Private Limited Company Vs Public Limited Company

• A public limited company is a type of business which can be listed on a recognized stock exchange and the stocks can be traded to the general public. Whereas, a private limited company is neither listed on the stock exchange nor sold to general public. It is privately admitted by its affiliates or members.
• It is mandatory for the public limited company to have a general body meeting with all its members. Whereas in a private company, there is no such compulsion.
• It is mandatory in a public limited company to issue the prospectus or statement. However, this procedure is not in a private company.
• A public limited company needs the post-incorporation certificate of commencement to start its function. But, a private company can start its operation soon after its incorporation.
• The scope of a public company is huge as the directors of the company can raise its capital from the general public and have to endure many legal restraints. On the contrary, there are fewer members and few restrictions; hence the scope of a private limited company is restricted.
• And in the case of Public Limited Company, there is a greater regulatory responsibility; it has to inform all needed information to the public as they are the shareholders or prospective shareholders.
• A signified written resolution is affirmed, including the information of general meetings of a private limited company.  Whereas in a public company, it should appoint a company secretar, to do all these works.

Documents required for conversion of a private limited into a public limited company

• Copy of PAN card of the directors
• Copy of Aadhar card or voter ID of the directors.
• Passport size photographs of directors.
• The rental agreement of the registered business place.
• Electricity or water bill of the registered business place.
• If the office is its own place then the copy of property papers is required.
• NOC or No Objection Certificate from the landlord.

The process of converting a private limited to a public limited company

Basically, a company already enrolled in a type of business structure may change itself as a company of another type of business structure by modifying the memorandum and articles of the company. An application as per the requirement is needed and it should be submitted to the registrar of that specified state. The registrar after verifying and getting convinced with all steps and with the required documents, the formal registration of the company is done. After the registration process, the documents required for the conversion are verified by the Registrar, if everything is fine that the registrar will grant a certificate of incorporation. Procedure for Conversion into a Public Limited Company

Procedure for Conversion of private limited company into a Public Limited Company (consistent to applicable provisos of the Companies Act, 2013 and the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014):

Board Meeting

The Directors are to be formally informed with a notice regarding the agenda of the Board Meeting. This notice has to be sent to the company’s respective registered addresses at least one week or 7 days prior to the date on which the Board Meeting is planned to be held. The mention below matters have to be specified in the agenda of the Board Meeting for discourse:

• Approval of the shareholders or members regarding –
• Adoption of a new and amended MOA or Memorandum of Association.
• Adoption of a new and amended AOA or Articles of Association.
• Conversion of a private limited company into a public limited company.
• Approval for conducting an extraordinary general meeting followed by authorisation of an individual to be in charge of circulation of the notice concerning the EGM.
• The place, date and time for the extraordinary general meeting have to be fixed too.
• Authorizing of a Board Resolution for the increase in the number of members or shareholders or directors, as a public limited company would need a minimum of 3 directors according to the provisions under Section 149(1)(a) of the Companies Act 2013.

Issuing of a notice regarding EGM and declaring the EGM

Once the Board Meeting was done, the Director and Company Secretary who is appointed to circulate the notice regarding the extraordinary general meeting may bring out the notice to all of the following:
Shareholders
Directors
Auditors
The notice of the EGM or extraordinary general meeting has to be issued not less than 21 days prior to the date on which the extraordinary general meeting or EGM is to be held. Moreover, a shorter notice period has to be given if and only the consent is given by not less than 95% of the shareholders or members who are ennobled to vote at the meeting. The consent has to be received either through writing or through Electronic mode such as email, sms etc. At the EGM or extraordinary general meeting, the resolutions will be authorized by the shareholders.

Filing of the form with RoC:

Once the resolutions of the company are passed in the extraordinary general meeting or EGM, form filing formality with the Registrar of Companies has to be completed within the specified time frame.
a)E-Form MGT – 14:
This E-Form MGT – 14 form is a form which has to be filed with the RoC within the time period of 30 days after passing there solutions along with the specified fees. The form can be filed on the MCA portal, along with the following documents:
– Notice of the extraordinary general meeting or EGM with the Explanatory Statement according to Section 102 of the Act.
– Certified copies of the company resolutions which are passed in the extraordinary general meeting or EGM.
– Copy of the newly drafted MOA.
– Copy of the newly drafted AOA.
b)E-Form INC – 27:
This E-Form INC – 27 form is the application which is used for the conversion of a private limited company into a public limited company. This form can be filed with the RoC within the time period of 15 days after passing of the resolutions in the extraordinary general meeting or EGM. The following documents have to be enclosed with the form:
– Minutes of the extraordinary general meeting or EGM.
– Copy of the newly drafted AOA.
– Copy of the newly drafted MOA.
– Copy of the resolution(s) passed at the extraordinary general meeting or EGM. – List of the members or shareholders of the company along with the essential documents.

Post Conversion Requirements

• A new PAN card has to be applied for the company.
• All letterheads and stationery related to business should be updated with the new company name.
• The bank account information of the company has to be updated.
• The intimation or information regarding the conversion into public limited company has to be given to  the tax authorities and all other related personnel.
• Printed copies of the newly drafted MOA and newly drafted AOA have to be prepared at the earliest.
• Along with conversion, the company will be listed on the stock exchange which is another advantage of conversion. As it helps the company to raise more capital for the company and also alters them to scale their business function in an easier way.