<dhhead>Boards Report</dhhead>
The Board of Directors ("Board") present the 19th Annual
Report of BSE Limited ("the Company" or "BSE" or "Exchange")
together with audited financial statements for the Financial Year ended March 31, 2024.
1. STATE OF COMPANYS AFFAIRS
A. FINANCIAL SUMMARY AND HIGHLIGHTS:
The financial performance for Financial Year ("FY") 2023-24
is summarised in the following table:
( in Lakhs)
Particulars |
Standalone |
Consolidated |
2023-24 2022-23 |
2023-24 2022-23 |
Total revenue |
1,29,180 |
74,239 |
1,61,790 |
95,394 |
Total expenses |
87,733 |
50,479 |
1,10,082 |
70,591 |
Profit before exceptional items and tax |
41,447 |
23,760 |
51,708 |
24,803 |
Exceptional items (income) |
50,417 |
- |
40,662 |
- |
Profit before tax and share of profits of
associates |
91,864 |
23,760 |
92,370 |
24,803 |
Share of profits of associates |
- |
- |
7,182 |
4,923 |
Profit before tax |
91,864 |
23,760 |
99,552 |
29,726 |
Tax expenses |
16,525 |
7,069 |
22,386 |
9,161 |
Net profit for the year |
75,339 |
16,691 |
77,166 |
20,565 |
Net profit attributable to the Shareholders
of the Company |
75,339 |
16,691 |
77,839 |
22,067 |
Net profit attributable to the
non-controlling interest |
- |
- |
(673) |
(1,502) |
Other comprehensive income |
67 |
44 |
321 |
1,994 |
Total comprehensive income for the year |
75,406 |
16,735 |
77,487 |
22,559 |
Total comprehensive income attributable to
the Shareholders of the Company |
75,406 |
16,735 |
78,039 |
23,294 |
Total comprehensive income attributable to
the non-controlling interest |
- |
- |
(552) |
(735) |
Basic and diluted EPS before exceptional
items () |
20.99 |
12.15 |
29.91 |
16.06 |
Basic and diluted after exceptional items () |
54.84 |
12.15 |
56.66 |
16.06 |
I. Consolidated Results
The total income of the Company during FY 2023-24 on a consolidated
basis was 1,61,790 Lakh reflecting an increase of 66,396 Lakh (up by 70%) over
previous FY. The total expenses for the year were higher by 39,491 Lakh (up by 56%) at
1,10,082 Lakh.
During the FY, the income was higher mainly due to increase in income
from securities services (up by 118%); investments income (up by 85%); income from
corporate services (up by 20%) and data dissemination (up by 11%). Increase in expenses
are mainly due to increase in employee benefits expense (up by 14%); clearing and
settlement expense (up by 426%); administration and other expenses (up by 34%); regulatory
fees (up by 188%); computer technology related expenses (up by 11%); depreciation (up by
58%) partly offset by liquidity enhancement scheme expenses (down by 82%) and decrease in
finance cost (down by 45%).
The net profit after tax excluding exception item was higher by
19,849 Lakh (up by 97%) from 20,565 Lakh in previous FY to 40,414 Lakh in the current
FY.
II. Standalone results
The total income of the Company during the FY 2023-24 on a standalone
basis was 1,29,180 Lakh reflecting an increase of 54,941 Lakh (up by 74%) over
previous FY. The total expenses for the FY were higher by 37,254 Lakh (up by 74%) at
87,733 Lakh.
During the FY, the income was higher mainly due to increase in income
from securities services (up by 133%); investments (up by 116%), income from services to
corporates (up by 20%); data dissemination (up by 11%) and other income (up by 3%).
Increase in expenses are mainly due to increase in regulatory fees (up by 311%); clearing
and settlement expense (up by 235%); administration and other expenses (up by 20%);
employee benefit expenses (up by 18%); computer technology related expenses (up by 8%) and
depreciation and amortisation expenses (up by 53%) partly offset by decrease in liquidity
enhancement scheme expenses (down by 100%).
The net profit after tax excluding exceptional item was higher by
12,141 Lakh (up by 73%) from 16,691 Lakh in the previous FY to 28,832 Lakh in current
FY.
B. DIVIDEND
The Board of the Company, in its meeting held on May 8, 2024, has
recommended a final dividend of 15/- per equity share of the face value of 2/- each
fully paid up for the FY ended March 31, 2024, subject to the approval of the Shareholders
at the Annual General Meeting ("AGM"). The said dividend is in line with the
Dividend Distribution Policy of the Company.
The final dividend on equity shares for FY 2023-24, if approved, would
result in a cash outflow of approximately 20,598.95 Lakh.
In view of the changes made under the Income-Tax Act, 1961, by the
Finance Act, 2020, dividends paid or distributed by the Company shall be taxable in the
hands of the Shareholders. The Company shall, accordingly, make the payment of the Final
Dividend after deduction of tax at source. For more clarity on deduction of tax, please
refer para on Tax Deducted at Source ("TDS") on Dividend as
mentioned in the notes to the Notice of 19th AGM.
Under Clause 5.3 of the BSE (Corporatisation and Demutualisation)
Scheme, 2005, the allotment of equity shares to 10 Trading Members of the erstwhile BSE
has been kept in abeyance for various reasons as on March 31, 2024. All corporate benefits
including dividend as may be declared by the Company from time to time are being provided
for and would be payable on the allotment of these shares. Brief details about the shares
being kept in abeyance by the Company are given in Share Capital section.
C. TRANSFER TO RESERVES
The Company was not required to transfer any amount of profits to
general reserves for FY 2023-24 pursuant to the provisions of Companies Act, 2013
("the Act").
D. INVESTOR RELATIONS
The Company believes in leading from the front with emerging best
practices in investor relations and building a relationship of mutual understanding with
International and Domestic investors. To this end, the Company continuously strives for
excellence in its Investor Relations engagement with investors through physical, video and
audio meetings through structured conference-calls and periodic investor/ analyst
interactions like one-on-one meetings, participation in investor conferences, quarterly
earnings calls, and analyst meet from time to time. The Companys leadership team,
including the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer ("MD & CEO"),
Chief Financial Officer, and Investor Relations Officer, spent significant time to
interact with investors to communicate the strategic direction of the business in 99
one-on-one meetings and 13 investor conference meets organized by reputed Global and
Domestic Broking Houses, during the year under consideration. The Company conducted four
quarterly earnings calls during the year, which were well attended by investors and
analysts. No unpublished price sensitive information is discussed in such meetings. The
Company ensures that critical information about the Company is available to all the
investors, by uploading all such information on the Companys website.
2. MAJOR EVENTS OCCURRED DURING THE YEAR
A. MATERIAL CHANGES FROM END OF FINANCIAL YEAR TILL DATE OF REPORT
The Company had received a letter dated April 26, 2024, issued by
Securities Exchange Board of India ("SEBI") wherein it was advised to pay the
regulatory fees on the Annual Turnover considering notional value in case of
option contracts from the FY 2006-07 onwards, with interest at the rate of 15% per annum.
Accordingly, the Company has made provision of differential SEBI regulatory fee in the
current period (refer note no. 45 of Standalone Financial Statements) for 16,977 lakhs.
There are no other material changes and commitments affecting the
financial position of the Company which have occurred between the end of the FY of the
Company to which the financial statements relate and the date of this report.
B. CHANGE IN NATURE OF BUSINESS
During the FY 2023-24, there was no change in the nature of business of
the Company.
C. SIGNIFICANT AND MATERIAL ORDERS PASSED BY THE REGULATORS OR COURTS
OR TRIBUNALS
During the FY 2023-24, no significant and material orders have been
passed by the Regulators or Courts or Tribunals against the Company.
3. SHARE CAPITAL
Pursuant to clause 5 of BSE (Corporatisation and Demutualisation)
Scheme, 2005 ("BSE Demutualisation Scheme") approved by SEBI, vide its
notification dated May 20, 2005, every Trading Member having membership right of the
Exchange or his nominee, as the case may be, as on record date, decided for the purpose,
was entitled to 10,000 equity shares of the face value of 1/- per share, against
membership right of erstwhile BSE. It may be noted that the entitlement against membership
rights post consolidation of share capital stands changed to 5,000 equity shares of face
value 2/- per share. As on March 31, 2024, entitlement of 10 Trading Members of
erstwhile BSE, against their membership rights, continue to remain in abeyance for various
reasons. All corporate benefits including dividend as may be declared by the Company from
time to time on the shares which remain in abeyance, are being provided for and would be
payable on the allotment of these shares.
CHANGE IN PAID-UP SHARE CAPITAL BUYBACK OF SHARES:
Based on the recommendation of the Board of Directors of the Company at
their meeting held on July 6, 2023, the Shareholders of the Company at the 18th
AGM, inter-alia, had approved the proposal for buyback of up to 45,93,137 Equity Shares
(representing 3.39% of the total number of Equity Shares in the total paid-up equity
capital of the Company) at a price of 816/- (Rupees Eight Hundred and Sixteen Only) per
Equity Share, through the "tender offer" route, on a proportionate basis as
prescribed in the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Buy-Back of Securities)
Regulations, 2018, the Act and other applicable laws and regulations. Subsequently, as per
Regulation 5(via) of Securities and Exchange Board of India (Buyback of Securities
Regulations, 2018, the Board of Directors at their meeting held on September 1, 2023,
revised the Buyback Offer Price to 1080/- (Rupees One Thousand and Eighty Only) and
reduced the quantum of Shares to be bought back to 34,70,370 Equity Shares (representing
2.56% of the total number of Equity Shares in the total paid-up equity capital of the
Company).
