When is unclaimed dividend/ interest amount transferred to the Investor Education Protection Fund of the Central Government?
Pursuant to Sections 124 and 125 and other applicable provisions, if any, of the Companies Act, 2013 read with the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (Accounting, Audit, Transfer and Refund) Rules, 2016 (‘IEPF Rules’), all unclaimed / unpaid dividend, application money, debenture interest and interest on deposits as well as the principal amount of debentures and deposits, as applicable, remaining unclaimed / unpaid for a period of seven years from the date they became due for payment, were required to be transferred to the IEPF. No claim shall be entertained against the Company for the amounts so transferred.
As per Section 124(6) of the Act read with the IEPF Rules as amended, all the shares in respect of which dividend has remained unpaid/unclaimed for seven consecutive years or more are required to be transferred to an IEPF Demat Account.
In the event of transfer of shares and the unclaimed dividends to IEPF, members are entitled to claim the same from IEPF by submitting an online application in the prescribed Form IEPF-5 available on the website www. iepf.gov.in and sending a physical copy of the same duly signed to the Company along with the requisite documents enumerated in the Form IEPF- 5. Members can file only one consolidated claim in a financial year as per the IEPF Rules.