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GOVERNMENT SECURITIES ACT, 2006
38 of 2006
An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to Government securities and its management by the Reserve Bank of India and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Whereas it is expedient to consolidate and amend the law relating to Government securities and its management by the Reserve Bank of India; And whereas Parliament has no power to make laws for the States with respect to any of the matters aforesaid except as provided in articles 249 and 250 of the Constitution; And whereas in pursuance of clause (1) of article 252 of the Constitution, resolutions have been passed by the Houses of the Legislatures of all the States, except the Legislature of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, to the effect that the matters aforesaid should be regulated in those States by Parliament by law; Be it enacted by Parliament in the Fifty-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:
Section 1: Short title, application and commencement
(1) This Act may be called the Government Securities Act, 2006.
(2) This Act applies to Government securities created and issued whether before or after the commencement of this Act by the Central Government or a State Government.
(3) It applies in the first instance to whole of the States, except the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and to all the Union territories and it shall also apply to the State of Jammu and Kashmir which adopts this Act by resolution passed in that behalf under clause (1) of article 2 52 of the Constitution.
(4) It shall come into force in all the States, except the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and in the Union territories on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint and in the State of Jammu and Kashmir which adopts this Act under clause (1) of article 252 of the Constitution, on the date of such adoption; and any reference in this Act to the commencement of this Act shall, in relation to any State or Union territory, means the date on which this Act, comes into force in such State or Union territory.
Section 2: Definitions
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-
(a) "agent" means a scheduled bank within the meaning of clause (e) of S.2 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934(2 of 1934), or any other person specified as such;
(b) "Bank" means the Reserve Bank of India constituted under s.3 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (2 of 1934);
(c) "bond ledger account" means an account with the Bank or an agent in which the Government securities are held in a dematerialised form at the credit of the holder;
(d) "constituents’ subsidiary general ledger account" means a sub-sidiary general ledger account opened and maintained with the Bank by an agent on behalf of the constituents of such agent;
(e) "Government", in relation to any Government security, means the Central or State Government issuing the security;
(f) "Government security" means a security created and issued by the Government for the purpose of raising a public loan or for any other purpose as may be notified by the Government in the Official Gazette and having one of the forms mentioned in s.3;
(g) "prescribed" means prescribed by regulations made under this Act;
(h) "promissory note" includes a treasury bill;
(i) "specified" means specified by the Bank in the Official Gazette.
Section 3: Forms of Government securities
A Government security may, subject to such terms and conditions as may be specified, be in such forms as may be prescribed or in one of the following forms, namely:
(i) a Government promissory note payable to or to the order of a certain persons; or
(ii) a bearer bond payable to bearer; or
(iii) a stock; or
(iv) a bond held in a bond ledger account.
Explanation. For the purpose of this section, "stock" means a Government security,
(i)registered in the books of the Bank for which a stock certificate is issued; or
(ii)held at the credit of the holder in the subsidiary general ledger account including the constituents subsidiary general ledger account maintained in the books of the Bank,and transferable by registration in the books of the Bank.
Section 4: Subsidiary general ledger account
(1) A subsidiary general ledger account including a constituents’ subsidiary general ledger account and a bond ledger account may be opened and maintained by the Bank subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be specified and in such form and on payment of such fee as may be prescribed.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988 (45 of 1988), or any other law for the time being in force, the Government securities may be held on behalf of a constituent in a constituents’ subsidiary general ledger account under sub- section (1) and the holder of such account shall be deemed to be the holder of the securities held in that account:
Provided that the constituent as a beneficial owner of the Government security shall be entitled to claim from the holder all the benefits and be subjected to all the liabilities in respect of the Government securities held in the constituents’ subsidiary general ledger account.
(3) The holder of a constituents’ subsidiary general ledger account shall maintain such records and adopt such procedure for safeguarding the interests of the constituents as may be specified.
Section 5: Transfer of Government securities
(1) No transfer of a Government security shall be valid if it does not purport to convey the full title to the security.
(2) The transfer of the Government securities shall be made in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed.
(3) Any document relating to a Government security or any endorsement on a promissory note issued by the Government may, on the demand of a person who for any reason is unable to write, shall be executed on his behalf in such manner as may be prescribed.
(4) Nothing in this section shall affect any order made by the Bank under this Act, or any order made by a Court upon the Bank.
Section 6: Holding of Government securities by holders of public offices
(1) In the case of any public office to which the Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare this sub-section to apply, a Government security may be held in the name of the office.
(2) When a Government security is so held, it shall be deemed to be transferred without any or further endorsement or transfer deed from each holder of the office to the succeeding holder of the office on and from the date on which the latter takes charge of the office.
(3) When the holder of the office transfers to a party not being his successor in office where a Government security so held, the transfer shall be made by the signature of the holder of the office and the name of the office in the manner laid down in s.5.