Pursuant to the same, the Company bought back 86,532 Equity Shares at
1080/- per Equity Share resulting in a cash outflow of 9,34,54,560
(excluding expenses towards buyback).
An amount of 9,34,54,560 was utilised from free reserves of the
Company. Further, Capital Redemption Reserve of 1,73,064 (representing the nominal value
of the shares bought back and extinguished) has been created from balance in retained
earnings on account of buyback of shares. Post Buyback, the revised paid-up equity share
capital of the Company as on March 31, 2024, stood at 27,07,52,718/- (Rupees
Twenty-Seven Crores Seven Lakhs Fifty Two Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighteen Only)
consisting of 13,53,76,359 equity shares of face value of 2/- each.
4. INVESTOR EDUCATION AND PROTECTION FUND_ TRANSFER OF UNCLAIMED/UNPAID
DIVIDEND
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 124 of the Act read with Investor
Education and Protection Fund Authority (Accounting, Audit, Transfer and Refund) Rules,
2016 ("IEPF Rules"), and relevant circulars and amendments thereto, the amount
of dividend remaining unpaid or unclaimed for a period of seven years from the date of
transfer of such amount to Unpaid Dividend Account, is required to be transferred to the
Investor Education and Protection Fund ("IEPF"), constituted by the Central
Government.
The Company had, accordingly transferred the following amount to IEPF
during the year under review:
Sr. No. |
Type of Dividend |
Dividend Per Share |
Date of Declaration |
Date of Transfer |
Amount Transferred |
1. |
Final Dividend for FY 2015-16 |
4/- |
June 24, 2016 |
August 17, 2023 |
2,09,668 |
2. |
Interim Dividend for FY
2016-17* |
5/- |
February 14, 2017 |
April 3, 2024 |
4,04,515 |
* Pursuant to the provisions of the Act, the Amount was required to be
transferred within 30 days from the end of March 16, 2024, and same was transferred on
April 3, 2024.
Sr. No. |
Dividend |
Financial Year |
Cumulative No. of Shares |
Amount () |
1. |
Interim Dividend |
2017-18 |
225 |
1,125 |
2. |
Thirteenth Final Dividend |
2017-18 |
225 |
6,975 |
3. |
Interim Dividend |
2018-19 |
448 |
2,240 |
4. |
Fourteenth Final Dividend |
2018-19 |
448 |
11,200 |
5. |
Fifteenth Final Dividend |
2019-20 |
760 |
12,920 |
6. |
Sixteenth Final Dividend |
2020-21 |
1058 |
22,218 |
7. |
Bonus shares (2:1) |
2021-22 |
3060 |
|
8. |
Seventeenth Final Dividend |
2021-22 |
4590 |
59,285 |
9. |
Eighteenth Final Dividend |
2022-23 |
5859 |
68,288 |
TRANSFER OF SHARES
Pursuant to the provisions of IEPF Rules, all equity shares in respect
of which dividend has not been paid or claimed for last seven consecutive years shall be
transferred by the Company to the designated Demat Account of the IEPF Authority
("IEPF Account") within a period of thirty days of such shares becoming due to
be transferred.
Accordingly, 171 equity shares of 2/- each on which the dividend
remained unpaid or unclaimed for last seven consecutive years with reference to the due
date of July 24, 2023, were transferred during the FY 2023-24 to the IEPF Account after
following the prescribed procedure.
Further, 2,980 equity shares of 2/- each on which the dividend
remained unpaid or unclaimed for last seven consecutive years with reference to the due
date of March 16, 2024, were transferred to IEPF Account within prescribed timelines,
after following the prescribed procedure.
Members may note that both the unclaimed dividend and the shares
transferred to IEPF Authority can be claimed back by them from IEPF Authority after
following the procedure prescribed under the Rules. Please note that no claim shall lie
against the Company in respect of unclaimed dividend(s) and Shares transferred to IEPF
Authority.
Any Shareholder whose dividend / shares are transferred to IEPF can
claim the shares by making an online application in Form IEPF-5 as available on
www.iepf.gov.in.
DETAILS OF NODAL OFFICER
Name : Shri Vishal Bhat, Company Secretary and Compliance Officer Email
address : vishal.bhat@bseindia.com
DETAILS OF THE RESULTANT BENEFITS ARISING OUT OF SHARES ALREADY
TRANSFERRED TO THE IEPF:
Year wise amount of Unpaid/Unclaimed Dividend lying in the unpaid
account up to March 31, 2024, and the corresponding shares, which are liable to be
transferred to the IEPF, and the due dates for such transfer:
Sr. No. |
Date of declaration of
Dividend |
Number of Shareholders
against whom Dividend amount is unpaid |
Number of shares against
whom Dividend amount is unpaid |
Amount Unpaid as on March
31, 2024 () |
Due date of transfer of
Unpaid and Unclaimed Dividend to IEPF* |
1 |
12th Final Dividend (FY 2016-17)
AGM held on September 4, 2017 |
2,230 |
80,363 |
18,48,349.00 |
October 5, 2024 |
2 |
Interim Dividend (FY 2017-18) Board Meeting
held on February 2, 2018 |
3,112 |
1,86,262 |
9,31,310.00 |
March 6, 2025 |
3 |
13th Final Dividend (FY 2017-18)
AGM held on August 2, 2018 |
2,202 |
84,632 |
26,23,592.00 |
September 3, 2025 |
4 |
Interim Dividend (FY 2018-19) Board Meeting
held on November 30, 2018 |
2,582 |
1,03,159 |
5,15,795.00 |
December 30, 2025 |
5 |
14th Final Dividend (FY 2018-19)
AGM held on July 15, 2019 |
1,896 |
70,992 |
17,74,800.00 |
August 18, 2026 |
6 |
15th Final Dividend (FY 2019-20)
AGM held on July 30, 2020 |
2,056 |
99,104 |
15,36,654.00 |
August 30, 2027 |
7 |
16th Final Dividend (FY 2020-21)
AGM held on August 24, 2021 |
2,234 |
1,15,353 |
22,00,285.00 |
September 23, 2028 |
8 |
17th Final Dividend (FY 2021-22)
AGM held on July 14, 2022 |
2,869 |
1,95,932 |
25,21,834.00 |
August 16, 2029 |
9 |
18th Final Dividend (FY 2022-23)
AGM held on August 31, 2023 |
2,640 |
1,96,393 |
22,43,579.00 |
October 2, 2030 |
*The unclaimed and unpaid amount as on the due date will be transferred
within 30 days.
5. MANAGEMENT
A. DIRECTORS AND KEY MANAGERIAL PERSONNEL
As on March 31, 2024, the Board of the Company consisted of nine
Directors. Being a Stock Exchange, the Board comprises of seven Public Interest Directors
("PIDs"), one Non-Independent Director ("NID") and one Managing
Director (Included in the category of NID).
CHANGES DURING THE YEAR APPOINTMENT/RE-APPOINTMENT
Shri T. C. Suseel Kumar, NID, was liable to retire by rotation and
being eligible, was re-appointed at the 18th AGM held on August 31, 2023, and
same was approved by the SEBI.
Based on the recommendation of Nomination and Remuneration committee
("NRC"), Board of Directors and approval of SEBI, Shri Pramod Agrawal, and Shri
Nandkumar Saravade were appointed as PIDs w.e.f. November 29, 2023, and February 7, 2024,
respectively, for period of three years each. Shri Pramod Agrawal was subsequently
appointed as Chairperson of the Board of BSE Limited w.e.f. January 17, 2024.
Shareholders through Postal Ballot dated January 2, 2024, approved the
appointment of Shri Jagannath Mukkavilli who was nominated on the Board of the Company by
Life Insurance Corporation of India ("LIC") as NID, in place of Shri T. C.
Suseel Kumar, subject to approval of SEBI. Accordingly, upon receipt of SEBIs
approval on February 13, 2024. Shri Jagannath Mukkavilli was appointed as NID w.e.f.
February 13, 2024. Shri Jagannath Mukkavilli is liable to retire by rotation and has
offered himself for re-appointment at the 19th AGM.
Cessation/Resignation
Shri S. S. Mundra, PID & Chairperson, completed his second term
w.e.f. closure of working hours on January 16, 2024.
Pursuant to the appointment of Shri Jagannath Mukkavilli on the Board
of the Company, Shri T.C. Suseel Kumar ceased to be the NID w.e.f. February 13, 2024.
Shri David Wright, PID, completed his second term w.e.f. the closure of
working hours of March 15, 2024.
