The DVRs equity shares allow superior or lower or fractional voting rights to public investors, enabling promoters to retain control of the company even when new investors come by. They are like ordinary equity shares, but it does not follow the common rule of one share-one vote.
Equity shares with differential voting rights (DVRs) are the kind of shares issued by a company that offers shareholders varying levels of the voting power. This means that some shareholders have more voting power than others and this can significantly impact the control and decision-making capabilities of the company.
| 2 min read. The shares with Differential Voting Rights (DVRs) in a company means those shares that give the holder of the shares the differential rights related to voting, i.e. either more voting rights or less voting rights compared to the ordinary shareholders of the company.
Shares issued with differential rights shall not exceed 74% of the total voting power, including voting power in respect of equity shares with differential rights issued at any point of time.
Disadvantages Of DVR Shares are as follows: Lower voting rights, reducing influence in company decisions. Potentially less liquid, making them harder to sell. May be viewed as less attractive to certain investors who value voting power.
Differential voting rights in a company are those shares that give the shareholder extra rights to vote as compared to other shareholders. These rights can be used by the shareholders to gain more votes or less votes based on their choice.
A company may issue equity shares which carry rights only with respect to dividend and do not carry any voting rights. Superior voting right means any right that gives the shareholder more than one vote per share.
Eligibility Criteria to Issue DVR Shares Companies must have a record of distributable profits for the past 3 years. There should not be any default in filing the annual returns for the past 3 financial years. There was no default in repaying deposits or loans.
Companies may divide their ordinary shares into different classes (e.g. “A” and “B”) with different rights attached to each class. Read our guide on shares for more information about share types, transfer and allotment of shares etc.