Maldives Islands Law & Regulations

Introduction and name
1. (a) This is the law governing the formation, registration and management of companies in the Republic of Maldives.

(b) This law shall be cited as the "The Companies Act of the Republic of Maldives"

Formation of companies
2. Companies in the Maldives shall be formed and managed in the manner prescribed in this Act.

Formation of companies
3. (a) Any two or more persons may as prescribed in this, Act having the liability of its members limited form a private company. A private company is a company whose memorandum and articles of association states that it is a private company, and that shares may only be transferred in accordance with its articles of association and the number of member of the company is limited to fifty and the sale of shares to the public is prohibited by the articles of association.

(b) Any ten or more persons, may in accordance with this Act having the liability of its members limited form a public company. A public company is a company whose memorandum and articles of association states that it is a public company and can sell shares to the public in accordance with this Act.

Memorandum and articles of association
4. Every company shall have a memorandum and articles of association which shall contain the names of the persons forming the company and shall be signed by them in the presence of two witnesses who shall also sign the same.

Contents of memorandum
5. The memorandum of every company must state:

» (a) the name of the company.
» (b) whether the company is a private company or a public company.
» (c) the registered office of the company.
» (d) the objects of the company.
» (e) the liability of the members.
» (f) the authorised capital of the company and the manner in which it is to be procured.

Contents of the articles
6.(a) The articles of association of every company must prescribe, in accordance with this Act regulations for the company.

(b) The articles of association of every private company must state: (1) it cannot sell shares to the public. (2) shares of the company may only be transferred to a party approved by the Board of Directors in accordance with the articles. (3) the number of shareholders of the company is limited to fifty.

Registration
7. (a) The persons forming a company shall submit to the registrar of companies the memorandum and articles of association together with the registration fee and the annual fee specified in the schedule of this act. The company shall be registered if the contents of the memorandum and articles of association do not contravene the Islamic principles or this Act or any other law.

(b) Every company registered under this Act shall pay the annual fee specified in the schedule of this Act. If a company fails to pay the annual fee specified in the schedule the registrar of companies reserves the right to take the necessary steps stipulated in this Act to dissolve the company.

(c) A private company shall be registered if the company's memorandum and articles of association states that it is a private company and if the authorised capital of the company stipulated in the memorandum and articles of the company is not less than MRF 2,000/- and the articles of association states that the company's shares may only be transferred from a member to another person in accordance with the articles of association and the memorandum and articles of association limits the membership of the company to fifty and prohibits the sale of shares to the public.

(d) A public company shall be registered if the persons forming the company agree to buy shares of at least MRF 1,000,000/- in value and pay the said money to the company and submit to the registrar of companies evidence of the payment.

(e) If a company is registered having paid the registration fee as prescribed in subsection (a) of this section subsequently increases the authorised capital then the company shall pay the fee for the increase in the proportion stipulated in the schedule.

Certificate of incorporation
8. The registrar of companies shall upon registration of the company in accordance with Section 7 of this Act issue to the company a certificate that the company is incorporated.

9. The registrar of companies reserves the right to call upon changes to memorandum and articles of association of the company delivered to him, to comply with the Act.

Company names
10. (a) The name given to a company shall be a name acceptable to the registrar of companies. If the registrar of companies feels that the proposed name is unacceptable he will not register it.

(b) The name of every company shall end or bear as a part of the name the word "Limited" or its abbreviation "Ltd".

(c) The name of every private company must end with the word "Private" or its abbreviation "Pvt".

(d) The name of every public company must end with the word "Public" or its abbreviation "Plc".

(e) Every company shall have its name displayed in Dhivehi outside its place of business.

(f) The name of the company and its registration number shall appear on all documents specified by the regulations promulgated under this Act.

Change of name
11. A company may by special resolution change its name.

Calling for change of name
12. Where a company has been registered by a name which in the opinion of the registrar of companies is unacceptable the registrar of companies reserves the right to direct the company to change its name. If the registrar of companies so directs the company must change its name within 21 days from the date of direction.

Registration of a new name
13. The registrar of companies shall, upon being informed by a company that it has changed its name in accordance with either section 11 or 12 of this Act, and if he finds the new name acceptable, issue a certificate in the new name, and the change of name has effect from the altered certificate is issued.

Effect of change of name
14. A change of name by a company under section 11 or 12 of the Act does not effect any rights or obligations of the company or render defective any legal proceedings by or against it.