B. DECLARATIONS BY PUBLIC INTEREST DIRECTORS
The Company has received declarations from all the PIDs, under Section
149(7) of the Act that they have met the criteria of independence as laid down under
Section 149(6) of the Act and Regulation 16(1)(b) of SEBI (Listing Regulations and
Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 ("Listing Regulations"). Further, all
PIDs have also given the declarations that they satisfy "fit and proper"
criteria as stipulated under Regulation 20 of Securities Contracts (Regulation) (Stock
Exchanges and Clearing Corporations) Regulations, 2018 ("SECC Regulations"). All
PIDs have also complied with Code for Independent Directors prescribed in Schedule IV to
the Act. They have also given their annual affirmation on compliance with the Code of
Conduct for the Board of Directors and Senior Management of the Company. Further, there
has been no change in the circumstances affecting their status as PIDs of the Company.
C. DECLARATION BY THE COMPANY
None of the Directors of the Company are disqualified for being
appointed as Directors as specified in Section 164(2) of the Act read with Rule 14 of
Companies (Appointment and Qualifications of Directors) Rules, 2014.
D. MEETINGS OF THE BOARD
During the FY 2023-24, ten meetings of the Board of Directors were
held. The details of meetings of the Board, are provided in the Corporate Governance
Report forming part of this Annual Report.
Separate meetings of the PIDs were held on May 10, 2023, August 9,
2023, November 10, 2023, and February 5, 2024.
E. BOARD COMMITTEES
The Board has constituted various Committees in accordance with the
provisions of the Act, Listing Regulations and SECC Regulations.
The details pertaining to composition, terms of reference, meetings
held and attendance thereat of Audit Committee, Nomination and Remuneration Committee,
Stakeholders Relationship/Share Allotment Committee, Risk Management Committee and
Investment, Corporate Social Responsibility
& Environment, Social, Governance Committee for the year have been
enumerated in Corporate Governance Report forming part of this Annual Report.
F. AUDIT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
All recommendations of Audit Committee were accepted by the Board of
Directors during the year.
G. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE BOARD, ITS COMMITTEES, INDIVIDUAL
DIRECTORS AND INDEPENDENT EXTERNAL PERSONS
Pursuant to the provisions of the Act, Listing Regulations, SECC
Regulations read with SEBI guidance note dated January 5, 2017, SEBI circular dated
February 5, 2019, and Board Evaluation policy of the Company, the Performance of the Board
and Board Committees was evaluated on various parameters such as composition, diversity,
experience, corporate governance competencies, performance of specific duties and
obligations, quality of decision-making and overall Board effectiveness. Performance of
individual Directors & Independent External Persons was evaluated on parameters, such
as meeting attendance, participation and contribution, engagement with colleagues on the
Board and Committees, responsibility towards stakeholders and independent judgement. All
the Directors were subjected to peer-evaluation.
All the Directors participated in the evaluation process. The results
of evaluation were discussed in the Board meeting held in the month of May 2024. The Board
discussed the performance evaluation reports of the Board, Board Committees, Individual
Directors, and Independent External Persons and noted the suggestions/inputs of the
Directors. Recommendations arising from this entire process was deliberated upon by the
Board to augment its effectiveness and optimize individual strengths of the Directors.
The detailed procedure followed for the performance evaluation of the
Board, Committees and individual Directors & Independent External
Persons is enumerated in the Corporate Governance Report forming part
of this Annual Report.
H. REMUNERATION OF DIRECTORS AND EMPLOYEES
In compliance with the requirements of Section 197(12) of the Act, read
with Rule 5 of the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules,
2014 and SECC Regulations, a statement containing the remuneration details of Directors
and employees is annexed as Annexure A.
I. DIRECTORS RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT
Pursuant to Section 134(5) of the Act, with respect to the
Directors Responsibility Statement, it is hereby confirmed that: a) In the
preparation of the annual accounts for the financial year ended March 31, 2024, the
applicable Accounting Standards had been followed along with proper explanation relating
to material departures for the same; b) The Directors have selected such accounting
policies and applied them consistently and made judgments and estimates that are
reasonable and prudent so as to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the
Company as at March 31, 2024 and of the profit of the Company for the financial year ended
March 31, 2024; c) The Directors have taken proper and sufficient care for the maintenance
of adequate accounting records in accordance with the provisions of the Act for
safeguarding the assets of the Company and for preventing and detecting fraud and other
irregularities; d) The Directors have prepared the annual accounts on a going concern
basis; e) The Directors have laid down internal financial controls to be followed by the
Company and that such internal financial controls are adequate and were operating
effectively; and f) The Directors have devised proper systems to ensure compliance with
the provisions of all applicable laws and that such systems were adequate and operating
effectively.
J. INTERNAL FINANCIAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AND THEIR ADEQUACY
The Company has maintained adequate internal financial controls over
financial reporting. These includes policies and procedures a) Pertaining to the
maintenance of records that is reasonably detailed, accurately, and fairly reflects the
transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company. b) Provide reasonable
assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in accordance with Indian Accounting Standards notified under the Companies
(Indian Accounting Standards) Rules, 2015, as amended from time to time, and that receipts
and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorization of
management and Directors of the Company, and
c) Provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely
detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Companys assets
that could have a material impact on the financial statements. Such internal financial
controls over financial reporting were operating effectively as of March 31, 2024, based
on the criteria established in the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway
Commission (COSO) Internal Control Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in 2013.
K. COMPLIANCE WITH SECRETARIAL STANDARD 1 AND SECRETARIAL STANDARD 2
The Company has devised proper systems to ensure compliance with the
provisions of all applicable Secretarial Standards ("SS") issued by the
Institute of Company Secretaries of India and that such systems are adequate and operating
effectively. During the year under review, the Company has complied with the Secretarial
Standards i.e., SS-1 and SS- 2, relating to "Meetings of the Board of Directors"
and "General Meetings", respectively.
L. IMPLEMENTATION OF CORPORATE ACTION
During the year under review, the Company has complied with the
specified time limit for implementation of Corporate Actions.
M. ANNUAL RETURN
Pursuant to the provision of Section 92(3) of the Act, Annual Return in
Form MGT-7 for the FY 2023-24 is available on the website of the Company at
www.bseindia.com/static/investor_relations/annualreport. html.
6. SUBSIDIARIES, ASSOCIATES AND JOINT VENTURES
Details of subsidiaries / associates and joint ventures of the Company
are provided in notes to financial statements.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 129(3) of the Act, a statement
containing the salient features of financial statements of the Companys
subsidiaries, associates & joint ventures in Form AOC-1 is attached to the financial
statements of the Company.
Further, pursuant to the provisions of Section 136 of the Act, the
standalone and consolidated financial statements of the Company, along with relevant
documents and separate audited financial statements in respect of subsidiaries, are
available on the website of the Company at https://www.bseindia.com/investor_relations/
annualreport.html.
7. PUBLIC DEPOSITS
The Company has not accepted any public deposits during the FY ended
March 31, 2024, and as such, no amount of principal or interest on public deposits was
outstanding as on the date of the balance sheet.
8. PARTICULARS OF LOANS, GUARANTEES AND INVESTMENTS
Particulars of investments made by the Company are provided in Note
Nos. 7, 8 & 9 of the Notes to the Standalone Financial Statements.
The Company has not provided any guarantee or security to any person or
entity and has not made any loans and advances in the nature of loans to firms / companies
in which directors of the Company are interested.
9. AUDITORS
A. STATUTORY AUDIT AND STATUTORY AUDITORS REPORT
M/s S.R. Batliboi & Co. LLP, Chartered Accountants (Firm
Registration No. 301003E/E300005), Mumbai, are the Statutory Auditors of the Company and
are appointed for a term of five years till the conclusion of 22nd AGM.
Statutory Auditors Report
The Statutory Auditors report dated May 8, 2024, on the financial
statements of the Company for FY 2023-24 is unmodified and does not have any reservations,
qualifications, or adverse remarks.
Details in respect of frauds reported by Auditors
No fraud has been reported by the Auditors to the Audit Committee or
the Board.
B. SECRETARIAL AUDIT AND SECRETARIAL AUDITORS REPORT
The Board appointed M/s DM & Associates Company Secretaries LLP
Mumbai (Firm Reg No. L2017MH003500) to conduct Secretarial Audit of the Company for FY
2023-24.
The Secretarial Auditors report for the year ended March 31,
2024, as provided by M/s. DM & Associates, Company Secretaries is enclosed as
Annexure B.
The Secretarial Auditors report does not contain any
qualifications, reservations, or adverse remarks.
C. INTERNAL AUDITOR
Internal Audit for the year ended March 31, 2024, was conducted by M/s
Rodi Dabir & Co., Chartered Accountants and Internal Audit reports were placed before
the Audit Committee and Board of Directors at periodic intervals.
D. COST RECORDS AND COST AUDIT
Maintenance of cost records and requirement of Cost Audit as prescribed
under the provisions of Section 148(1) of the Act, are not applicable for the business
activities carried out by the Company.
10. CONSERVATION OF ENERGY, TECHNOLOGY ABSORPTION AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE
EARNINGS AND OUTGO
A. CONSERVATION OF ENERGY
I. The steps taken and their impact on conservation of energy:
We regularly replace high energy consuming electrical equipment with
modern efficient devices such as replacing the induction ballasts with electronic ballasts
and the fluorescent lights with LED lights. We conserve energy by switching off lights
& other equipment when they are not required. We have installed motion sensors in
certain areas thereby automatically switching off the lights when not in use. Our offices
are painted in brighter colours to maximize lighting efficiency besides using natural
light in most places. We have coated the glass windows to reduce the heat entering the
building which reduces the air-conditioning load. The Company continuously strives to
optimize its energy usage and efficiency. We have replaced few AHU coils which has
resulted in increase in efficiency and energy savings. We have installed energy saving
devices for operation of AHUs.
