New format of Abridged Prospectus for public issues

New format of Abridged Prospectus for public issues of Non-Convertible Debt Securities and/or Non-convertible Redeemable Preference Shares’

1. Section 2(1) of the Companies Act, 2013 defines an abridged prospectus as a memorandum containing such salient features of a prospectus as may be specified by the Securities and Exchange Board of India by making regulations in this behalf.
   
2. Further, Section 33(1) of the Companies Act, 2013 states that no form of application for the purchase of any of the securities of a company shall be issued unless such form is accompanied by an Abridged Prospectus.
   
3. As per Regulation 2(1)(a) of SEBI (Issue and Listing of Non-Convertible Securities) Regulations, 2021 (“NCS Regulations”) “abridged prospectus” means a memorandum accompanying the application form for a public issue containing such salient features of a prospectus as specified by the Board.
   
4. Further, in terms of Regulation 32(3) of the NCS Regulations, abridged prospectus shall be in the format as specified in Part B of Schedule I of the NCS Regulations.
   
5. In order to further simplify, provide greater clarity and consistency in the disclosures across various documents and to provide additional but critical information in the abridged Prospectus, the format for disclosures in the abridged Prospectus has been revised and is placed at Annex-I of this Circular.
   
6. Further, instructions to investors for completing the application form is specified in Annex-II. Issuer/ Merchant Bankers/ syndicate members like brokers who are involved in the public issue shall disclose the same on their websites during the period a public issue is kept open.
   
7. This Circular shall be applicable for all public issues opening on or after October 1, 2023. Accordingly, for public issues that open on or after October 1, 2023, the format of an Abridged Prospectus shall be as per Annex-I of this Circular instead of Part B of Schedule I of the NCS Regulations.
   
8. A copy of the Abridged Prospectus shall be made available on the website of issuer, merchant bankers, registrar to an issuer and a link for downloading Abridged Prospectus shall be provided in issue advertisement for the public issue.
   
9. Further, the issuer/ Merchant Bankers shall insert a Quick Response (QR) code on the last on the last page of the Abridged Prospectus. The scan of such QR code on the Abridged prospectus would lead to the Prospectus. Further, the issuer entity/ Merchant Bankers shall insert a QR code on the front page of the documents such as front outside cover page, advertisement, etc. as deemed fit by them. The scan of the QR code would lead to the prospectus or abridged prospectus as applicable.
   
10. The Issuer /Merchant Bankers shall ensure that the disclosures in the Abridged Prospectus are adequate, accurate and do not contain any misleading or misstatement.
    
11. Furthermore, the Issuer/ Merchant Bankers shall ensure that the qualitative statements in the Abridged Prospectus shall be substantiated with quantitative factors. Also, no qualitative statement shall be made which cannot be substantiated with quantitative factors.
    
12. The Stock Exchanges are directed to bring the provisions of this circular to the notice of listed entities and also to disseminate the same on their website.
    
13. This circular is issued in exercise of powers conferred by Section 11(1) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 and Regulation 55 read with Regulation 32(3) of the NCS Regulations to protect the interests of investors in securities and to promote the development of, and to regulate the securities market.
    
14. The contents of this circular will appropriately be added to Chapter II (Application form and Abridged Prospectus) of the Master Circular dated August 10, 2021, for issue and listing of Non-convertible Securities, Securitised Debt Instruments, Security Receipts, Municipal Debt Securities and Commercial Paper, as updated.

Annexure

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