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POLICIES & PROCEDURE FOR
CLIENT DEALINGS
a. Refusal of
orders/restrictions on trading in penny stocks and illiquid
stocks:
We define Penny stocks as those stocks
where the market price is below or close to par, with the
company financials being weak with indicators such as loss,
accumulated losses, low sales revenue, low or negative
networth, signs of inactivity in the company, which are having
very less value. KSL may from time to time identify such
stocks and put trading restriction on the trades in such penny
stocks. In addition to these stocks KSL may also include other
stocks in the list of restricted stocks such as stocks in Z
category, Trade to Trade Settlement or TS category, the scrips
which are included in the list of illiquid scrips by the
exchange/s or any other scrip which KSL deem fit for the
purpose putting trading restriction.
The restriction on above stocks may be as
to the price, quantity or mode of placement of orders.
Accordingly KSL reserves the right to disable certain scrips
for trading on online trading facility/sub broker/branch
trading terminals or put quantity or price restrictions while
putting trade orders. In such case, client may be allowed to
place the trades subject to certain restrictions, through
KSL’s centralized dealing desk after enhanced due diligence of
the orders.
In case of clients using internet trading
facility, they may not find the scrip name or may not be able
to place any order in the scrip, if such scrip is one of the
restricted scrips. A client can enquire with KSL’s dealer or
customer service executive about any trading restriction on
any scrip.
The above referred restrictions are placed
on the trading activities of the client as these stocks are
exposed to price rigging and other market manipulative
activities. Further, KSL as a member of the stock exchanges is
expected to have proper surveillance and monitoring mechanism
on the trading activities of their clients, particularly on
penny and illiquid scrips.
Clients may note that KSL shall have right
to reject the orders placed by the Client and/or put circuit
breakers to discourage trades getting executed at unrealistic
prices from the current market price of the security or
prohibit the Client from trading in illiquid securities which
creates artificial liquidity or manipulates prices or to
discourage Client from cross/ synchronized trading and KSL
shall not be liable for any loss arising out of non acceptance
or rejection of the Client orders for any such reason if the
Client fails to give sufficient reason for placing such
orders.
b. Setting up client’s exposure limits
KSL may from time to time at its sole
discretion, impose and vary the limits on the orders that
client can place through it (including but not limited to
exposure limits, turnover limits, limits as to number, value
and/kind of securities/ contracts in respect of which buy or
sell orders can be placed). KSL may need to vary or reduce the
limits or impose new limits urgently on the basis of its risk
perception and other factors considered relevant and KSL will
make all necessary attempts to inform clients of such changes.
Further KSL may as risk containment measure
at any time at its sole discretion and without prior notice,
prohibit or restrict the client’s ability to place the orders
or trade in all of some of securities/contracts through
member.
The exposure limits are generally based on
the availability of the margin in the client’s account. Margin
may be in the form of cash and /or in the form of securities
with KSL. The client shall be permitted to trade upto a
pre-determined number of times of the margin (the "Multiple")
and the quantum of the Multiple on the margin shall be decided
at sole discretion of KSL.
c. Applicable brokerage rate:
Brokerage will be charged to the client
based on the brokerage rates specified in the account opening
form or as per the product/scheme opted by the client from
time to time. Brokerage chargeable to the client will also be
communicated to the client through the welcome letter sent at
time of account opening. Based on the value of business done
by the client and risk perception, KSL may reduce the
brokerage rate at its sole discretion. Changed brokerage rate
will be communicated through the relationship manager/email
communication and will be reflected in the contract notes for
future trades. However, any increase in rate of brokerage will
be done with advance notice of 15 days to the client. The
brokerage rate will be within the permissible limit set by
SEBI/exchanges (currently the same is 2.5% of turnover).
d. Imposition of penalty/delayed payment
charges:
KSL requires all its clients to make the
payment towards settlement obligation on or before due date.
In case of debit balance in cash segment, penal interest will
be levied on the client to deter them from delaying the
payment in future.
Clients are further required to make
payment of margin towards their Derivatives segment exposure.
While, KSL accepts approved securities as margin, it is not
the beneficial owner of these securities and hence it is
unable to pledge the same onwards to the exchange as margin
and has to arrange for own funds/securities for payment of
margin to the exchange for positions taken by the clients.
Clients are requested to make payment of margin in the form of
funds to avoid charging of interest in F&O segment.
Accordingly, whenever clients provide securities margin (or
there is shortfall in payment of securities margin) instead of
margin in the form of funds towards exposure in F&O, KSL
reserves the right to charge interest on the debit balance
lying in F&O segment. No credit will be given for margin paid
by the client in the form of securities.