II. The steps taken by the Company for utilising alternate sources of
energy:
Our building has glass windows all around and we also use the ambient
light for lighting purposes as much as possible. This reduces the electricity consumption
due to lesser need of lighting during the day.
III. The capital investment on energy conservation equipment:
No capital investment was made on energy conservation equipment in the
FY 2023-24.
B. TECHNOLOGY ABSORPTION
BSE has emerged as a cornerstone of Indias financial landscape,
fostering economic growth, and attracting investments both domestically and
internationally. In an era defined by rapid technological advancements, BSE has
continuously adapted to the changing landscape, harnessing the power of technology to
drive innovation, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure market stability. This annual
report aims to highlight the pivotal role technology has played in BSEs growth and
resilience.
I. Advanced Trading Infrastructure:
BSEs cutting-edge trading infrastructure has been instrumental in
facilitating seamless and efficient trading activities. The Exchange has invested
significantly in high-performance servers, state-of-the-art networks, and robust data
centers to ensure ultra-low latency, high availability, and resilience. BSE has also
increased its co-location data centre capacity to service more customers.
II. Strengthening Risk Management:
With the aim of ensuring market integrity and stability, BSE has
prioritized the development and implementation of robust risk management systems.
Sophisticated technological solutions, including real-time surveillance systems,
algorithmic monitoring, and anomaly detection mechanisms, have been deployed to detect and
prevent market manipulation, fraud, and irregularities. BSEs strong risk management
framework has bolstered investor confidence and fostered a safe and secure trading
environment. To further enhance the Business Continuity of the Risk Management System of
the Clearing Corporation (CC), a SaaS (Software as a Service) setup has been provided by
both major CCs to each other.
Functioning of the SaaS setup was effectively demonstrated in a Special
Live Trading session held on Saturday, March 2, 2024. The Risk Management System of ICCL
switched over to the SaaS setup on this day (March 2, 2024) and continued from the SaaS
setup for the rest of the day.
III. Agility in DR operations
When it comes to BCP/DR the Companys regulator had been very
proactive in setting improved guidelines on a regular basis. Last year (FY 2022-23) the
regulator had established a series of joint exercise between all MIIs where multiple
coordinated intraday switchovers were performed.
The purpose of these coordinated exercise was to prepare all MIIs as
well as market participants to be agile in its operations in case a DR switchover was
triggered by any MII during Live trading. Several scenarios were tested during these
mocks. Some of these were:
1. All Exchanges switching to DR at the same time
2. Exchange at DR and Clearing Corporation at PR
3. Graceful and non-graceful shutdown at PR
4. Creation of data loss scenarios and recovering missing data at DR
5. Interop data verification and recovery
6. Maintaining the prescribed RTO and RPO
The Company was able to consistently showcase its ability switchover
with prescribed RTO and RPO. It was also able to recover missing data during non-graceful
shutdowns. Overall, the Company was able to perform all the mandated tests successfully.
The testament of effectiveness of the DR setup is that the Company was
able to switch-over to the DR site intraday within the prescribed RTO & RPO in a
Special Live Trading session held on Saturday, March 2, 2024. Further, like the previous
years, as per the regulatory mandate, the Company had successfully completed 2 full-day
Live DR sessions twice during the FY.
IV. Technology upgrades in StAR MF platform
The Company had been continuously in the process of technically and
functionally upgrading its products. This year the Companys mutual fund platform
StAR MF has undergone major updates to keep up its competitive edge in the market and meet
regulatory requirements.
The Company has introduced automated reconciliation of funds received
before settlement of Mutual Fund SIP and Purchase orders, leading to better controls and
surety of allotment of units. Furthermore, the Company has enhanced the cut-off time to
process Mutual Fund orders to 2:40 P.M. from earlier 2:00 P.M. thereby moving closer to
the AMFI cut-off time.
Further, the StAR MF Platform now also provides proactive push
notifications to members on order status, thereby enhancing the experience of members and
investors.
New SEBI Defined Category of Execution Only Platform (EOP) for Mutual
Funds was introduced on the StAR MF Platform, thereby enabling a new category of service
providers to register and transact in Mutual Funds.
V. Other Notable References
There were no major incidents affecting Exchange operations during the
year.
Various regulatory initiatives have taken up such as Market Price
Impact, Limit Price Protection, T+0 Settlement and Encryption of Data.
BSE has successfully and seamlessly completed the hardware refresh of
servers older than 5 years.
C. CYBER SECURITY TECHNOLOGY ABSORPTION AND CERTIFICATION
In the ever-shifting landscape of Information and Cyber Security,
staying ahead of the curve is not just a choice but a necessity. Cyber threats are ever
growing, and new threat vectors are ever evolving. To ensure BSEs information assets
are resilient to such information and cyber security threats, the 24X7 Information and
Cyber Security Operation Centre (SOC) continuously aims to evolve and adapt our defences
with the state-of-the-art technologies implemented.
I. SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response)
BSE uses SOAR to step-up the Companys Cyber security operation
centres response capability by enabling orchestration and automation by combining
SIEM and other technologies. SIEM use-case playbooks has been created in SOAR along with
required integrations. Security Orchestration has enabled the threat intelligence feed
from multiple sources and streamlined the threat response workflows. It helped to reduce
the turnaround time on security alerts and enabled cyber security analysts to act on
alerts quickly through defined cyber security alert playbooks.
II. Technology for Phishing Simulation and Employee awareness training
Humans are considered one of the weakest and most vulnerable links in
Information and Cybersecurity. It is important to ensure continuous awareness, training,
and assessment of human aspect for strong cybersecurity. The Company conducts periodic
cybersecurity training and assessment exercises for employees and vendors. With phishing
simulation and Learning Management System (LMS) based training, awareness, and assessment
technology, it will help to cover all employees and ensure each employee and vendors who
are working at the Company premises are going through the assigned trainings and clear the
assessments.
III. Threat Intel Platform, External Risk Exposures and Brand
Monitoring Service
To ensure continuous digital risk assessment and mitigation of possible
threats, the Company has subscribed for services which provides external threat intel for
cyber threats where the threats are discovered by research and threat intel provider
companies. Brand monitoring services to discover the threats pertaining to the
Companys information assets and to avoid the misuse of the Companys digital
assets and brand name. Surface and Dark web are monitored to identify possible and related
cyber threats and exposures being planned or surfaced for the Company.
IV. Certification
The Company has successfully achieved the Information Security
Management System ISO 27001:2022 and Business Continuity Management System ISO 22301:2019
certifications and surveillance audits for FY 2023-24.
Conclusion:
BSEs continues to innovate and enhance its technology stack in
order to create a resilient marketplace for investors. It also undertakes timely refresh
of technologies thereby keeping pace with a fast-moving landscape.
During FY 2023-24, it has augmented its infrastructure significantly,
thereby allowing it to keep pace with growing volumes in the Derivatives, Equities and
Mutual Fund Segments. BSE remains committed to investing in technology as a key driver
towards achieving business and excellence.
Disclosures a) The efforts made towards technology absorption:
The Company continued with passion looking for path-breaking
technologies & adopt them. The year had seen a tremendous increase in volumes
requiring the Company to invest in adopting new technologies. The Company has taken the
lead for implementation of:
Upgradation and enhancements in infrastructure
Implementation of newer technologies to meet key business and
regulatory requirements
Enhancing the security posture across infrastructure and applications
Improvising the operational capabilities & high availability
Effective utilisation is made of available indigenous technology team
expertise and develop home grown applications.
Needless to mention, the efforts put in by the Company have shown
results in the form of a robust platform supporting exponential growth in volumes. All
departments within the Company are equipped with tech-enabled solutions and applications
to deliver best of the services to all its customers. b) The benefits derived like product
improvement, cost reduction, product development or import substitution:
While the Company continues to invest in technology, it is conscious of
costs pushing itself to build and adopt efficient technology solutions. There is
significant focus on innovation in deployment of technology while supporting business
growth and a fast-evolving regulatory landscape.
c) In case of imported technology (imported during the last three years
reckoned from the beginning of the financial year) - Not Applicable. a) The details of
technology imported - Not Applicable b) The year of import - Not Applicable c) Whether the
technology been fully absorbed - Not Applicable d) If not fully absorbed, areas where
absorption has not taken place, and the reasons thereof - Not Applicable d) The
expenditure incurred on Research and Development - Not Applicable
D. FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNING AND OUTGO
The particulars of Foreign Exchange Earnings and outgo during the year
under review are furnished hereunder: Foreign Exchange Earning: 3,464 Lakh (Previous
Year: 3,073 Lakh) Foreign Exchange Outgo: 245 Lakh (Previous Year: 229 Lakh)
11. RISK MANAGEMENT AND COMPLIANCE
Risk Management is one of the critical elements of operating framework
at BSE. Enterprise Risk Management ("ERM") framework encompasses practices
relating to the identification, evaluation, mitigation, and monitoring of strategic,
operational, financial, compliance risks and emerging risks to achieve key business
objectives, and to minimise the adverse impact of risks.
