporate action, with the public notice | IEPF-4 within thirty days, with the Tribunal's order and a declaration |
| Claiming back | Possible, through Form IEPF-5 | Not possible: no application may be filed |
See our article on rule 6 for the unclaimed-dividend route, and on rule 7 for the claim process.
A worked example
The Tribunal passes an order under section 90(8) in respect of shares in Orchid Components Limited held by a person who has not complied. After the conditions in section 90(9) are met, the shares become due to be transferred. The company's Board authorises its Company Secretary to sign documents. The shares are in demat form, so the company informs the depository by corporate action, and the shares reach the Authority's DEMAT account within thirty days of becoming due. Within thirty days of the corporate action, the company sends IEPF-4, attaching the Tribunal's order and a declaration that no section 90(9) application has been made or is pending. The voting rights stay frozen. When the company later pays a dividend on those shares, it credits it to the Fund with an IEPF-1 within thirty days of becoming due, and no one can apply to get the shares or the dividend back.
Need help with a section 90 transfer?
A Tribunal order, a deemed transmission and an IEPF-4 with the right attachments leave little room for error. Our legal consultation team can review the order, prepare the Board authorisation and file the statement.
Key takeaways
- Rule 6A governs shares transferred to the IEPF under section 90(9).
- Credit the shares to the Authority's DEMAT account within thirty days of becoming due, as a transmission.
- IEPF-4 goes within thirty days of the corporate action, with the Tribunal's order and a declaration.
- The shares go without restrictions and cannot be claimed back.
- Voting rights are frozen; benefits other than a right issue and later dividends follow the shares to the Fund.
Read next
- Rule 6: transfer of shares to the IEPF after seven years
- Rule 7: claiming shares and dividend back in IEPF-5
- Section 90 of the Companies Act, 2013: significant beneficial owners
- SBO Rules: application to the Tribunal and exempt entities
Disclaimer: Based on the Companies Act, 2013 rules (and the Companies (Auditor's Report) Order, 2020) named above as consolidated in the MCA e-book (consulted on 3 October 2026), with the later notifications the article names. Later amendments, fees, forms and the Companies Act, 2013 provisions referred to should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.