The company may determine the rate of
interest to be charged, at its sole discretion. Same will be
communicated in debit note on interest sent to the clients.
Default interest rate is 24% per annum. KSL may reduce the
interest rate at its sole discretion depending on various
factors including credit history of the client. Revised
interest rate will be communicated through the relationship
manager/email communication and will be reflected in the debit
notes. However, any increase in rate of interest will be done
with advance notice of 15 days to the client. Interest will be
calculated considering balance lying across all exchange and
segment on any given day.
Margins provided by the client in the form
of funds shall be interest free and the KSL shall not be
liable to pay any interest on the same.
e. The right to sell clients’ securities or
close clients’ positions, without giving notice to the client,
on account of non-payment of client’s dues
Without prejudice to other rights
(including the right to refer a matter to arbitration), KSL
would be entitled to liquidate/close out without any notice
all or any of the client’s position for non payment of margins
or other amounts, outstanding debts etc. and adjust the
proceeds of such liquidation/close out, if any, against the
clients liability /obligations. Any and all losses and
financial charges on account of such liquidation/closing out
shall be charged to and borne by the client.
Company on best effort basis will try and
inform the client and give him reasonable time for payment.
However it will be the responsibility of client to track his
margins/obligations by going through margin statements sent to
the client on daily basis
In case the payment of margin / security is
made by the client through a bank instrument, KSL shall be at
liberty to give the benefit / credit for the same only on
completion of bank reconciliation and realization of the fund
from the said bank instrument etc., at its absolute
discretion. Where the margin/ security is made available by
way of securities or any other property, KSL is empowered to
decline its acceptance as margin / security and / or to accept
it at such reduced value as the stock broker may deem fit by
applying haircuts or by valuing it by marking it to market or
by any other method as it may deem fit in its absolute
discretion.
KSL has the right but not obligation, to
cancel all pending orders and to sell/close/liquidate all open
position /securities / shares at the pre-defined square off
time or when mark to market percentage reaches or crosses
stipulated margin percentage, whichever is earlier. KSL will
have sole discretion to decide referred stipulated margin
percentage depending upon the market condition. In the event
of such square off, the client agrees to bear all the losses
based on actual executed prices. The client shall also be
solely liable for all and any penalties and charges levied by
the exchange(s).
f. Shortages in obligations arising out of
internal netting of trades:
KSL as member of the exchange
delivers/receives securities to/from the exchange on net
obligation basis in respect of a settlement. In such a
process, if a client, who has sold securities, short delivers
the securities, which are to be delivered to another client of
KSL, who has bought the same security, it is treated as
internal shortage of securities. In case of internal shortages
on pay in day, KSL will endeavor to buy the shares from the
market on the pay in day or on the next working day on behalf
the client who has delivered short and deliver the same to the
client who has bought them. The client who has delivered short
will be debited with the rate at which the shares were
purchased or the rate at which the said shares were sold by
him, whichever is higher. In case KSL is unable to buy the
securities as stated above, the transaction shall be
closed-out.
g. Conditions under which a client may not
be allowed to take further position or the broker may close
the existing position of a client:
Under following circumstances a client may
not be allowed to take further position and if required the
existing position in his account may be also be closed:
- If there is a continuous debit Balance in client’s
account.
- If there is insufficient margin in client’s account
required to maintain his open position.
- If client is not responding satisfactorily to the
Company/regulatory enquiry on trades undertaken by him
explaining the rationale for transactions or fails to
provide documents to prove beneficial ownership of shares,
submit proof of income/Net worth etc.
- If there is an order by SEBI or any other appropriate
authority debarring the client from dealing in securities
market or an order to suspend/seize client’s account.
- In case the scrip or member limits are breached or
likely to be breached in the Derivatives Market Segment
- In case of dormant/inactive account and
- At the discretion of the company by giving written
notice to the client
h. Temporarily suspending or closing a
client’s account at the client’s request:
A client can request for temporary
suspending or for permanently closing his account. For
permanent closure, client has to give a notice of one month
and clear the dues, if any, in his account. Client account may
be suspended by the company at any time:
1. On directions received from any regulatory authorities
2. If client is not responding to the queries raised by the
company related to his trade activities
3. If there is not a single active demat account linked to
trading account
4. Due to any other non compliance observed in the account
i. Deregistering a client.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
stated in the agreement, KSL shall be entitled to terminate
the agreement with immediate effect in any of the following
circumstances:
- If the action of the client are prima facie
illegal/improper or such as to manipulate the price of any
securities or disturb the normal /proper functioning of
securities either alone or in conjunction with others.