(4) Where the holder of the office is temporarily absent for more than a fortnight from his office for any reason, he may authorise in writing such other person, who would be incharge of this office during the period of such absence, to effect transfer of the Government securities.
(5) This section applies as well to an office of which there are two or more joint holders as to an office of which there is a single holder.
Section 7: Recognition of title to Government security of deceased sole holder or joint holders
(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-sections (2) and (3), if on the death of a sole holder or death of all the joint holders of a Government security there is no nomination in force, the executors or administrators of the deceased sole holder or all the deceased joint holders, as the case may be, or the holder of a succession certificate issued under Part X of the Indian Succession Act, 1925 (39 of 1925) shall be the only person who may be recognised by the Bank as having any title to the Government security.
(2) Nothing contained in this section shall bar the recognition by the Bank of any person as having a title to a Government security on the basis of a decree, order or direction passed by a competent court declaring the person as having title to the Government security or appointing a receiver to take possession of a security or on the basis of a certificate issued or order passed by any other authority who might have been empowered under any statute to confer on any such person a title to the Government security or on the basis of such other documents as may be prescribed.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section or in any other law for the time being in force, where the outstanding value of Government security held by a deceased sole holder or deceased joint holders, as the case may be, does not exceed an amount of rupees one lakh or such higher amount not exceeding rupees one crore as may be fixed by the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette from time to time, the Bank may recognise a person as having title to such Government security of the deceased sole holder or deceased joint holders in such manner and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed.
Section 8: Right of survivors of joint holders or several payees
Notwithstanding anything contained in s.45 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 (9 of 1872) and subject to the provisions of s.7 and s.10,
(a) when a Government security is held by two or more persons jointly, and either or any of them dies, the title to the Government security shall vest in the survivor or survivors of those persons; and
(b) when a Government security is payable to two or more persons severally and either or any of them dies, the Government security shall be payable to the survivor or survivors of those persons or to the representative of the deceased or to any one of them:
Provided that nothing contained in this section shall affect any claim which any representative of a deceased joint holder or deceased holders of a Government security or a surviving joint holder or holders of a Government security, as the case may be, may have against the survivor or survivors or representatives under or in respect of any Government security to which this section applies.
Explanation. For the purposes of this section, a body incorporated or deemed to be incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), or the Co-operative Societies Act, 1912 (2 of 1912), or any other enactment for the time being in force relating to the incorporation of associations of individuals, shall be deemed to die when it is dissolved.
Section 9: Nomination by holders of Government securities
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in s.7 and s.8 or any other law for the time being in force, except the provisions of sub-section (2),
(a)where a Government security other than in the form of promissory note or bearer bond is held by a person in his name or jointly with any other name or names, as the case may be, the sole holder or all the joint holders of the Government security together may nominate one or more persons in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed, who in the event of the death of the sole holder or the death of all the joint holders, as the case may be, would become entitled to the Government security and to payment thereon to the exclusion of all other persons, unless the nomination is varied or cancelled in the prescribed manner;
(b) where a nomination in respect of a Government security has been made in favour of two or more nominees and either or any of them is dead, the surviving nominee or nominees, as the case may be, shall be entitled to the Government security and payment thereon;
(c) where the nominee is a minor, it shall be lawful for the sole holder or all the joint holders of a Government security, as the case may be, to appoint in the prescribed manner any person in whom the Government security would be deemed to have vested in the event of death of such holder or joint holders of the Government security during the minority of the nominee;
(d) the recognition of right and claim of the nominee or nominees to the Government security held by a sole holder or joint holders, as the case may be, and any payment made by the Government or the Bank to the nominee or nominees shall constitute a full discharge and shall absolve the Government or the Bank of its liability in respect of the said Government security.
(2) Any nomination or appointment made under sub-section (1) shall become void if the nominee predeceases, or where there are two or more nominees, if all the nominees predecease the holder or joint holders of the Government security making the nomination.
(3) Where the amount due for the time being on a Government security is payable to two or more nominees and either or any of them dies, the title to the Government security shall vest in the survivor or survivors of those nominees and the amount for the time being due thereon shall be paid accordingly.
(4) A transfer of a Government security made in accordance with sub-section (2) of s.5 shall automatically cancel the nomination previously made:
Provided that where a Government security is in the possession of a person either as a pledge or by way of security for any purpose, such possession shall not have the effect of cancelling the nomination, but the right of the nominee shall be subject to the right of the person so possessing it.
(5) The Government may, on the recommendation of the Bank, by notification in the Official Gazette, extend the facility of nomination to any Government security as may be specified therein.
(6) Nothing contained in sub-section (1) shall affect the right or claim which any person may have against the person whose right and title to a Government security is recognised by the Government or the Bank or to whom the payment of the amount due on the Government security is made by the Government or the Bank under sub-section (1).
