Question 1

Who is eligible to participate in electronic shareholder voting?

Accepted Answer

Under Rule 20 of the Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014, eligibility is strictly determined by beneficial ownership on the designated cut-off date (record date). Any person whose name appears on the register of members or in the records of the depositories (CDSL/NSDL) as of the cut-off date is entitled to cast their vote.

Question 2

How do physical and demat shareholders log in to cast votes?

Accepted Answer

Demat shareholders log in using their Depository Participant ID (DP ID) and Client ID along with their registered PAN and 2FA OTP. Physical shareholders log in using their Folio Number registered with the company's Registrar and Share Transfer Agent (RTA) paired with 2FA OTP sent to their registered contact details.

Question 3

What is a cut-off date and why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

The cut-off date is a fixed statutory date (not earlier than 7 days before the general meeting) established by the company's Board of Directors. It fixes the voting entitlement and shareholding count of every member. Shares bought or sold after the cut-off date do not alter voting power for that specific meeting.

Question 4

What voting options are available for each resolution?

Accepted Answer

Shareholders can cast their ballot as FOR (in favor), AGAINST (opposed), or ABSTAIN (neutral). Each vote is weighted proportionally by the number of equity shares held on the cut-off date.

Question 5

Can I modify my vote after submitting it online?

Accepted Answer

No. In accordance with Rule 20(4)(vii) of the Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014, once a shareholder has cast their vote on a resolution, they are not allowed to change it subsequently.

Question 6

Do I receive a confirmation or receipt after voting?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Upon submitting a vote, the platform generates a unique cryptographic SHA-256 receipt containing the resolution ID, vote timestamp, and transaction proof. Shareholders can download an official Voting Certificate for their personal records.

Question 7

Which companies are legally required to provide electronic voting?

Accepted Answer

Under Section 108 of the Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 20, every listed public company and every unlisted company having not less than one thousand shareholders must provide an electronic voting facility for all general meetings.

Question 8

What notice period is required before conducting an e-voting session?

Accepted Answer

Companies must dispatch meeting notices at least 21 clear days prior to the general meeting date (or shorter notice if approved under Section 101). Notice of e-voting must also be published in at least one English newspaper and one vernacular newspaper circulating in the district of the registered office.

Question 9

How does the platform ingest shareholder records and depository files?

Accepted Answer

Corporate administrators upload standardized Benpos (Beneficial Position) rosters received from depositories (CDSL/NSDL) or RTA records. The platform automatically calculates each shareholder's voting weight and validates uniqueness.

Question 10

How are Ordinary and Special resolutions differentiated during voting?

Accepted Answer

Ordinary resolutions require a simple majority (> 50% of valid votes cast in favor). Special resolutions require a supermajority of not less than three-fourths (≥ 75%) of votes cast in favor under Section 114 of the Companies Act, 2013.

Question 11

What is the statutory role of the independent Scrutinizer?

Accepted Answer

Under Rule 20(4)(ix), the Board appoints an independent Scrutinizer (such as a Practicing Company Secretary, Chartered Accountant, or Advocate) to oversee the entire voting process, verify ballot integrity, unblock tallies with witnesses, and prepare the official Scrutinizer's Report.

Question 12

What is the statutory procedure for unblocking remote e-voting tallies?

Accepted Answer

Rule 20(4)(xii) mandates that the Scrutinizer unblocks the remote e-voting portal after the conclusion of voting at the general meeting, in the presence of at least two independent witnesses who are not in the employment of the company.

Question 13

What is Form MGT-13 and when must it be submitted?

Accepted Answer

Form MGT-13 is the statutory format for the Scrutinizer's Report under Rule 20. The Scrutinizer prepares and submits this report to the Chairman within the prescribed statutory timeframe, detailing valid votes cast in favor, against, and any invalid ballots.

Question 14

Does Vote India Secure submit reports directly to regulatory portals?

Accepted Answer

No. Vote India Secure provides automated vote consolidation and regulatory report export (Form MGT-13 format) for the Scrutinizer and Company Secretary. The official statutory filing with stock exchanges and MCA is executed by the authorized company officials.

Question 15

How is voter privacy and secret ballot maintained?

Accepted Answer

The platform decouples shareholder identity tokens from recorded resolution choices in database storage to preserve ballot secrecy in accordance with Rule 20(4)(xii). Individual vote selections remain sealed until the Scrutinizer unblocks the aggregated tally.

Question 16

How does the SHA-256 Merkle audit trail prevent tampering?

Accepted Answer

Every vote cast generates a SHA-256 cryptographic hash that is mathematically chained into a Merkle Tree structure. Any retrospective modification of an existing vote would alter the Merkle root, making unauthorized alterations immediately detectable.

Question 17

How are accounts protected against brute-force and credential abuse?

Accepted Answer

Authentication enforces two-factor authentication (2FA) with time-limited OTPs sent via verified channels. Rate-limiting safeguards and cryptographic hashing prevent automated dictionary or brute-force attacks.

Question 18

Is Vote India Secure officially certified by government agencies?

Accepted Answer

Vote India Secure is an independent corporate governance software project designed in architectural alignment with Companies Act Section 108 and SEBI LODR Regulation 44. It is not currently accredited by NSDL/CDSL or certified by STQC. We maintain complete transparency regarding our software status.

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