Effect of registration
15. (a) The company upon registration shall become a legal entity distinct from its members by the name contained in the memorandum of association capable of forthwith exercising all the powers and functions specified in its memorandum and articles of association and of suing and being sued and having a perpetual succession and a common seal with the power to hold movable property and immovable property as is permitted by law.

(b) The memorandum and articles of association of a company, when registered, bind the company and its members to the same extent as if they respectively had been signed by each member, and contained covenants on the part of each member to observe all the provisions of the memorandum and of the articles.

Register of members
16. (a) Every company shall keep a register of its members and enter in it the following particulars: the name and addresses of the members the number of shares held by each member, and the amount paid on the shares of each member

(b) Every person whose name appear in the registry stated in sub-section (a) of this section shall be a member of the company.

List of members
17. Every company shall deliver to the registrar of companies a list of its members within thirty days of its annual general meeting.

Liability of the members
18. (a) A statement in the memorandum of a company stating that the liability of its members is limited shall mean that the liability of its members is limited for all purposes to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares respectively held by them and shall when the memorandum and articles of association are registered, for all legal purposes have effect accordingly.

(b) In the event a limited liability company is wound up every member of the company shall be liable to contribute to the assets of the company only to the extent of the amount unpaid, if any, on the nominal value of his shares.

Alterations of memorandum and articles of association
19. Subject to the provisions of this Act, and in accordance with the articles of association, a company may with prior approval of the registrar of companies alter its memorandum and articles of association by a special resolution at a general meeting.

Private company becoming public
20. (a) A private company may be re-registered as a public company if a special resolution that it should be so re-registered is passed, and an application for re-registration is delivered to the registrar of companies and the company is re-registered as a public company in accordance with this Act.

(b) The application for re-registration of a private company to a public company delivered to the registrar of companies shall contain the following:
(1) the special resolution passed by the private company to become public.
(2) the special resolution passed by the company to make such alterations in the memorandum and articles as are necessary to bring them into conformity with the requirement of this Act.
(3) the memorandum and articles of association of the company after bringing them into conformity with the memorandum and articles of association of a public company as prescribed in this Act.
(4) the prospectus. (c) If an application to re-register a private company to a public company is delivered to the registrar of companies in accordance with subsection (a) and (b) of this section the company shall be re-registered and the certificate of incorporation shall be issued if the requirements specified in this Act for the formation of a public company are fulfilled.

Public company becoming private
21. (a) A public company may be re-registered as a private company if a special resolution that it should be so re-registered is passed, and an application for re-registration is delivered to the registrar of companies and the company is re-registered as a private company in accordance with this Act.

(b) The application of re-registration of a public company to a private company delivered of registrar of companies shall contain the following:
(1) the special resolution passed by the public company to become private.
(2) the special resolution passed by the company to make such alterations to the memorandum and the articles as are necessary to bring them in conformity with requirements of this Act.
(3) the memorandum and articles of association of the company after bringing them into conformity with the memorandum and articles of association of a private company as prescribed in this Act.
(c) If an application to re-register a private company as a public company is delivered to registrar of companies in accordance with sub-sections (a) and (b) of this section, the company shall be re-registered and the certificate shall be issued if the requirements specified in this Act for the formation and registration of a private company are fulfilled.

Effect of change in company status
22. If a company changes its status from a private to a public company or from a public to a private company in accordance with section 20 and 21 of this Act, it shall in no way affect the rights, or obligations of the company nor shall it affect a proposed contract or subsisting contracts or to any legal proceedings by or against the company.

Sale of shares to the public
23. (a) Companies other than those registered under this Act as public companies shall not sell shares to the public.

(b) Sale of shares to the public shall mean that the company's share may be purchases by any person of the public, and that the shares of the company are freely transferable from one person to another without the approval of the company.

Prospectus
24. A public company can only sell shares to the public after issuing a prospectus in accordance with this Act and regulations promulgated under this Act with prior approval of the registrar of companies.

Permission to sell shares to the public
25. Permission to sell shares to the public will be given to a public company to an amount equivalent to the amount paid up by its members for the time being for the shares of the company.

Form of the prospectus
26. The prospectus stated in section 24 of this Act shall be in the form stipulated in section 27 of this Act and in accordance with the regulations promulgated under this Act.

Contents of the prospectus
27. The prospectus stated in section 24 of this Act shall contain the following:
(a) details of the assets, liabilities and other obligations of the company.
(b) financial status of the company.
(c) information required by investors to invest in the company and any other information generally expected by investors to be included in the prospectus.
(d) contain such information as may be prescribed by regulations made under this Act.