(7) No notice of any claim of any person, other than the person or persons in whose name a Government security is held or the nominees thereof, shall be receivable by the Bank or the Government, nor shall the Bank or the Government be bound by any such notice even though expressly given to it:
Provided that where any decree, order, certificate or other authority from a court of competent jurisdiction relating to such Government security is produced before the Bank or the Government, the Bank or the Government shall take due note of such decree, order, certificate or other authority.
Section 10: Government securities belonging to minor or insane person
(1) Where any Government security is held on behalf of a minor, the payment of the same for the time being due on a Government security either by way of outstanding principal or interest thereon may be made to the father or mother of such minor and where neither parent is alive or where the living parents are or only living parent is incapable of action, to a person entitled under the law for the time being in force to have care of the property of the minor.
(2) When a Government security belongs to a minor or a person who is insane and incapable of managing his affairs and the outstanding principal value of the Government security does not in the aggregate exceed rupees one lakh or such higher amount not exceeding rupees one crore as the Central Government may, by a notification in the Official Gazette from time to time, fix, the Bank may make such order as it thinks fit for the vesting of such Government security in such person as it considers represents the minor or insane person.
Section 11: Issue of duplicate securities and of new securities on conversion, consolidation, sub-division, renewal, stripping or reconstitution
(1) If the person entitled to a Government security applies to the Bank alleging that the Government security has been lost, stolen or destroyed, or has been defaced or mutilated, the Bank may, on proof to its satisfaction of the loss, theft, destruction, defacement or mutilation of the Government security, and subject to such conditions and on payment of such fees as may be prescribed, order the issue of a duplicate Government security to the applicant.
(2) If the person entitled to a Government security applies to the Bank to have the Government security converted into a Government security of another form, or into a Government security issued in connection with another loan or to have it consolidated with other like Government securities, or to have it sub-divided, or to have it renewed, stripped or reconstituted, the Bank may, subject to such conditions and on payment of such fees as may be prescribed, cancel the Government security and order the issue of a new Government security or Government securities.
Explanation. A Government security may be stripped separately for interest and principal or reconstituted on the application of the holder subject to such terms and conditions as may be specified.
(3) The person to whom a duplicate Government security or a new Government security is issued under this section shall be deemed for the purposes of s.18 to have been recognised by the Bank as the holder of the Government security; and a duplicate Government security or new Government security so issued to any person shall be deemed to constitute a new contract between the Government and such person and all persons deriving title thereafter through him:
Provided that the issue of new security under this section shall not affect the interest of third parties in whose favour a charge or other interest was lawfully created and was subsisting at the time of issue of the new security.
Section 12: Summary determination by Bank of title to Government security in case of dispute
(1) If the Bank is of opinion that a doubt exists as to the title to a Government security, it may proceed to determine, in accordance with such regulations as may be made, the person who shall for the purposes of the Bank be deemed to be the person entitled thereto.
(2) For the purpose of making any order which it is empowered to make under this Act, the Bank may request a District Magistrate to record or to have recorded the whole or any part of such evidence as any person whose evidence the Bank requires may produce and the District Magistrate so requested may either himself record, or may direct any Executive Magistrate empowered in this behalf by general or special order of the State Government to record the evidence, and shall forward a copy thereof to the Bank.
(3) For the purpose of making a vesting order under this Act, the Bank may direct one of its officers to record the evidence of any person whose evidence the Bank requires or may receive evidence upon affidavit.
(4) A Magistrate or an officer of the Bank acting in pursuance of this section may administer an oath to any witness examined by him.
Section 13: Law applicable in regard to Government securities
Notwithstanding that as a matter of convenience, the Government may have arranged for payments on a Government security to be made elsewhere than in India, the rights of all persons in relation to Government securities shall be determined in connection with all such questions as are dealt with by this Act by the law and in the Courts of India.
Section 14: Postponement of payments and registration of transfers pending the making of vesting order
Where the Bank contemplates making an order under this Act to vest a Government security in any person, the Bank may suspend payment of interest on or the maturity value of the Government security or postpone the making of any order under s.7, s.10, s.11 or s.12 or the registration of any transfer of the Government security, as the case may be, until the vesting order has been made.
Section 15: Power of Bank to require bonds
(1) Before making any order which it is empowered to make under this Act, the Bank may require the person in whose favour the order is to be made to execute an indemnity bond with one or more sureties in such form as may be prescribed or to furnish security not exceeding twice the value of the subject-matter of the order, to be held at the disposal of the Bank, to pay to the Bank or any person to whom the Bank may assign the indemnity bond or security in furtherance of sub-section (2) the amount thereof.
(2) A Court before which a claim in respect of the subject-matter of any such order is established may order the indemnity bond or security to be assigned to the successful claimant who shall thereupon be entitled to enforce the indemnity bond or realise the security to the extent of such claim.
