Section 166 of Indian Companies Act 2013 "Duties of directors"
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a director of a company shall act in accordance with the articles of the company.
(2) A director of a company shall act in good faith in order to promote the objects of the company for the benefit of its members as a whole, and in the best interests of the company, its employees, the shareholders, the community and for the protection of environment.
(3) A director of a company shall exercise his duties with due and reasonable care, skill and diligence and shall exercise independent judgment.
(4) A director of a company shall not involve in a situation in which he may have a direct or indirect interest that conflicts, or possibly may conflict, with the interest of the company.
(5) A director of a company shall not achieve or attempt to achieve any undue gain or advantage either to himself or to his relatives, partners, or associates and if such director is found guilty of making any undue gain, he shall be liable to pay an amount equal to that gain to the company.
(6) A director of a company shall not assign his office and any assignment so made shall be void.
(7) If a director of the company
contravenes the provisions of this section such director
shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than
one lakh rupees but which may extend to five lakh rupees.
(1) The office of a director shall become vacant in case--
(a) he incurs any of the disqualifications specified in section 164:
1[Provided that where he incurs disqualification under sub-section (2) of section 164, the office of the director shall become vacant in all the companies, other than the company which is in default under that sub-section];
(b) he absents himself from all the meetings of the Board of Directors held during a period of twelve months with or without seeking leave of absence of the Board;
(c) he acts in contravention of the provisions of section 184 relating to entering into contracts or arrangements in which he is directly or indirectly interested;
(d) he fails to disclose his interest in any contract or arrangement in which he is directly or indirectly interested, in contravention of the provisions of section 184;
(e) he becomes disqualified by an order of a court or the Tribunal;
(f) he is convicted by a court of any offence, whether involving moral turpitude or otherwise and sentenced in respect thereof to imprisonment for not less than six months:
2[Provided that the office shall not be vacated by the director in case of orders referred to in clauses (e) and (f)--
(i) for thirty days from the date of conviction or order of disqualification;
(ii) where an appeal or petition is preferred within thirty days as aforesaid against the conviction resulting in sentence or order, until expiry of seven days from the date on which such appeal or petition is disposed of; or
(iii) where any further appeal or petition is preferred against order or sentence within seven days, until such further appeal or petition is disposed of.]
(g) he is removed in pursuance of the provisions of this Act;
(h) he, having been appointed a director by virtue of his holding any office or other employment in the holding, subsidiary or associate company, ceases to hold such office or other employment in that company.
(2) If a person, functions as a director even when he knows that the office of director held by him has become vacant on account of any of the disqualifications specified in sub-section (1), he shall be punishable 3*** with fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees but which may extend to 4 [five lakh rupees].
(3) Where all the directors of a company vacate their offices under any of the disqualifications specified in sub-section (1), the promoter or, in his absence, the Central Government shall appoint the required number of directors who shall hold office till the directors are appointed by the company in the general meeting.
(4) A private company may, by its
articles, provide any other ground for the vacation of the
office of a director in addition to those specified in
sub-section (1).
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1. The proviso ins. by Act 1 of 2018, s.
54 (w.e.f. 7-5-2018).
2. The proviso subs. by Act 1 of 2018, s. 54 (w.e.f.
7-5-2018).
3. The words "with imprisonment for a term which may extend
to one year or" omitted by Act 29 of 2020, s. 34 (w.e.f.
21-12- 2020).
4. Subs. by s. 34, ibid., for "five lakh rupees, or with
both" (w.e.f. 21-12-2020).