False information in prospectus
28. (a) Persons responsible for preparing a prospectus in which false information is intentionally included shall be guilty of an offence and each such person shall be liable to a fine not exceeding MRf 100,000/-

(b) The Board of Directors of the Company at the time the prospectus is delivered to the registrar of companies for approval shall be deemed persons responsible for preparing the prospectus.

Shares Allotment of shares
29. If a company makes an allotment of its shares it shall within thirty days of such allotment deliver to the registrar of companies a list of names and addresses of the allotees, the number, the nature and the value of the share allotted.

Value of shares
30. (a) The share capital of the company shall be divided into shares of equal value. The share capital of the company shall be divided or when the company makes an allotment of shares, it may create shares of various classes with different rights attached, as may be prescribed by regulations made under this Act.

(b) If the share capital of a company is divided or if a company allots shares of different classes with variation of rights attached to them the company shall as may be prescribed by regulations made under the Act make provisions in its article of association for variation of the rights attached for different classes of shares and for revocation of such rights.

No share at a discount
31. No shares in a company shall be issued at less than its nominal value.

Shares jointly owned
32. Two or more persons may jointly own a share, provided only one of them shall represent the share for the purpose of the company.

Financial assistance for the purchase of company shares
33. No company shall give financial assistance for the purchase or subscription of its shares.

Share certificate
34. (a) Every company shall issue to its members a share certificate. The share certificate is evidence of the shareholder's title to the share specified in the certificate.

(b) Every share certificate shall specify the class and the value of the share.

Considerations
35. A company may issue shares for considerations other than money, even in such instance, they shall not be issued at less than their nominal value.

Transfer of shares
36. The shares of any member in a company shall be movable properly and is transferable in the case of private companies with the approval of the Board of the Directors in accordance with the articles of association. Shares in a public company shall be transferred in accordance with this Act or as may be prescribed by the regulations made under this Act.

Transfer of shares and registration
37. If a share in a company is transferred from one person to another, the share transaction shall be registered in the company. A transfer shall take place when a proper instrument of transfer is delivered to the company.

Transmission of shares
38. If a shareholder deceases, the company may in accordance with the articles of association register the shares held by the deceased member in the name of the person or persons whom the court declares as being entitled to hold the shares.

Failure to answer a call up for share payment
39. If a shareholder fails to pay for the shares he has subsrcibed after a call for payment has been made, the company may in accordance with its articles of association forfeit the shares.

Increase of capital
40. A company may at a general meeting pass a resolution to increase its share capital.

Reduction of share capital
41. (a) A company may with prior written approval of the registrar of companies, by a special resolution at a general meeting reduce its shares capital if it is in excess of the company's requirements provided it does not affect the rights of another.

(b) The application delivered to the registrar of companies as stated in sub-section (a) shall specify the nature and the extent of the share capital to be reduced.

(c) The registrar of the companies shall, upon receiving the application as stated in sub-section (a) and (b), make a public announcement of the proposed reduction of the company's share capital.

(d) Permission for the reduction of the share capital shall be granted by the registrar if no object is lodged with the registrar by a member or any other person within one month of the announcement stated in sub-section (c).

(e) If a creditor or a member of the company or any other party lodges an objection with the registrar of companies giving reasons for the objection, within one month from the date of the announcement, stated in section (c) and if the registrar finds the objection acceptable then sub-section (d) does not prevent the registrar from granting the permission for the reduction of the capital provided that payment has been made to the claimant as instructed by the registrar and evidence of payment shown to the registrar or the company deposits into an account designated and for a specified time by the registrar an amount of money equivalent to the amount to be reduced from the capital.

Seal
42. (a) Every company shall have a registered seal.

(b) Any contract which is required by lay to be in writing, if made by a company, shall be in writing under its seal.

Commencement of business
43. (a) A private company may, upon its registration as stated in section 7 of this Act, commence its business as prescribed by the regulations made under this Act.

(b) A public company may commence business only after getting registered as a public company under this Act, and upon issuing a prospectus as stated in section 24 of this Act and the company allots shares to the public to the minimum level stipulated in the prospectus and receives payment for the allotted shares and the Directors of the company pays and submit to the registrar evidence of the payment for their shares and the registrar of companies gives permission to commence the business.

Management of the Company Board of directors
44. Every company shall be managed by a Board of Directors.

45. (a) Every private company shall have at least two directors and every public company shall have at least five directors in the Board.

(b) At least one member of the Board of Directors shall be a resident of the Republic of Maldives.