Section 16: Publication of notices in Official Gazette
Any notice required to be given by the Bank under this Act may be served by post, but every such notice shall also be published by the Bank in the Official Gazette or the Official Gazette of a State, according as the notice relates to a Government security, issued by the Central Government or a State Government, and on such publication shall be deemed to have been delivered to all persons for whom it is intended.
Section 17: Procedure and scope of vesting order
(1) The Bank shall, while making a vesting order under s.7, s.10, s.11 or s.12, follow such procedure as may be prescribed.
(2) An order made by the Bank under this Act may either confer full title to a Government security or a title only to the accrued and accruing interest on the Government security pending a further order vesting full title.
Section 18: Legal effect of orders made by Bank
No recognition by the Bank of a person as the holder of a Government security, and no order made by the Bank under this Act shall be called in question by any Court so far as such recognition or order affects the relations of the Government or the Bank with the person recognised by the Bank as the holder of a Government security or with any person claiming an interest in such security; and any such recognition by the Bank of any person or any order by the Bank vesting a Government security in any person shall operate to confer on that person a title to the security subject only to his personal liability to the rightful owner of the security for money had and received on his account.
Section 19: Stay of proceedings on order of Court
Where the Bank contemplates making with reference to any Government security any order which it is empowered to make under this Act, and before the order is made the Bank receives from a Court in India an order to stay the making of such order, the Bank shall either
(a) hold the security together with any interest unpaid or accruing thereon until further orders of the Court are received; or
(b) apply to the Court to have the security transferred to the Official Trustees appointed for the State in which such Court is situated, pending the disposal of the proceedings before the Court.
Section 20: Cancellation by Bank of vesting proceedings
Where the Bank contemplates making an order under this Act vesting a Government security in any person, the Bank may, at any time before the order is made, cancel any proceedings already taken for that purpose and may, on such cancellation, proceed anew to the making of such order.
Section 21: Discharge in respect of interest on Government securities
Save as otherwise expressly provided in the terms of a Government security, no person shall be entitled to claim interest on such security in respect of any period which has elapsed after the earliest date on which demand could have been made for the payment of the amount due on such security.
Section 22: Discharge in respect of bearer bonds
The Government shall be discharged from all liability on a bearer bond or on any interest coupon of such a bond on payment to the holder of such bond or coupon on presentation on or after the date when it becomes due of the amount expressed therein, unless before such payment, an order of a Court in India has been served on the Government restraining it from making payment.
Section 23: Period of limitation of Government's liability in respect of interest
(1) Where no shorter period of limitation is fixed by any law for the time being in force, the liability of the Government in respect of any interest payment due on a Government security shall terminate on the expiry of six years from the date on which the amount due by way of interest became payable:
Provided that the Government may allow a bona fide claim for payment of interest after the expiry of the period of six years in those cases where the holders of securities could not prefer their claims within the said period of six years.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the Bank may specify the securities in respect of which, the circumstances under which, and the terms and conditions subject to which, interest may be paid even after the expiry of the period specified in the said sub-section.
Section 24: Inspection of documents
No person shall be entitled to inspect or to receive information derived from any Government security in the possession or custody of the Government or from any book, register or other document kept or maintained by or on behalf of the Government in relation to Government securities or any Government security, save in such circumstances and manner and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed.
Section 25: Micro films, facsimile copies of documents, magnetic tapes and computer print outs as documents of evidence
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force,
(a) a micro film of a document or the reproduction of the image or images embodied in such micro film (whether enlarged or not); or
(b)a facsimile copy of a document; or
(c)a statement contained in a document and included in a printed material produced by a computer, magnetic tape or any other form of mechanical or electronic data retrieval mechanism (hereinafter referred to as computer print out), if the conditions mentioned in sub-section (2) and the other provisions contained in this section are satisfied in relation to the statement and the computer in question, shall be deemed to be also a document for the purposes of this Act and the regulations made thereunder and shall be admissible in any proceedings thereunder, without further proof or production of the original, as evidence of any contents of the original or of any fact stated therein of which direct evidence would be admissible.
(2) The conditions referred to in sub-section (1) in respect of a computer print out shall be the following, namely:
(a) the computer print out containing the statement was produced by the computer during the period over which the computer was used regularly to store or process information for the purposes of any activities regularly carried on over that period by the person having lawful control over the use of the computer;
(b) during the said period, there was regularly supplied to the computer in the ordinary course of the said activities, information of the kind contained in the statement or of the kind from which the information so contained is derived;
(c) throughout the material part of the said period, the computer was operating properly or, if not, then any respect in which it was not operating properly or was out of operation during that part of that period was not such as to affect the production of the document or the accuracy of the contents; and
(d) the information contained in the statement reproduced or is derived from information supplied to the computer in the ordinar
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