State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks Laws) Amendment Act,2007
Section 14. Insertion of new Sections 25-A and 25-B
After Section 25 of the State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks) Act, the following sections shall be inserted, namely:-
“25-A. Fit and proper status of an elected director.-(1) The Directors to be elected under clause (d) of sub-section (1) of Section 25 shall-
(a) have special knowledge or practical experience in respect of one or more of the following matters, namely:-
(i) agricultural and rural economy,
(ii) banking,
(iii) co-operation,
(iv) economics,
(v) finance,
(vi) law,
(vii) small-scale industry,
(viii) any other matter the special knowledge of, and practical experience in, which would, in the opinion of the Reserve Bank, be useful to the subsidiary bank;
(b) represent the interests of depositors; or
(c) represent the interests of farmers, workers and artisans.
(2) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1) and notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act or in any other law for the time being in force, no person shall be eligible to be elected as director under clause (d) of sub-section (1) of Section 25 unless he is a person having fit and proper status based upon track record, integrity and such other criteria as the Reserve Bank may notify from time to time in this regard.
(3) The Reserve Bank may also specify in the notification issued under sub-section (2), the authority to determine the fit and proper status, the manner of such determination, the procedure to be followed for such determinations and such other matters as may be considered necessary or incidental thereto.
(4) Where the Reserve Bank is of the opinion that any director of a subsidiary bank elected under clause (d) of sub-section (1) of Section 25 does not fulfil the requirements of sub-sections (1) and (2), it may, after giving to such director and the subsidiary bank a reasonable opportunity of being heard, by order, remove such director and on such removal, the Board of Directors shall co-opt any other person fulfilling the requirements of the said sub-sections as a director in place of the person so removed till a director is duly elected by the shareholders of the subsidiary bank in the next annual general meeting and the person so co-opted shall be deemed to have been duly elected by the shareholders of the subsidiary bank as a director.
25-B. Power of Reserve Bank to appoint additional directors.
(1) If the Reserve Bank is of the opinion that in the interest of banking policy or in the public interest or in the interests of the subsidiary bank or its depositors, it is necessary so to do, it may, from time to time and by order in writing appoint, with effect from such date as may be specified in the order, one or more persons to hold office as additional directors of the subsidiary bank.
(2) Any person appointed as additional director in pursuance of this section shall-
(a) hold office during the pleasure of the Reserve Bank and subject thereto for a period not exceeding three years or such further period not exceeding three years at a time as the Reserve Bank may specify;
(b) not incur any obligation or liability by reason only of his being a director or for anything done or omitted to be done in good faith in the execution of the duties of his office or in relation thereto; and
(c) not be required to hold qualification shares in the subsidiary bank.
(3) For the purpose of reckoning any proportion of the total number of directors of the subsidiary bank, any additional director appointed under this section shall not be taken into account.”
State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks Laws) Amendment Act,2007