(c) A director of a company shall be at least sixteen years of age.

(d) The directors of the company shall be shareholders of the company. If the shareholders are legal entities then the directors shall be persons nominated by the respective entity.

(e) The first directors of the company shall be written down in the article of association of the company.

Company secretary
46. (a) Every company shall have a company secretary. It is the duty of the Board of Directors to see that the person appointed as the company secretary is competent to discharge the functions of the secretary of the company.

(b) Every company shall, when submitting its application for registration, submit to the registrar of companies the name of person who shall be the company secretary and an acceptance letter from the person.

(c) The duties of the company secretary shall be those prescribed by the regulations made under this Act.

Loans and guarantees to directors

47. (a) Public companies shall not grant a loan or issue a guarantee for a loan to a member of its Board of Directors nor to a company with their shares.

(b) Sub-section (a) does not apply to companies carrying out banking functions with the permission of Maldives Monetary Authority.

Appointment and removal of directors
48. Members to the Board of Directors shall be elected, appointed and removed in accordance with the articles of association of the company.

Removal of directors for their actions
49. A company may by special resolution at a general meeting remove a director if the director has acted or shows an intent to act to the detriment of the company.

Meetings of the board
50. The Board of Directors of the company shall meet at least twice a year.

Chairman of the board
51. Chairman of the board shall chair the meetings of the Board of Directors. If for any reason the Chairman is unable to attend the meeting then the directors present shall elect one of their member to be the chairman.

Quorum
52. A majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute the quorum at a board meeting. This section does not prevent the company from increasing the quorum by its articles of association and acting upon it.

Minutes
53. Every company shall maintain the minutes of the meeting of Board of Directors. The minutes shall be signed by the Chairman of the meeting and the company secretary.

Annual general meeting
54. Every company shall in each year hold a general meeting as its annual general meeting. Not more than fifteen months shall elapse between the date of one annual general meeting of a company and that of the next.

55. The following shall be carried out at the annual general meeting:

(a) Presentation and passing of the audited balance sheet, profit and loss account and the Directors report of the company.

(b) Election and appointment of directors, if any.

(c) Declaration of dividends.

Extraordinary general meeting
56. (a) A company may hold an extraordinary general meeting if its directors feel necessary to hold such a meeting.

(b) The Board of Directors shall hold an extraordinary general meeting if shareholders representing not less than 10% of the capital of the company request for such a meeting.

(c) Requisition made by the shareholders for the meeting stated in sub-section (b) shall be in writing and must state the objects of the meeting.

Notice for annual general meeting
57. (a) Every private company shall give to the shareholders at least 14 days notice of its general meeting. The notice shall specify the objects, venue, date, agenda and time of the meeting. The Directors annual report, annual accounts and auditor's report shall be sent to every member along with the notice.

(b) Public companies shall give 14 days notice of its annual general meeting by a public announcement. The said announcement shall state the venue, date and time of the meeting. The Directors annual report, annual accounts and auditors report shall be published together with the announcement.

(c) Private companies shall give fourteen days notice of any extraordinary general meeting to its members the notice shall state the objects, agenda, venue, date and time of the meeting.

(d) Public companies shall give to its members fourteen days notice of any extraordinary general meeting by a public announcement. The announcement shall state the venue, date and time of the meeting. Quorum for general meeting 58. A majority of the members of the company shall constitute a quorum for a general meeting. This section does not prevent a company from increasing the quorum required by its articles of association.

Right to attend general meetings

59. Every member or his proxy shall have the right to attend every general meeting of the company. The proxy shall be appointed in writing. The proxy shall have the right to express and vote at the meeting. Chairman of the general meeting 60. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall chair every general meeting. If the Chairman is unable to attend the meeting then the members present shall elect one of their number to the chair.

Minutes
61. Every company shall maintain minutes of its general meetings.

Voting
62. (a) Voting at all meetings of a company shall be by a show of hands unless a poll is demanded by members representing not less than 10% of the shares of the company.

(b) on a vote taken by a show of hands every member present shall have one vote.

(c) on a poll each shareholder shall have one vote for each share he holds.

(d) a decision taken by a poll cannot be changed.

(e) this section does not prevent, the articles of association of the company from stipulating in accordance with regulations made under this Act, the manner in which the holders of preference shares as stated in section 30 of this Act votes in t he General Meetings for the declaration of dividends or for the winding up resolution.

