Majority Rule but Minority Protection - Majority Rule & Minority Rights, Company Law | Company Law - B Com PDF Download

In the day-to-day working of a company, certain decisions need to be taken regarding the management of the company and these decisions are generally taken by the majority members. In this process of decision-making, there may arise certain occasions wherein the interests of the majority shareholders may come in conflict with that of the minority shareholders. In such a case, if the decisions taken, are not in the larger interest of the company as a whole, but only caters to the interest of one particular group, the minority group whose interest may have been violated can raise its voice against such an action.
The protection of minority shareholders within the domain of corporate activity constitutes one of the most difficult problems facing modern company law. The aim must be to strike a balance between the effective control of the company and the interest of the small individual shareholders.

Palmer has stated with respect to rights of shareholders:
“A proper balance of the rights of majority and minority shareholders is essential for the smooth functioning of the company."
It is only right to expect that in matters of a company, any decisions that are taken are done so in keeping with principles of natural justice and fair play. In case of failure to do so, it is important that the interest of minority shareholders be protected.

Powers of Majority

According to Section 47 of the Companies Act, 2013, every member of a company, which is limited by shares, holding any equity shares shall have a right to vote in respect of such capital on every resolution placed before the company. Member's right to vote is recognised as right of property and the shareholder may exercise it as he thinks fit according to his choice and interest. However, this rule is modified by the Act in certain cases. A special resolution, for instance, requires a majority of 3/4th of those voting at the meeting and therefore, where the Act or the Articles require a special resolution for any purpose, a three fourth majority is necessary and a simple majority is not enough [Edwards v. Halliwell, (1950) 2 All. E.R.1064]. The resolution of a majority of shareholders, passed at a duly convened and held general meeting, upon any question with which the company is legally competent to deal, is binding upon the minority and consequently upon the company [North-West Transportation Co. v. Beatty (1887) L.R. 12 A.C. 589].
Thus, the majority of the members enjoy the supreme authority to exercise the powers of the company and generally to control its affairs. But this is subject to two very important limitations. Firstly, the powers of the majority of members is subject to the provisions of the Company’s memorandum and articles of association. Secondly, the resolution of a majority must not be inconsistent with the provisions of the Act or any other statute, or constitute a fraud on minority depriving it of its legitimate rights.

The Principle of Non-interference (Rule in Foss v. Harbottle)

The general principle of company law is that every member holds equal rights with other members of the company in the same class. The scale of rights of members of the same class must be held evenly for smooth functioning of the company. In case of difference(s) amongst the members the issue is decided by a vote of the majority. The basic principle of non-interference with the internal management of company by the court is laid down in a celebrated case of Foss v. Harbottle 67 E.R. 189. (1843) 2 Hare 461 that no action can be brought by a member against the directors in respect of a wrong alleged to be committed to a company. The company itself is the proper party of such an action.

Justification and Advantages of the Rule in Foss v. Harbottle
The justification for the rule laid down in Foss v. Harbottle is that the will of the majority prevails. On becoming a member of a company, a shareholder agrees to submit to the will of the majority. The rule really preserves the right of the majority to decide how the company's affairs shall be conducted. If any wrong is done to the company, it is only the company itself, acting, as it must always act, through its majority, that can seek to redress and not an individual shareholder.
Moreover, a company is a person at law and the action is vested in it and cannot be brought by a single shareholder. Where there is a corporate body capable of filing a suit for itself to recover property either from its directors or officers or from any other person then that corporate body is the proper plaintiff and the only proper plaintiff [Gray v. Lewis, (1873) 8 Ch. Appl. 1035].

The main advantages that flow from the Rule in Foss v. Harbottle are of a purely practical nature and are as follows:

1. Recognition of the separate legal personality of company: If a company has suffered some injury, and not the individual members, it is the company itself that should seek to redress.
2. Need to preserve right of majority to decide: The principle in Foss v. Harbottle preserves the right of majority to decide how the affairs of the company shall be conducted. It is fair that the wishes of the majority should prevail.
3. Multiplicity of futile suits avoided: Clearly, if every individual member were permitted to sue anyone who had injured the company through a breach of duty, there could be as many suits as there are shareholders. Legal proceedings would never cease, and there would be enormous wastage of time and money.
4. Litigation at suit of a minority futile if majority does not wish it: If the irregularity complained of is one which can be subsequently ratified by the majority it is futile to have litigation about it except with the consent of the majority in a general meeting.

Exceptions to the Rule in Foss v. Harbottle - Protection of Minority Rights and shareholders remedies 
The rule in Foss v. Harbottle is not absolute but is subject to certain exceptions. In other words, the rule of supremacy of the majority is subject to certain exceptions and thus, minority shareholders are not left helpless, but they are protected by:

• The common law. and
• The provisions of the Companies Act, 2013.

Actions by Shareholders in Common Law 

The cases in which the majority rule does not prevail are commonly known as exceptions to the rule in Foss v. Harbottle and are available to the minority. In all these cases an individual member may sue for declaration that the resolution complained of is void, or for an injunction to restrain the company from passing it. The said rule will not apply in the following cases.