The Board of Directors of the Company has constituted a Risk Management
Committee ("RMC") to oversee the ERM Framework, risk mitigation, monitoring the
risk management plan and ensuring its effectiveness. The Audit Committee has additional
oversight in the area of financial risks and controls.
BSEs management identifies key risks (existing as well as
emerging) and prioritises the mitigation actions based on the potential adverse impact on
operations and/or shareholder value. As the Exchange operates in a dynamic environment,
these risks are reviewed regularly and assessed for their potential impact/ exposure. A
comprehensive enterprise-wide Risk Management Policy has been created which was last
reviewed by the RMC in August 2023. Further, every quarter a detailed update on ERM along
with important risk incidents/events that occurred, is presented, and deliberated upon in
the meetings of the RMC.
Overview
Risk Management is an enterprise-wide function at BSE which covers
major business and functional objectives including Strategy, Operations, Technology and
Compliance and stipulates the risk management framework of the Company / principles
adopted by the Company for the achievement of business objectives through risk
identification, evaluation, monitoring and minimisation of identifiable risks and improved
resiliency towards unknown risks. The approach uses RCSA (Risk Control and
Self-Assessment) tool for evaluating and mitigating risks.
RISK CATEGORIES
The Companys risk management framework is broadly categorized
into 10 risk vectors pertaining to: a) Business, b) Technology, c) Cyber Security, d)
People, e) Regulatory and Compliance, f) Reputation, g) Fraud, h) Operations, i) Finance,
j) Physical and Infrastructure.
Apart from above, external risks arising from external, environmental,
macro-economic and geopolitical factors are also identified for assessment.
RISK MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE Risk Identification
The risk identification uses RCSA which involves identifying,
recognizing, and describing risks that obstruct the attainment of the strategic and
business goals of the organisation. BSE has in place, the system, and measures to identify
high-level risks related to operational, technological, regulatory and compliance,
reputational, infrastructural, environmental, and strategic, etc. aspects of the
organisation.
Risk Assessment
Each risk is assessed for impact (materiality of the risk if it occurs)
and likelihood (at an agreed level of impact, the probability of the event taking place).
This shall provide the inherent risk of the particular risk activity. Based on the impact
and likelihood the risk exposure is categorized into categories based on defined matrix.
Residual Risk is derived after assessing the impact of the mitigation
plan.
Risk Mitigation Measures
Mitigation actions are prepared and finalised, owners are identified,
and the progress of mitigation actions are monitored and reviewed. The Risk Management
Committee periodically reviews and monitors the mitigation actions, its effectiveness and
provides its advice and insights to the mitigation teams.
The management along with risk and control owners remain vigilant in
mitigating the risks that may come with changes in internal and external environment.
Risk Reporting
The top risk from the risk registers, its mitigation plans, periodic
review of processes and new risks emanating from such reviews, a detailed update on ERM is
presented and deliberated upon in the meetings of the RMC on a quarterly basis.
The risks identified by risk management function or roles at different
levels in the organization are presented at appropriate level of governance structure.
Critical risks or cross functional risks at each level are escalated to the next level in
the governance structure. Critical risks under different categories of risks at group
level are reviewed by Chief Risk Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief of Business
Operations, Chief Information Officer, and Chief Regulatory Officer and reviewed by MD
& CEO.
Risk Management Framework for the year
During the year, as a part of a fresh perspective to Risk Management
and monitoring the key risks, the following activities were undertaken by the risk
management function during the year: a) Review of the risks arising from external
environment such as geopolitical factors, macro-economic factors at global and local
level. b) As per requirement of SECC Regulations, a revised Risk Management Policy for the
FY 2023-24 was placed before and was approved by the Risk Management Committee. c)
Standardisation of the format of risk registers for the all the organisational functions.
d) Established the Exception Reporting and Escalation Mechanism whereby exception events
which could pose risk to the enterprise are escalated and reported on a timely basis to
ensure the required remediation. e) Established the RCSAAssessment system to achieve a
professionalised and industry wide accepted approach to Risk Management. f) Identification
of major risk vectors impacted, and risks involved in processes followed by the
departments.
Due to the inherent risks in the Companys business activities,
BSE ensures to risk management practices to strengthen the organisation through informed
strategic and business decisions.
BSEs strategic vision for the ERM function is to embed ERM across
processes, business strategy and key decision making to add significant and strategic
organisational value.
12. COMPANYS POLICIES
A. POLICY ON NOMINATION AND REMUNERATION
The Companys policy on Nomination and Remuneration includes
criteria for determining qualifications, positive attributes, and independence of a
Director.
The Nomination and Remuneration Policy of the Company is performance
driven and is designed to motivate employees, recognize their achievements, and promote
excellence in performance.
The Policy provides guidance on appointment and removal of Directors
& KMPs, remuneration of Directors, Key Managerial Personnel/Key
Management Personnel/Senior Management, and other employees.
The said policy is available on the website of the Company at
https://www. bseindia.com/downloads1/nrcpolicy.pdf
B. POLICY ON CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ("CSR")
The Company has constituted a Committee in accordance with Section 135
of the Act.
The Annual Report on CSR activities as per the Companies (Corporate
Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 has been annexed to this Report as Annexure C.
The CSR policy is available on the website of the Company at
https://www. bseindia.com/downloads1/Corporate_Social_Responsibility_Policy.pdf
C. VIGIL MECHANISM/ WHISTLE BLOWER POLICY
The Company has in place a Vigil Mechanism / Whistle Blower Policy
pursuant to Regulation 22 of the Listing Regulations and Section 177(10) of the Act,
enabling stakeholders to report any concern of unethical behaviour, suspected fraud, or
violation.
The said policy inter alia provides safeguard against victimization of
the Whistle Blower. Stakeholders including Directors and Employees have direct access to
the Chairperson of the Audit Committee.
During the year under review, no stakeholder was denied access to the
Chairperson of the Audit Committee.
The said policy is available on the website of the Company at
https://www. bseindia.com/downloads1/766e08fe-2fb1-4501-90b5-a4888738e42f. pdf.
D. POLICY ON RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
All Related Party Transactions ("RPT") that were entered
during the FY were on arms length basis and in the ordinary course of business and
were in compliance with the applicable provisions of the Act and the Listing Regulations.
There was no material significant RPT transacted by the Company during the year that
required Shareholders approval under Regulation 23 of the Listing Regulations. None
of the transactions with related parties fell under the scope of Section 188(1) of the
Act. The disclosure of RPTs as required under Section 134(3)(h) of the Act in Form AOC-2
is not applicable to the Company for FY 2023-24 and hence does not form part of this
report.
The Policy on RPT is available on the website of the Company at
https://www. bseindia.com/downloads1/13b0fdbf-fa4e-4b4d-9d9b-bedade5e70c2.pdf
E. POLICY ON MATERIAL SUBSIDIARY
As required under Regulation 16(1)(c) of Listing Regulations, the
Company has in place and adopted a policy for determining Material Subsidiaries. For FY
2023-24, Indian Clearing Corporation Limited ("ICCL") is the material subsidiary
of the Company. As per Regulation 24A of Listing Regulations, the Secretarial Audit Report
of ICCL is annexed as Annexure D.
The policy on Material Subsidiary is available on the website of the
Company at https://www.bseindia.com/downloads1/Policy_on_Material_ Subsidiaries.pdf
F. INSIDER TRADING REGULATIONS
Pursuant to the provisions of Securities and Exchange Board of India
(Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations, 2015 (as amended from time to time), the
Company has formulated a Code of Conduct for Prevention of Insider Trading ("Insider
Trading Code") and Code of Practices and Procedures for fair disclosure of
Unpublished Price Sensitive Information ("UPSI").
The Code of Practices and Procedures for fair disclosure of UPSI is
available on the website of the Company at https://www.bseindia.com/downloads1/
Code_of_fair_disclosure_of_UPSI.pdf
G. DIVIDEND DISTRIBUTION POLICY
The Dividend Distribution Policy containing the requirements of
Regulation 43A of Listing Regulations is annexed as Annexure E and is also available on
the website of the Company at https://www.bseindia.com/downloads1/
BSE_Dividend_Distribution_Policy.pdf
13. DISCLOSURE AS REQUIRED UNDER SEXUAL HARASSMENT
OF WOMEN AT WORKPLACE (PREVENTION, PROHIBITION AND REDRESSAL) ACT, 2013
The Company has always believed in providing a safe and harassment free
workplace for every individual working in its premises through various policies and
practices. The Company always endeavours to create and provide an environment that is free
from discrimination and harassment including sexual harassment.
The Company has adopted a policy on Prevention of Sexual Harassment
(POSH) at Workplace which aims at prevention of harassment of employees and lays down the
guidelines for identification, reporting and prevention of undesired behaviour. An
Internal Complaints Committee ("ICC") is already in place wherein the senior
management (with women employees constituting the majority) personnel are its members. The
ICC is responsible for redressal of complaints related to sexual harassment and follows
the guidelines provided in the Policy.
The Company had conducted workshops on POSH for the employees on
periodic basis. During the FY ended March 31, 2024 no complaint pertaining to sexual
harassment was received.