Accounts and Audit Duty to keep accounting records
63. (a) Every company shall keep clear and sufficient accounting records of the following:

(1) day to day sums of money received and expanded by the company.
(2) a record of the assets, liabilities and obligations of the company.
(b) If a company fails to comply with any provisions of this section every director who is charged by the company to fulfil the requirements of this section shall be guilty of an offence.

(c) The person guilty of an offence under sub-section (b) shall be liable to a fine of between MRf. 10,000.00 and MRf. 500,000.00 or to six months to two years house arrest or imprisonment or to banishment.

Where and the period for keeping records
64. (a) A company's accounting records shall be kept at its registered office, and shall at all times be available for inspection by the members of the company.

(b) Every private company shall preserve its accounting records for three years from the date on which they are made, and

(c) Every public company shall preserve its accounting records for six years from the date on which they are made.

Passing of accounts
65. Every company shall prepare the accounts stated in section 66 of this Act and pass the accounts by the Board of Directors in accordance with the article of association. The accounts shall be signed by the Board of Directors.

Annual accounts and annual report
66. (a) The Board of Directors shall, in order to present to the annual general meeting cause the preparation of accounts showing the income and expenses, profit and loss, the annual balance sheet and an annual report and shall submit them to the annual general meeting.

(b) The annual report prepared by the Board of Directors stated in sub-section (a) shall include the following:

(1) a review of the business and other activities of the company during the past year.
(2) the amount which the Board of Directors recommend should be paid as dividend and the amount they propose to set aside as reserves.
(3) names of the directors of the company and details of the members of the company in the past year.
(4) information on the main activities carried out by the company in the past year.
(c) In the case of any failure to comply with sub-section (a) and (b) of this section as to the preparation of the Directors annual report and the annual accounts every director of the company who is charged to cause the preparation of them and have failed to take necessary steps for there preparation is guilty of an offence and is liable to a fine between MRf. 5,000/- and MRf. 100,000/-

Contents of the accounts
67. Every company shall, in the accounts stated in subsection (a) of section 66, specify the share capital of the company; the paid up capital, the assets, liabilities and information generally expected to be disclosed in relation to the assets and liabilities of the company and the manner in which all immovable properties of the company are valued.

Laying of the accounts and reports before the general meeting
68. (a) Every company shall lay before the company in general meeting the annual account, and the directions report stated in section 66 after passing them by the Board of Directors with the signatures of two directors of the company.

(b) Every company shall when laying before the company in general meeting the annual account and director's report shall also lay the auditor's report stated in section 71 of the Act.

Accounts and reports to be delivered to the registrar
69. (a) The directors of the company shall deliver to the registrar of companies the annual accounts and the directors report stated in section 66 of this Act and the auditors report stated in section 71 of the Act within fifteen days of the annual general meeting.

(b) In the case of failure to comply with sub-section (a) of this section every member of the Board of Directors of the company for the past year who has been charged to act in accordance with section 69 (a) and have failed to do so or take positive actions in that regard shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine between MRf. 5,000/- to MRf. 100,000/-

Appointment of auditors
70. (a) Every company shall appoint an auditor or auditors to audit the company. Every public company and companies whose share capital is more than MRf. 1,000,000.00 shall appoint chartered accountants or certified Public Accountants approved by the Auditor General to act as their Auditors.

(b) Auditors of the company shall be appointed and removed at the annual general meeting of the company.

(c) The remuneration of the auditors appointed under sub-section (a) of this section shall be fixed by the company in members annual general meeting.

Auditor's report
71. (a) The auditors of the company shall prepare the auditors' report to be laid before the annual general meeting of the company along with the accounts prepared in accordance with section 66 of this Act.

(b) The auditor's report stated in sub-section (a) shall include the following:

(1) whether or not the auditors received the required information and details to discharge their responsibilities.
(2) whether or not the accounts prepared as stated in section 66 of this Act are true and show an accurate status of the company and whether or not the accounts reflect the real financial status of the company as seen from the books of the company.

Power of the registrar of companies to convene a general meeting of the company
72. (a) If for any reason a general meeting of the company be duly convened or cannot proceed in accordance with the company's articles or as prescribed in this Act then every member of the company reserves the right to apply to the registrar of companies requesting him to convene a general meeting of the company and if the company fails to convene a meeting as instructed by the registrar, the registrar reserves the right to convene a general meeting of the company. The meeting convened by the registrar shall be chaired by the registrar of companies or any other person appointed by the registrar.

(b) A meeting convened by the registrar of companies as provided in sub-section (a) of this section may proceed even if one shareholder or a proxy attends it.

