Rule – 8B, Guidelines for notification of zero coupon bond

8B. (1) An application by an infrastructure capital company or infrastructure capital fund or a public sector company for notification under clause (48) of section 2 of any zero coupon bond proposed to be issued by it shall be made in Form No. 5B at least three months before the date of issue of such bond:

Provided that an application shall not be made for notification of a bond to be issued after two financial years following the financial year in which the application is made.

(2) Every application, under sub-rule (1), shall be accompanied by the following documents, namely:—

(i) where the application is made by any infrastructure capital company or a public sector company, being a Government company as defined in section 617 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), a copy of certificate of incorporation under the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956);
(ii) where the application is made by any infrastructure capital fund, a copy of the trust deed registered under the provisions of the Registration Act, 1908 (16 of 1908);
(iii) where the application is made by a public sector company, being any corporation, established by or under any Central or State or Provincial Act, a copy of the relevant Act.

(3) The Central Government, while specifying a zero coupon bond by notification in the Official Gazette shall satisfy itself that the following conditions are fulfilled, namely:—

(i) the period of life of the bond is not less than ten years and not more than twenty years;
(ii) the infrastructure capital company or infrastructure capital fund or public sector company proposing to issue a zero coupon bond has an investment grade rating from at least two credit rating agencies registered under sub-section (1A) of section 12 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 (15 of 1992);
(iii) necessary arrangement has been made by the infrastructure capital company or infrastructure capital fund or public sector company for listing the zero coupon bond in a recognised stock exchange in India;
(iv) where the application is made by the infrastructure capital company or infrastructure capital fund, such company or fund shall furnish along with the application an undertaking that the money realised on issue of the zero coupon bond shall be invested by it in the following manner, namely:—

(i) twenty-five per cent or more of such realisation before the end of the financial year immediately following the financial year in which the bond is issued;
(ii) the balance of such realisation within a period of four financial years immediately following the financial year in which the bond is issued;

(v) where the application is made by a public sector company, such company shall furnish along with the application an undertaking that the money realised on issue of the zero coupon bond shall be invested or utilised by it in the following manner, namely:—

(i) fifteen per cent or more of such realisation before the end of the financial year immediately following the financial year in which the bond is issued;
(ii) the balance of such realisation within a period of six financial years immediately following the financial year in which the bond is issued.

(4) The Central Government, after having satisfied itself about fulfilling of the conditions referred to in sub-rule (1), sub-rule (2) and sub-rule (3) shall specify the bond, by notification in the Official Gazette, giving therein, inter alia, the following particulars, namely:—

(a) name of the bond;
(b) period of life of the bond;
(c) the time schedule of the issue of the bond;
(d) the amount to be paid on maturity or redemption of the bond;
(e) the discount;
(f) the number of bonds to be issued.

(5) The Central Government may, if the applicant fails to fulfil the conditions referred to in sub-rule (1) or sub-rule (2) or sub-rule (3), reject the application for notification after giving an opportunity of being heard to the infrastructure capital company or infrastructure capital fund or public sector company, as the case may be.

(6) Every infrastructure capital company or infrastructure capital fund or public sector company shall submit within two months from the end of each financial year referred to in sub-clause (i) or sub-clause (ii) of clause (iv) of sub-rule (3), or, as the case may be, in sub-clause (i) or sub-clause (ii) of clause (v) of sub-rule (3), a certificate from an accountant as defined in the Explanation to sub-section (2) of section 288, specifying the amount invested in each year.

(7) The Central Government shall have the power to withdraw the notification if the applicant fails to fulfil any of the conditions referred to in sub-rule (3) or sub-rule (6).

Explanation : For the purpose of this rule, the expressions “discount” and “period of life of the bond” shall have the same meanings respectively assigned to them in clause (i) and clause (ii) of the Explanation to clause (iiia) of sub-section (1) of section 36.

Reference: www.incometaxindia.gov.in