Company Law:
Unit-1

Sesión – 13
Corporate
personality:
Corporate personality means that –
“the company’s liabilities are the legal
responsibility of the company and the
members will not be liable for the
company’s debts”
Meaning Of Lifting Of
The Corporate Veil
• Doctrine of Lifting the Veil:

[Dec.: 2012]

› When a Company registered under the act, all the dealings with
the company will be in the name of company, and the members
will be disregarded.
› This shows that there is a veil drawn between the company and
its members.
› This veil is partition or curtain between the co. & its members.
› Following this principle the Courts in most cases have refused to
go behind the curtain & see who are the real persons composing
the company.
Cont.
 But sometimes the necessity of the situation may compel the
authorities to disregard the corporate legal entity & look to
individual members who are in fact the real beneficial owners of
all corporate property;
 And this fact known as……..
 Case - Lee v/s Lee’s Air Farming Ltd.
 Case – Abdul Haq v/s Das Mal
 The Court will Lift the veil where it is essential to secure justice,
in public interest or for the benefit of revenue. But it must be keep
in mind that a separate legal entity is still a general rule.
Cont.
• The corporate entity will be disregarded only in exceptional
cases.
• This case may be divided in:
– Under Judicial Interpretation
– Under Statutory Provision
Judicial Provisions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Fraud Or Improper Conduct:
For Benefit Of Revenue:
Enemy Character:
Company Avoiding Legal Obligations:
Single Economic Entity:
Agency Or Trust:
Public Interest:
Statutory
Provisions
1.
2.
3.
4.

Reduction Of Number Of Members:
Fraudulent Trading:
Misdescription Of The Company:
Holding And Subsidiary Companies:
Lesson For LIFE
Lesson For LIFE

Lifting the Corporate Veil

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Corporate personality: Corporate personality meansthat – “the company’s liabilities are the legal responsibility of the company and the members will not be liable for the company’s debts”
  • 4.
    Meaning Of LiftingOf The Corporate Veil • Doctrine of Lifting the Veil: [Dec.: 2012] › When a Company registered under the act, all the dealings with the company will be in the name of company, and the members will be disregarded. › This shows that there is a veil drawn between the company and its members. › This veil is partition or curtain between the co. & its members. › Following this principle the Courts in most cases have refused to go behind the curtain & see who are the real persons composing the company.
  • 5.
    Cont.  But sometimesthe necessity of the situation may compel the authorities to disregard the corporate legal entity & look to individual members who are in fact the real beneficial owners of all corporate property;  And this fact known as……..  Case - Lee v/s Lee’s Air Farming Ltd.  Case – Abdul Haq v/s Das Mal  The Court will Lift the veil where it is essential to secure justice, in public interest or for the benefit of revenue. But it must be keep in mind that a separate legal entity is still a general rule.
  • 6.
    Cont. • The corporateentity will be disregarded only in exceptional cases. • This case may be divided in: – Under Judicial Interpretation – Under Statutory Provision
  • 7.
    Judicial Provisions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Fraud OrImproper Conduct: For Benefit Of Revenue: Enemy Character: Company Avoiding Legal Obligations: Single Economic Entity: Agency Or Trust: Public Interest:
  • 8.
    Statutory Provisions 1. 2. 3. 4. Reduction Of NumberOf Members: Fraudulent Trading: Misdescription Of The Company: Holding And Subsidiary Companies:
  • 9.
  • 10.