Members applying for a court order

73. (a) A member of the company or members of the company may apply for a court order if a right of a member or members in adversely affected or if there is a prejudice to the harmony of the members or the affairs of the company is managed in a manner detrimental to right of a member or members or part of the members.

(b) If in the opinion of the court a right of the applicant under sub-section (a) of this section is adversely affected the court has the power to issue any of the following order or orders:

(1) an order directing the affairs of the company affecting the right complained.
(2) an order restraining or requiring the rectification of the affairs of the company affecting the right complained.
(3) an order requiring alteration of the memorandum and articles of association of the company.
Abuse of corporate entity status

74. Notwithstanding the distinct legal entity status acquired by a company as stated in section 15 of this Act the court deserves the right to issue and order holding liable personally the directors of the company who have used the corporate entity status to commit the following acts in the name of the company.

(a) Using the corporate entity status to carry out an illegal activity.

(b) Using the corporate entity status to commit fraud.

(c) Using the corporate entity status to defraud or mislead the creditors or past or present clients of the company.

(d) In addition to those specified in sub-section (a), (b) and (c) by the operation of the law.

Winding up of a company
75. A company registered under this Act may only be dissolved in the following two ways:

(a) the company decided to dissolve itself.

(b) by order of the court. Voluntary dissolution 76. (a) A company may be wound up as stated in section 75 (a) of this Act if the board by resolution, confirmed by special resolution in a general meeting, decides to do so. (b) The general meeting of the company passing the winding up resolution shall appoint a person or persons to undertake the winding up process as well as fix their remuneration and make available to the person pre persons the balance sheet of the company, details of the assets, liabilities, other obligations of the company, the names and addresses of the creditors and if a creditor's credit is secured by a mortgage, details of any such mortgage.

(c) The person or persons appointed to wind up the company shall within seven days of their appointment inform the registrar of their appointment and give notice of it by a public announcement and shall commence the winding up process in accordance with this Act and regulations made under this Act.

(d) If the person or persons appointed to wind up the process is unable to discharge their duties due to permanent disability or by death or resignation by the company shall convene general meeting of the company to appoint a replacement.

Cessation of business on commencement of the winding up
77. The company shall from the passing of the resolution to wind up the company in accordance with subsection (a) of section 76 of this Act cease to carry on its business, except so far as may be required for its beneficial winding up.

General meeting to dissolve the company
78. (a) A soon as the company affairs are fully wound up in accordance with this Act and regulations made under this Act the person or persons appointed as stated in sub-section (c) of section 76 shall convene a general meeting of the company.

(b) Notice given to the members to attend the general meeting stated in sub-section (a) shall be by a public announcement.

(c) The person or persons appointed by the company to wind it shall make up an account of the winding up showing how it has been conducted and the manner in which the properties, liabilities and other obligations of the company have been disposed and shall present the account to the general meeting stated in sub-section (a) of this section.

Removal of the person appointed to wind up the company
79. If a creditor or a member of the company lodges a complaint with the registrar of companies regarding the actions of the person or persons appointed to liquidate the company and if after a due investigation the registrar forms the opinion that the actions of the person or persons appointed to wind up the company are unacceptable the registrar of companies reserves the right to remove the person or persons appointed by the company and direct the company to apply to the court for the winding up.

Winding up by the court
80. (a) The court may order the winding up of the company as stated in section 75

(b) under following circumstances:
(1) The company at a general meeting resolves by special resolution to wind it ip by the court.
(2) The company does not commence business within a year from its incorporation.
(3) The company is unable to pay it debts.
(4) it is proved that the company has repeatedly failed to perform an obligation required by law.
(5) It is proved to the court that the business carried out by a company is illegal.
(6) The directors of the company are conducting the business of the company for their personal benefit rather than for the benefit of the company's members.

(7) The court is of the opinion that is just and equitable that the company should be wound up. (b) For the purpose of sub-section (a) 3 above the court shall deem that the company is unable to pay its debts if a creditor to whom the company is indebted in a sum exceeding MRf. 5,000.00 than due has served on the company a written demand requiring the company to pay the sum so due and to the company has for 15 days thereafter neglected to pay the sum or a court has issued a judgement debt against the company and the company has failed comply in whole or in part to the judgement.

Persons who may petition for a winding-up order
81. (a) A member of the company, or a creditor of the company or the registrar of companies may petition to the court for the winding up of the company as stated in section 80 of this Act.