14. RESOURCES COMMITTED TOWARDS STRENGTHENING
REGULATORY FUNCTIONS AND TOWARDS ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
The Company being a recognised Stock Exchange is governed by SEBI. The
Company ensures compliances with various regulations and guidelines issued by SEBI from
time to time and strives to implement the best governance practices.
During the year under review, the Companys regulatory division
comprised of departments, handling various critical aspects of regulatory compliances, as
under: i. Risk management; ii. Surveillance and investigation; iii. Listing; iv. Member
registration; v. Compliance; vi. Inspection; vii. Enforcement; viii. Arbitration and
grievance redressal mechanism; ix. Member default; x. Investor protection and services.
There are 193 resources in these functions at various designations.
Each such function is headed by the Chief Regulatory Officer, who in turn reports to the
MD & CEO and Regulatory Oversight Committee.
The Company has ensured to make disclosures of various mandatory
regulatory requirements along with reporting of the same to various regulatory authorities
in addition to informing the same to the Board of Directors and respective Committee.
For the FY ending on March 31, 2024, BSE incurred direct and indirect
expenses amounting to 3057.81 Lakhs as per activity-based accounting methodology towards
strengthening regulatory functions and towards ensuring compliance with regulatory
requirements.
15. COMMUNICATIONS
Over the years, communication at BSE has played a crucial and important
role in delivering accurate and timely information to all its stakeholders. Through a wide
array of communication channels, we have effectively and efficiently shared comprehensive
updates on new product offerings, services, regulatory developments, and investor
education initiatives from time to time.
During the year, our collaborative approach with prominent industry
bodies and trade associations has enabled joint programs that cultivate a favorable
business environment for all. The Memorandum of Understandings with the Government of
Maharashtra and Goa, Chamber of Commerce and Industry to promote SME listing during the
year is one such step in this direction. Continuing its legacy as a trusted institution in
the financial sectors, BSE played host to many international and Indian dignitaries, trade
associations, and student organizations in FY 2023-24.
While BSE has strived towards enhancing the visibility for innovative
products and new initiatives with the rebranding and launch of the new logo which
showcases the Exchanges dynamic spirit and its embrace of the digital era. The
relaunch of Sensex and Bankex and Brand visibility building events like unveiling of
Charging Bull and Common Man sculptures at Horniman Circle are other significant
initiatives. The relaunch of Bankex saw a record of over 13 Crore contracts traded with a
notional turnover of over 100 Lakh Crore while the Sensex Derivatives Turnover rocketed
to a new record by reaching 13.58 Lakh Crore. The efforts and work done by BSE was
recognised as it was awarded as one of ET NOWs Best BFSI Brands for 2024.
"Mane ki Mano", the informative videos on investor awareness
by BSE received tremendous response from the regulators and public at large. The year also
saw the launch of Investor Risk Reduction Access (IRRA) platform by SEBI Chairperson, Ms.
Madhabi Puri Buch, celebration of World Investor Week and celebration of Diwali Mahurat
Trading.
On International Womens Day, BSE in collaboration with UN Women,
marked a significant moment by hosting the "Ring the Bell for Gender Equality"
emphasizing the critical investment in women for accelerating progress towards gender
equality.
16. OTHER DISCLOSURES
A. MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION & ANALYSIS
Pursuant to Regulation 34(2)(e) of the Listing Regulations, the
Management Discussion and Analysis Report forms part of this Annual Report.
B. BUSINESS RESPONSIBILITY AND SUSTAINIBILITY REPORT
Pursuant to Regulation 34(2)(f) of the Listing Regulations, the
Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report forms part of this Annual Report.
C. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Pursuant to the SECC Regulations, Listing Regulations and the Act,
report on Corporate Governance as on March 31, 2024, forms part of this Annual Report. A
Certificate from Practicing Company Secretary, confirming status of compliances of the
conditions of Corporate Governance is annexed to the Corporate Governance Report.
D. INVESTOR PROTECTION FUND ("IPF")
The Company, through its IPF, regularly conducts Investor Awareness
Programs ("IAPs") throughout the country. IPF was instrumental in conducting
13,780 IAPs during FY 2023-24. Out of this, 4,320 IAPs were conducted through IPF while
9,460 IAPs were conducted through the Investors Services Fund ("ISF").
Similarly, 8,542 IAPs were conducted physically while 5,238 were conducted online
(webinars) out of the above. Additionally, during the year, IPF officials conducted 324
Regional Investor Seminars for Awareness (RISA) jointly with SEBI across different parts
of the country. IPF also publishes TV, print, digital and online advertisements regarding
Dos and Donts for investors, to educate them and enable them to safeguard
their interests. During the year, several educational and other capital market awareness
events were supported by IPF to raise awareness about investor centric areas such as
investing early, power of compounding, diversification of investment, goal-based
investing, retirement investment ideas, etc.
MAJOR INITIATIVES: Mr. Mane Videos:
This year, IPF resorted largely to digital and social media as a means
of spreading awareness as it is the trend seen amongst investors. As a part of digital
strategy for investor awareness campaign, BSE IPF in coordination with the Corporate
Communications team of BSE, successfully made 11 videos on various topics related to
securities market in Hindi language with the videos evolving around one common character
called "Mr. Mane". These videos became very popular in short span of time with
total views across social media and YouTube exceeding 10.75 Crore.
Other Digital Initiatives:
BSE IPF released animated films on four topics related to Securities
Market for Investor Awareness during the year. Pursuant to discussions with SEBI, BSE IPF
had sent investor awareness messages (with an embedded video) through WhatsApp to over 4.5
crore active investors registered with BSE, on various topics related to Securities
Market.
World Investor Week (WIW) 2023:
BSE IPF celebrated the globally popular event for investors called
World Investor Week (WIW 2023) under the aegis of SEBI and International Organisation of
Securities Commissions (IOSCO), from October 9, 2023 to October 15, 2023.
WIW is a week-long global celebration promoted by the IOSCO to raise
awareness about the importance of investor education and protection. In India, SEBI had
worked with all the Market Infrastructure Institutions to make this a memorable and
enriching week for all investors.
To mark the beginning of WIW 2023, on the first of day of the week i.e.
October 9, 2023, BSE IPF conducted a bell ringing ceremony at BSE International Convention
Hall which was attended by Shri G. P. Garg, Executive Director, SEBI, and various other
senior dignitaries from SEBI. Certain key activities undertaken by IPF to celebrate WIW
2023 are:
1) Investor Awareness Programs (IAPs):
BSE IPF conducted 928 IAPs in the week, through its network of resource
persons, regional officials and jointly with SEBI officials, creating awareness and
educating the investors about various aspects of investments through securities market. As
desired by SEBI, the Exchange focused on bringing participation for these IAPs from the
investors who have newly entered the market in last 2 years, in addition to the general
investors.
2) Creating Microsite:
A microsite of WIW 2023 was created which can be accessed from BSE IPF
website. Additionally, a WIW 2023 banner was displayed on the BSE website.
3) QUIZ programs: a) General Quiz
BSE IPF conducted series of general Quiz programs for capital market
investors on 5 consecutive days during WIW 2023. The Quiz was conducted online, wherein
participants were required to answer multiple choice answer questions in a time bound
manner. Winners were awarded with the certificates as well as suitable cash prizes. All
other participants were given participation certificates. Total 12,744 people participated
in the Quiz program out of which 10 daily winners were announced and 2 winners were
selected amongst the daily winners who were awarded as "Quiz Ka Shahenshah". b)
National level Quiz for students at Institute of Company Secretaries of India
("ICSI")
Keeping the importance of governance and knowledge of regulations in
mind, BSE IPF conducted a special nation-wide Quiz for the students of ICSI, in
coordination with the ICSI, on October 11, 2023. Majority of the questions were based on
the regulatory framework governing listed securities and specifically Listing Regulations.
Total 846 students from the institute participated in the Quiz, out of which 10 winners
were awarded with the cash prizes and others were given participation certificates.
4) Nukkad Natak on Financial Literacy:
Nukkad Natak aims at shaping investors in India to become more aware,
responsible, and thinking adults and have an opinion on issues of financial literacy. This
activity was conducted during WIW 2023, wherein the participants (in groups) performed
skit to create awareness about investments in the capital market. This activity received
overwhelming response from the participants and more than 11,000 entries were received.
The best 5 teams were awarded cash prizes.
5) Organizing Human Chain:
This is yet another unique activity which was conducted during WIW
2023. On the first day of WIW 2023 i.e. October 9, 2023, BSE IPF in co-ordination with one
of the resource person organized a Human Chain at Shishuvan School, Matunga, Mumbai, where
more than 300 students participated. The students wore T-shirts and caps given by BSE IPF
and formed a human chain shape of WIW 2023. This was captured on video showing a
captivating aerial view of the event. A photo frame of the event was also presented to
SEBI Executive Director.
6) Street Plays:
BSE IPF in co-ordination with one of the resource person performed 11
street plays at various busy locations at Mumbai to propagate the message of Investor
Resilience and Sustainable Finance during the WIW 2023. One such play was performed near
SEBI office at BKC, which was attended by the senior SEBI officials and was well
appreciated.