• Ultra Vires Acts
  Where the directors representing the majority of shareholders perform an illegal or ultra vires act for the company, an individual shareholder has right to bring an action. The majority of shareholders have no right to confirm an illegal or ultra vires transaction of the company. In such case a shareholder has the right to restrain the company by an order or injunction of the court from carrying out an ultra vires act.
• Fraud on Minority
  Where an act done by the majority amounts to a fraud on the minority. an action can be brought by an individual shareholder. This principle was laid down as an exception to the rule in Foss v. Harbottle in a number of cases. In Menier v. Hooper’s Telegraph Works, (1874) L.R. 9 Ch. App. 350, it was observed that it would be a shocking thing if the majority of shareholders are allowed to put something into their pockets at the expenses of the minority. In this case, the majority of members of company 'A' were also members of company 'B', and at a meeting of company 'A' they passed a resolution to compromise an action against company 'B', in a manner alleged to be favourable to company 'B', but unfavourable to company 'A'. Held, the minority shareholders of company 'A' could bring an action to have the compromise set aside.
• Wrongdoers in Control
  If the wrongdoers are in control of the company, the minority shareholders’ representative action for fraud on the minority will be entertained by the court [Cf. Birch v. Sullivan, (1957) 1 W.L.R. 1274]. The reason for it is that if the minority shareholders are denied the right of action, their grievances in such case would never reach the court, for the wrongdoers themselves, being in control, will never allow the company to sue [Par Jenkins L.J. in Edwards v. Halliwell, (1950) 2 All E.R. 1064, 1067].
  In Glass v. Atkin (1967) 65 D.L.R. (2d) 501, a company was controlled equally by the two defendants and the two plaintiff. The plaintiff brought an action against defendants alleging that they had fraudulently converted the assets of the company for their own private use. The Court allowed the action and observed. While the general principle was for the company itself to bring an action, where it had an interest, since the two defendants controlled the company in the sense that they would prevent the company from taking action.
• Resolution requiring Special Majority but is passed by a simple majority
  A shareholder can sue if an act requires a special majority but is passed by a simple majority. Simple or rigid, formalities are to be observed if the majority wants to give validity to an act which purports to impede the interest of minority. An individual shareholder has the right of action to restrain the company from acting on a special resolution to which the insufficient notice is served [Baillie v. Oriental Telephone and Electric Co. Ltd., (1915) 1 Ch. 503 (C.A.) and Nagappa Chettiar v. Madras Race Club, 1 M.L.J. 662].
• Personal Actions
  Individual membership rights cannot be invaded by the majority of shareholders. He is entitled to all the rights and privileges according to his status as a member. An individual shareholder can insist on the strict compliance with the legal rules, statutory provisions. Provisions in the memorandum and the articles are mandatory in nature and cannot be waived by a bare majority of shareholders [Salmon v. Quin and Aztens, (1909) A.C. 442]. In Nagappa Chettiar v. Madras Race Club, (1949) 1 M.L.J. 662 at 667, it was observed by the Court that ‘An individual shareholder is entitled to enforce his individual rights against the company, such as, his right to vote, the right to have his vote recorded, or his right to stand as a director of a company at an election’.
  Where the candidature of a shareholder for directorship is rejected by the Chairman, it is an individual wrong in respect of which a suit is maintainable [Joseph v. Jos, (1964) 1 Comp LJ 105].
• Breach of Duty
  The minority shareholder may bring an action against the company, where although there is no fraud, there is a breach of duty by directors and majority shareholders to the detriment of the company.
  In Daniels v. Daniels, (1978) 2 W.L.R. 73, the plaintiff, who were minority shareholders of a company, brought an action against the two directors of the company and the company itself. In their statement of the claim they alleged that the company, on the instruction of the two directors who were majority shareholders, sold the company's land to one of the directors (who was the wife of the other) for £ 4,250 and the directors knew or ought to have known that the sale was at an under value. Four years after the sale, she sold the same land for £ 1,20,000. The directors applied for the statement of claim to be disclosed on reasonable cause of action or otherwise as an abuse of the process of the Court.
• Prevention of Oppression and Mismanagement
  The minority shareholders are empowered to bring action with a view to preventing the majority from oppression and mismanagement.
  It should be noted that the ordinary civil courts are not deprived of the jurisdiction to decide the matters except where the Companies Act expressly excludes it such as matters relating to winding up [Panipat Woollen & General Mills Co. Ltd. v. R.L. Kaushik, (1969) 39 Com Cases 249 (Punj & Har)].

Statutory Remedies under the Companies Act

Though the shareholders’ democracy is supreme, the Companies Act, 1956 & 2013 and the decided cases suggest that the majority shall not be allowed to act in an unfair, fraudulent, or oppressive way against the interests of the minority shareholders. Further, under Section 163 of the Companies Act, 2013 a company may adopt principle of proportional representation. The Companies Act, 2013, extends protection to minority by granting various rights to minority shareholders.