(b) If a petition is made to the court by a person stated in sub-section (a) of this section the court shall examine the petition and if in the opinion of the court the company should be wound up it shall appoint a person or persons to wound up the company and shall order the company to provide to the person or persons so appointed with the balance sheet, details of the assets, liabilities, other obligations of the company, names and addresses of the creditors of the company and if a creditor's credit is secured by a mortgage over the assets of the company details of any such mortgage.

Notification of the person appointed to the registrar of companies
82. The court shall notify the registrar of companies details of the person or persons appointed to wind up the company within seven days of the appointment.

Notice of the winding up of the company
83. Upon commencement of the winding up process by the person or persons appointed by the court as stated in section 81 (c) of this Act notice of it shall be given by a public announcement.

Result of the commencement of the winding up process
84. Business of the company except those required for the beneficial winding up of the company shall be ceased from the appointment of a person or persons by the court as stated in section 81 (c) of the Act for the winding up of the company.

Duties of the person or persons appointed to wind up the company
85. The person or persons appointed to wound up the company shall, upon their appointment as stated in section 76 (b) and 81 (b) of this Act carry out the following:

(a) prepare an account of the assets and liabilities of the company and take into their custody the assets of the company and recover all debts due to the company.

(b) represent or appoint a legal counsel to represent the company in legal proceeding by or against the company.

(c) settlement all debts of the company from the reserves of the company, revenue being received by the company and from the proceeds of the sale of assets of the company.

(d) distribution of the assets and reserves of the company among the members in proportion to their respective share holdings after the settlement of all debts of the company.

(e) to do all other acts this Act or regulations made under this Act may prescribe.

Qualifications of the person or persons appointed to wind up the company
86. The person or persons appointed as stated in sections 76 (b) and 81 (b) shall have the following qualifications.

(a) shall be competent to carry out the winding up process.

(b) shall not be indebted to the company nor shall the company be indebted to them.

(c) shall not be an employee or employees of the company.

(d) shall not be an employee of a member if the company nor shall be a business partner to a member of the company.

(e) shall not be an undischarged bankrupt.

Transfer of shares after the commencement winding up process
87. Any transfer of shares, not being a transfer made with the sanction of the person or persons appointed to wind up the company after the commencement of the winding up, is void.

All moneys to be secured in a bank account
88. Upon commencement of the winding up process by the persons appointed to carry out the winding up as stated in section 76 (b) and 81 (b), the moneys received by the company shall be deposited in a bank account in the Republic of Maldives designated for that purpose.

Maintenance of accounts
89. The person or persons appointed to wind up the company shall maintain accounts of all the income and expenditure of the company in an acceptable manner.

Decision of the court
90. If the person or persons carrying out the winding up is faces with a matter they could not settle, the matter shall be referred to the court for a decision.

Order of settling company's debts
91. The assets of the company in a winding up process under section 76 and 80 of this Act shall be applied, after deducing the expenses incurred for the winding up and the remuneration of the person or persons appointed to wind up the company, in the following order.

(a) money due to the government or to government bodies.

(b) wages due to employees of the company except directors for three months form the date the court issued the winding up order or the company passed the special resolution to wind up the company.

(c) the balance, if any, after settling the payments stated in (a) and (b) if not sufficient to discharge all debts of the company shall be applied in satisfaction of the company's liabilities pari passu.

The final account
92. (a) A soon as the company's affairs are fully wound up, the person or persons appointed to wind up the company under section 76 of the Act shall make up an account of the winding up to lay before general meeting of the company stated in section 78 and shall give details of the winding up to the members of the company.

(b) As soon as the company's affairs are fully wound up, the person or persons appointed to wind up the company under section 81 of this Act shall make up an account of the winding and shall deliver to the account to the court and shall give details of the winding up to the court.

End of winding up
93. (a) The registrar of companies shall dissolve the company within 14 days of the application to dissolve the company submitted by the person or persons appointed to wind up the company under section 76 of this Act who has completed the requirements stated in section 92

(a) in accordance with that provision.

(b) The registrar of companies shall dissolve the company within 14 days from the date the court directs the registrar to dissolve the company, after receiving an account of the winding up process from the person or persons appointed under section 81 of this Act who has completed the winding up process as stated in section 92 (b) of this Act.

Companies registered outside Republic of Maldives
94. (a) Companies registered outside the Republic of Maldives shall before commencing any business obtain the necessary permits under the laws and regulations of the Republic of Maldives and shall submit to the registrar the following documents to register the company in the Ministry of Trade, Industries and Labour as a foreign company doing business in the Maldives.