7) Katputali Dance:
BSE IPF in co-ordination with one of the resource person successfully
conducted a new activity - 10 Katputali Dance events at Tier II and Tier III cities in
Rajasthan to spread the knowledge about financial planning and investments in securities
market through these activities. Each program was for a duration of 60 to 90 minutes which
was mixture of dance and speech by a Trainer in the regional language, on investor
education.
8) Social media campaign:
We have created some short videos for Investment Inspiration giving
messages from well-known investors like Mr. Vijay Kedia, Mr. Neeraj Choksey & Mr.
Ramdev Agarwal, etc., who shared their stories of Investment journey over a period to
encourage the investors. We have also created static messages on the theme called
"The Right Tip" for investors awareness, covering messages on different
topics in the interest of general investors in the capital market. These videos and
messages were sent out to all social media handles of BSE i.e. Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and
Instagram during the entire length of the WIW 2023, which garnered a total reach of more
than 19 million people.
9) BSE building illumination:
The iconic BSE Building was lit up during all days of WIW 2023,
displaying the logos of SEBI, BSE, and WIW 2023.
E. RAINWATER HARVESTING
In order to address the environmental concerns, the Company is
undertaking steps to promote sustainability, by disseminating all agenda items of Board
and Committee meetings electronically on a real time basis, by uploading them on a secured
online application specifically designed for this purpose, thereby eliminating circulation
of printed agenda papers.
Further, in order to make effective use of rainwater, rainwater
harvesting system is implemented for BSE buildings situated in Mumbai. The rainwater
harvested will be stored and used for chiller plant after due treatment. Additionally, the
harvested rainwater will also help in recharging existing ring wells situated in the
premises.
F. THE DETAILS OF APPLICATION MADE OR ANY PROCEEDING PENDING UNDER THE
INSOLVENCY AND BANKRUPTCY CODE, 2016 DURING THE YEAR ALONG WITH THEIR STATUS AS AT THE END
OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR.
During the year, no proceeding has been initiated under Insolvency and
Bankruptcy Code for default in payment of debt. Further, the Company has also not
initiated any proceedings against the defaulting entities. However, it had lodged its
claim with the resolution professional/liquidator appointed for defaulting listed
companies.
G. THE DETAILS OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AMOUNT OF THE VALUATION DONE AT
THE TIME OF ONETIME SETTLEMENT AND THE VALUATION DONE WHILE TAKING LOAN FROM THE BANKS OR
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ALONG WITH THE REASONS THEREOF.
During the period under review, Company has not taken any loans from
the banks or financial institutions. Accordingly, there has been no one time settlement or
valuation done for this purpose.
17. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Board sincerely thanks the Government of India, SEBI, RBI, IRDA,
GIFT City Ltd., CERC, the Government of Maharashtra, other State Governments, and various
government agencies for their continued support, co-operation, and advice.
The Board places on record its gratitude to the members of various
committees for their guidance and leadership and for providing valuable contribution
towards the functioning of respective committees during the year.
The Board also acknowledges the support extended by trading members,
issuers, investors in the capital market and other market intermediaries and associates.
The Board expresses sincere thanks to all its business associates,
consultants, bankers, vendors, auditors, solicitors and lawyers for their continued
partnership and confidence in the Company.
The Board further extend its sincere appreciation to all the employees
for their dedication and contribution and to all the shareholders for their trust and
confidence in the management of the Company. The Board
Pramod Agrawal |
Chairperson |
Date: May 8, 2024 |
Place: Mumbai |
is also deeply touched by the efforts, sincerity and loyalty displayed
by the employees for their commitment, co-operation, and collaboration in advancing the
mission and vision of the Company towards achieving its goals.
The Acknowledgement serves to demonstrate Transparency, Accountability
and Appreciation for the collective efforts that contribute to the Companys
Performance and Sustainability.
For and on behalf of the Board of Directors
ANNEXURE A OF BOARDS REPORT INFORMATION REQUIRED
UNDER SECTION 197 (12) OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2013 READ WITH RULE 5(1) OF THE COMPANIES
(APPOINTMENT AND REMUNERATION OF MANAGERIAL PERSONNEL) RULES, 2014 A. RATIO OF THE
REMUNERATION OF EACH DIRECTOR TO THE MEDIAN REMUNERATION OF ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF YOUR
COMPANY FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2023-24 IS AS FOLLOWS:
Name of Director |
Ratio of the Remuneration of Director to
median remuneration |
Shri S. S. Mundra1 |
1.61 |
Shri Pramod Agrawal2 |
0.60 |
Shri Umakant Jayaram |
2.13 |
Shri David Wright3 |
1.70 |
Sushri Jayshree Vyas |
1.66 |
Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri |
2.02 |
Justice Shiavax Jal Vazifdar |
1.79 |
Dr. Padmini Srinivasan |
1.95 |
Shri Nandkumar Saravade4 |
- |
Shri T. C. Suseel Kumar5 |
1.73 |
Shri Jagannath Mukkavilli6 |
- |
Shri Sundararaman Ramamurthy7 |
48.39 |
1 Completed his tenure as a PID and Chairperson of the Board
w.e.f. closure of working hours on January 16, 2024.
2 Appointed as a PID w.e.f., November 29, 2023.
3 Completed his tenure as a PID w.e.f. closure of working hours
on March 15, 2024.
4 Appointed as a PID w.e.f., February 7, 2024
5 Ceased to be a NID Director on February 13, 2024.
6 Appointed as a NID w.e.f., February 13, 2024.
7 Total remuneration considered stated above is excluding 50% of
variable pay to be paid on deferred basis after 3 years.
B. DETAILS OF PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN THE REMUNERATION OF EACH DIRECTOR,
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, AND COMPANY SECRETARY DURING THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2023-24 ARE AS
FOLLOWS: Remuneration paid to Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer:
Name |
% increase / (decrease) in remuneration in
the Financial Year |
Shri Sundararaman Ramamurthy* |
413% |
* percentage increase in remuneration is calculated on the basis of his
joining on January 4, 2023.
Remuneration paid to Non-Executive Independent Directors:
Name of Director |
% increase/(decrease) in remuneration in the
Financial Year |
Shri S. S. Mundra1 |
(36%) |
Shri Pramod Agrawal2 |
NA |
Shri Umakant Jayaram |
(29%) |
Shri David Wright3 |
(41%) |
Sushri Jayshree Vyas |
(38%) |
Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri |
(9%) |
Justice Shiavax Jal Vazifdar |
6% |
Dr. Padmini Srinivasan |
NA |
Shri Nandkumar Saravade4 |
NA |
1 Completed his tenure as a PID and Chairperson of the Board
w.e.f. closure of working hours on January 16, 2024.
2 Appointed as a PID w.e.f., November 29, 2023.
3 Completed his tenure as a PID w.e.f. closure of working hours
on March 15, 2024.
4 Appointed as a PID w.e.f., February 7, 2024
Remuneration paid to Non-Executive Non-Independent Director:
Name of Director |
% increase/(decrease) in remuneration in the
Financial Year |
Shri T. C. Suseel Kumar1 |
(22%) |
Shri Jagannath Mukkavilli2 |
NA |
1 Ceased to be a NID on February 13, 2024.
2 Appointed as a NID w.e.f., February 13, 2024.
Remuneration paid to Key Managerial Personnel (KMP):
Name |
Designation |
% increase in remuneration in the Financial
Year1 |
Shri Nayan Mehta2 |
Chief Financial Officer |
(3%) |
Shri Deepak Goel3 |
Chief Financial Officer |
NA |
Shri Vishal Bhat |
Company Secretary and Compliance Officer |
65% |
1 Wherever applicable, total Remuneration stated above is
excluding 50% of Variable Pay to be paid on deferred basis after 3 years and including
variable pay of prior years which has been paid during the financial year 2023-24 as
per Securities Contracts (Regulation) (Stock Exchanges and Clearing Corporations)
Regulations, 2018.
2 Ceased to be the Chief Financial Officer w.e.f., September 10,
2023
3 Appointed as the Chief Financial Officer w.e.f., September 11,
2023
C. PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN THE MEDIAN REMUNERATION OF EMPLOYEES IN THE
FINANCIAL YEAR 2023-24: 47% D. NUMBER OF PERMANENT EMPLOYEES ON THE ROLLS OF THE COMPANY
AS ON MARCH 31, 2024: 518
E. AVERAGE PERCENTILE INCREASE ALREADY MADE IN THE SALARIES OF
EMPLOYEES OTHER THAN THE MANAGERIAL PERSONNEL IN THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR AND ITS
COMPARISON WITH THE PERCENTILE INCREASE IN THE MANAGERIAL REMUNERATION AND JUSTIFICATION
THEREOF AND POINT OUT IF THERE ARE ANY EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES FOR INCREASE IN THE
MANAGERIAL REMUNERATION:
The average percentile increase in the salaries of employees other than
the managerial personnel in the last Financial Year is 24%. The average percentile
increase in the salaries of managerial personnel is 413%.
