Differential Voting Rights (DVR) Shares

A DVR share is like an ordinary equity share, but it provides fewer voting rights to the shareholder. The objective of issuing DVR shares is for prevention of a hostile takeover and dilution of voting rights. It also helps strategic investors who do not want control, but are looking at a reasonably big investment in a company. At times, companies issue DVR shares to fund new large projects, due to fewer voting rights, even a big issue does not trigger an open offer. The Companies Act permits a company to issue DVR shares when, among other conditions, the company has distributable profits and has not defaulted in filing annual accounts and returns for at least three financial years. However, the issue of such shares cannot exceed 25 per cent of the total issued share capital.