(1) Copy of the permit issued to the company to conduct business in the Republic of Maldives.
(2) Copy of the memorandum and articles of association of the company. If the company is formed by a charted or a law a copy of the documents.
(3) Names and addresses of the Board of Directors.
(4) names and addresses of a person or persons who shall represent the company in the event of any legal proceedings against the company.
(5) Registered address of the company.
(6) Address of the place of business in the Maldives.
(b) If there is a change to any of the information or documents submitted to the registrar in accordance with sub-section (a) of this section the change shall be notified and the documents submitted to the registrar within 15 days of the change

(c) Every company conducting business in the Maldives under sub-section (a) of this section shall deliver to the registrar a copy of its annual accounts, any such accounts shall be the account prepared to be submitted to the annual general meeting of the company.

Government companies
95. Companies whose shares are held solely by the government or a body of the government shall be formed by a law or by a decree of the President of the Republic.

96. The law or decree stated in section 95 of this Act shall contain the name of the company, its objects, the authorised capital and articles of association of the company.

97. The liability of the shareholders of the company formed as stated in section 95 of this Act is limited to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares held by the Government as stipulated in the decree or law forming the company or to any other extent stipulated in the decree or law forming the company.

Legal personality
98. A soon as the law stated in section 95 of this Act forming the company is passed or the decree come into force the company formed by any such law or decree shall be a legal entity distinct from its members by the name stated in the law or decree capable of forthwith exercising all the powers and functions specified in the law or decree and being and being sued and having perpetual succession and a common seal with power to hold movable and immovable property.

Transfer of shares of a government company
99. A company formed as stated in section 95 of this Act may transfer or sell its shares to a party other than the government only after registering the company under this Act and the assets, liabilities and other obligations of the company is transferred by a law or presidential decree to the company registered under this Act.

Other matters Companies existing at the time this Act came into force
100. (a) Companies registered in the Ministry of Trade, Industries and Labour at the time this Act come into force will be deemed to be registered under this Act.

(b) If an amendment if any is required to the memorandum or articles of association of companies registered in the Ministry of Trade, Industries and Labour prior to the passing of this Act, such amendments shall be made and registered with the registrar of companies within six months from the date this Act come into force.Regulations

101. Ministry of Trade, Industries and Labour shall make and implement regulations under this Act.

Definitions
102. In this Act unless the context requires otherwise.

"Special resolution" means a resolution passed by at least three fourth majority of those eligible to vote in a company's general meeting.

"Nominal Value" means the value of a share of the company when the authorised share capital is divided by the number of shares of the company and the value of the share specified in the share certificate.

"Registrar of companies" means the authority to which the functions of the Registrar have been assigned by the President.

"Person or Persons" shall include juridical persons.

"Public announcement" shall mean publishing in a daily newspaper in the Maldives and broadcasting over the radio and television as may be prescribed by regulations under this Act.

103. This Act shall come into force on 1st July 1997.

104. Law No: 23/72 the Law Governing the Formation of Public Companies and Law No: 25/82 the Law Governing the Registration of Companies and Agencies, shall be repealed from the date this Act comes into force.

SCHEDULE

1. The company registration fee stated in section 7 of this Act shall be paid in the following manner:

(a) If the authorised capital of the company is MRf. 10,000/- or less than MRf. 10,000/- the fee shall be MRf. 1,000/-.

(b) If the authorised capital of the company is more than MRf. 10,000/- then in addition to the MRf. 1,000/- stated in subsection (a) above a fee calculated on the following basis on the authorised capital of the company shall be paid.

1. For every MRf. 4,000/- or part thereof of the authorised capital b
tween MRf. 10,000/- and MRf. 500,000/- a fee of MRf. 10/- shall be paid.
2. For every MRf. 4,000/- or part thereof of the authorised capital between MRf. 500,000/- and MRf. 4,000,000/- a fee of MRf. 4/- shall be paid.
3. For every MRf. 4,000/- or part thereof of the authorised capital between MRf. 4,000,000/- and MRf. 8,000,000/- a fee of MRf. 2/- shall be paid.
4. For every MRf. 4,000/- or part thereof of the authorised capital above MRf. 8,000,000/- a fee of MRf. 1/- shall be paid.
2. The annual company fee state in section 7 of the Act shall be paid in the following manner:

(a) Public companies shall pay MRf. 10,000/- before the end of March every year.

(b) Private companies shall pay MRf. 2,000/- before the end of March every year.