F. IT IS HEREBY AFFIRMED THAT THE REMUNERATION IS AS PER THE
REMUNERATION POLICY OF THE COMPANY
INFORMATION REQUIRED UNDER REGULATION 27(5) & (6) OF THE SECURITIES
CONTRACTS (REGULATION) (STOCK EXCHANGES AND CLEARING CORPORATIONS) REGULATIONS, 2018, FOR
THE PERIOD FROM APRIL 1, 2023, TO MARCH 31, 2024:
Sr. No. |
Name of Key Management
Personnel |
Designation |
Compensation* (Amount
in ) |
Ratio of the Compensation of
Key Management Personnel to median Compensation |
1. |
Shri Sundararaman Ramamurthy |
Managing Director and Chief Executive
Officer |
5,40,78,629 |
48.39 |
2. |
Shri Neeraj Kulshrestha1 |
Chief Regulatory Officer |
1,53,30,521 |
13.72 |
3. |
Sushri Kamala K.2 |
Chief Regulatory Officer |
1,54,56,935 |
13.83 |
4. |
Shri Sameer Patil |
Chief Business Officer |
1,67,87,864 |
15.02 |
5. |
Shri Sunil Ramrakhiani3 |
Chief Business Officer (Equity) |
85,81,529 |
7.68 |
6. |
Shri Nayan Mehta4 |
Chief Financial Officer |
2,15,58,725 |
19.29 |
7. |
Shri Deepak Goel5 |
Chief Financial Officer |
73,54,579 |
6.58 |
8. |
Shri Girish Joshi |
Chief Listing & Trading Development |
1,33,16,598 |
11.92 |
9. |
Shri Kersi Tavadia6 |
Chief Information Officer |
1,64,50,475 |
14.72 |
10. |
Shri Subhash Kelkar7 |
Chief Information Officer |
1,47,08,285 |
13.16 |
11. |
Shri Khushro Bulsara8 |
Chief Risk Officer and Head -
Investor Protection Fund |
77,38,368 |
6.92 |
12. |
Shri Shivkumar Pandey9 |
Chief Information Security Officer |
1,06,95,860 |
9.57 |
Sr. No. |
Name of Key Management
Personnel |
Designation |
Compensation* (Amount
in ) |
Ratio of the Compensation of
Key Management Personnel to median Compensation |
13. |
Shri Balaji Venketeshwar10 |
Chief Information Security Officer |
55,41,130 |
4.96 |
14. |
Shri Ketan Jantre |
Head Trading Operations |
89,03,884 |
7.97 |
15. |
Smt. Ritu Kundu |
Head Human Resources |
74,93,075 |
6.71 |
16. |
Shri Vishal Bhat |
Company Secretary and Compliance Officer |
26,30,025 |
2.35 |
17. |
Shri Shailesh Jain11 |
Head - Legal |
58,54,108 |
5.24 |
18. |
Shri Gopalkrishnan Iyer$ |
Chief General Manager Listing Compliance |
1,23,86,770 |
4.51 |
19. |
Sushri Usha Sharma$ |
General Manager - Inspection / Investor |
91,06,735 |
3.32 |
|
|
Services / Regulatory Office |
|
|
20. |
Shri Rajendra Sharma$ |
General Manager - BDM / BDM
FIG / BDM Retail / BDM Analytics |
83,15,493 |
3.03 |
21. |
Shri Vivek Garg$ |
Senior General Manager |
85,91,562 |
3.13 |
22. |
Shri Ajay Thakur$ |
General Manager |
1,01,14,803 |
3.68 |
23. |
Shri Bhushan Mokashi$ |
General Manager |
81,88,091 |
2.98 |
24. |
Shri Shankar Jadhav$ |
General Manager |
1,03,90,556 |
3.79 |
25. |
Shri Mahendra Tawde$ |
Senior General Manager |
95,11,387 |
3.46 |
26. |
Shri Jayesh Shah$ |
General Manager |
44,81,552 |
1.63 |
27. |
Shri Vijukumar Pillai$ |
Senior General Manager |
81,49,578 |
2.97 |
28. |
Shri Rahul Sharma$ |
Senior General Manager |
92,42,142 |
3.37 |
29. |
Shri Dev Bhul$ |
Senior Manager |
26,03,438 |
0.95 |
30. |
Shri Devendra Kulkarni$ |
Additional General Manager |
52,49,015 |
1.91 |
31. |
Shri Sachin Unkule$ |
Senior General Manager |
48,68,443 |
1.77 |
32. |
Shri Purushottam Saraf$ |
General Manager |
78,32,095 |
2.85 |
33. |
Smt. Varsha Mukadam$ |
Assistant General Manager |
37,58,326 |
1.37 |
34. |
Shri Kamlesh Balulal Jagetiya$ |
General Manager |
52,21,613 |
0.63 |
35. |
Shri Avinash Shankar Kharkar$ |
Senior General Manager |
64,58,534 |
1.56 |
* Wherever applicable total Remuneration stated above is
excluding 50% of Variable Pay to be paid on deferred basis after 3 years and including
variable pay of prior years which has been paid during the financial year 2023-24 as
per Securities Contracts (Regulation) (Stock Exchanges and Clearing Corporations)
Regulations, 2018.
$ Ceased to be Key Management Personnel of the Company pursuant
to amendment to Securities Contracts (Regulation) (Stock Exchanges and Clearing
Corporations) Regulations, 2018 w.e.f. August 28, 2023.
1 Ceased to be the Chief Regulatory Officer w.e.f., June 30,
2023
2 Ceased to be the Chief Risk Officer w.e.f., June 30, 2023, and
Re-designated as the Chief Regulatory Officer w.e.f., July 1, 2023
3 Appointed as the Chief Business Officer (Equity) w.e.f., May
29, 2023
4 Ceased to be the Chief Financial Officer and re-designated as
the Chief Special Projects w.e.f., September 11, 2023. Ceased to be the Chief
Special Projects w.e.f., October 12, 2023
5 Appointed as the Chief Financial Officer w.e.f., September 11,
2023
6 Ceased to be the Chief Information Officer w.e.f., June 30,
2023
7 Re-designated as the Chief Information Officer w.e.f., July 1,
2023
8 Additionally appointed as the Chief Risk Officer w.e.f., July
1, 2023
9 Ceased to be the Chief Information Security Officer w.e.f.,
December 4, 2023
10 Appointed as the Chief Information Security Officer
w.e.f., November 1, 2023. Ceased to be the Chief Information Security Officer w.e.f.,
March 6, 2024
11 Appointed as Head Legal w.e.f., August 28, 2023.
INFORMATION REQUIRED UNDER SECTION 197 (12) OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2013
READ WITH RULE 5(2) OF THE COMPANIES (APPOINTMENT AND REMUNERATION OF MANAGERIAL
PERSONNEL) RULES, 2014 FOR THE PERIOD FROM APRIL 1, 2023, TO MARCH 31, 2024:
Sr. No. |
Name |
Age (Yrs.) |
Date of Joining |
Total Remuneration in * |
Designation / Nature of
Duties |
Educational Qualifications |
Experience in years |
Previous Employment |
1. |
Shri Sundararaman Ramamurthy |
61 |
04-Jan-2023 |
5,40,78,629 |
Managing Director & CEO |
BSc, CAIIB, ICWAI, Financial
Risk Manager, Six Sigma Certification |
39+ |
Bank of America |
2. |
Sushri Kamala K.1 |
58 |
23-Jan-2023 |
1,54,56,935 |
Chief Regulatory Officer |
B.Com, CA |
40+ |
Edelweiss Financial Services
Limited |
3. |
Shri Sameer Patil |
50 |
07-Jul-2015 |
1,67,87,864 |
Chief Business Officer |
BSc, PGDIM, PGDMM |
26+ |
Satyug Gold Private Limited |
4. |
Shri Girish Joshi |
55 |
6-Aug-2010 |
1,33,16,598 |
Chief Listing & Trading
Development |
B.Com, ICWA, CA, Inter CS |
30+ |
ICICI Bank |
5. |
Shri Subhash Kelkar2 |
56 |
10-Apr-2023 |
1,47,08,285 |
Chief Information Officer |
BE (Mechanical), PGDST,
Executive Management Development Program |
30+ |
ICICI Securities |
6. |
Shri Gopalkrishnan Iyer |
57 |
01-Jan-1998 |
1,23,86,770 |
Vice President - Listing
Compliance |
B.Com, CA, CFA |
32+ |
Canbank Financial Services
Limited |
1 Re-designated as the Chief Regulatory Officer w.e.f.,
July 1, 2023
2 Re-designated as the Chief Information Officer w.e.f.,
July 1, 2023
* Wherever applicable, total Remuneration stated above is
excluding 50% of Variable Pay to be paid on deferred basis after 3 years and including
variable pay of prior years which has been paid during the financial year 2023-24 as
per Securities Contracts (Regulation) (Stock Exchanges and Clearing Corporations)
Regulations, 2018.
Note:
- Employees mentioned above are neither relatives of any
directors of the Company, nor hold 2% or more of the paid-up equity share capital of the
Company as per Clause (iii) of sub-rule (2) of Rule 5 of the Companies (Appointment and
Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014.
- The Company does not have any Employees Stock Option Plan
(ESOP) Scheme for its employees.
- The aforementioned Employees are/were in full time employment
with the Company.
For and on behalf of Board of Directors
Date: May 8, 2024 |
Place: Mumbai |
|