- If there is commencement of any legal proceedings
against the client under any law in force;
- On the death/lunacy or other disability of the client;
- If the client being a partnership firm, steps taken by
the client and/or its partners for dissolution of the
partnership;
- If the client suffers any adverse material change in his
/ her/its financial position or defaults in any
other/agreement with KSL;
- If there is reasonable apprehension that the client is
unable to pay its debts or the client has admitted its
inability to pay its debts, as they become payable;
- If the client is in breach of any terms, condition or
covenant of this agreement;
- If the client has made any material misrepresentation of
facts, including (without limitation) in relation to the
security;
- If a receiver, administrator or liquidator has been
appointed or allowed to be appointed of all or any part of
the undertaking of the client;
- If the client have taken or suffered to be taken any
action for its reorganization, liquidation or dissolution;
- If the client has voluntarily or compulsorily become the
subject of proceedings under any bankruptcy or insolvency
law or being a company, goes into liquidation or has a
receiver appointed in respect of its assets or refers itself
to the Board of Industrial and Financial Reconstruction or
under any other law providing protection as a relief
undertaking;
- If the covenant or warranty of the client is incorrect
or untrue in any material respect;
- On the order from the appropriate authority.
- In accordance with the provisions of agreement entered
into with the client.
j. Policy on inactive (dormant) Account:
In order to protect the account of
customer, KSL will deactivate the trading accounts, which are
identified as "Dormant". Dormant account will be those
accounts where more than two year has elapsed from last trade
date.
Clients will be informed about deactivation
of the account. Once the account is deactivated, the customer
will not be able to place any orders in any trade segments.
Client can get his account reactivated by
following any of the below process after due authentication:-
- Call our Customer Service Executive
- Write an email to us from your registered email id
- Submit us the physical letter of request for
reactivation at any of our branches
The assets of the client i.e ledger credit
and /or securities in KSL account, if any shall be transferred
to the client bank /demat account as a part of
monthly/quarterly settlement of funds and securities, as may
be opted by the client in the running account authorization
provided by him, if any. If no such authorization is provided
by the client, the funds/securities shall be transferred to
client’s bank/demat account as a part of daily settlement. In
case of interim request received from the client for release
of funds/securities, the funds and/or securities will be
transferred to his account after due verification of the
client as per the procedure mentioned above.
FAQ on Anti Money
Laundering
- About money laundering
1. What is money
laundering?
Money Laundering refers to conversion of
money illegally obtained to make it appear as if it originated
from a legitimate source. Money laundering is being employed
by launderers worldwide to conceal criminal activity
associated with it such as drugs / arms trafficking, terrorism
and extortion. All crimes that produce a financial benefit
give rise to money laundering.
2. How does money laundering affect
business?
The integrity of the banking and financial
services marketplace depends heavily on the perception that it
functions within a framework of high legal, professional and
ethical standards. A reputation for integrity is the one of
the most valuable assets of a financial institution.
If funds from criminal activity can be
easily processed through a particular institution – either
because its employees or directors have been bribed or because
the institution turns a blind eye to the criminal nature of
such funds – the institution could be drawn into active
complicity with criminals and become part of the criminal
network itself. Evidence of such complicity will have a
damaging effect on the attitudes of other financial
intermediaries and of regulatory authorities, as well as
ordinary customers.
As for the potential negative macroeconomic
consequences of unchecked money laundering, one can cite
inexplicable changes in money demand, prudential risks to bank
soundness, contamination effects on legal financial
transactions, and increased volatility of international
capital flows and exchange rates due to unanticipated
cross-border asset transfers. Also, as it rewards corruption
and crime, successful money laudering damages the integrity of
the entire society and undermines democracy and the rule of
the law.
3. What is the connection with society at
large?
The possible social and political costs of
money laundering, if left unchecked or dealt with
ineffectively, are serious. Organised crime can infiltrate
financial institutions, acquire control of large sectors of
the economy through investment, or offer bribes to public
officials and indeed governments.
The economic and political influence of
criminal organisations can weaken the social fabric,
collective ethical standards, and ultimately the democratic
institutions of society. In countries transitioning to
democratic systems, this criminal influence can undermine the
transition. Most fundamentally, money laundering is
inextricably linked to the underlying criminal activity that
generated it. Laundering enables criminal activity to
continue.
- Laws in India related to Anti money laundering
There is an Act called Prevention of Money
Laundering Act 2002.(PMLA). The purpose of this act is to
prevent the financing of terrorism and to prevent laundering
of money i.e. to legalize or officialize or canalize the money
generated from illegal activities like drug trafficking,
organized crimes, hawala rackets and other serious crimes.
This act is a part of the Global measures being taken by all
the countries under the initiatives of UN agencies.
It is applicable to all SEBI Registered
brokers/sub-brokers and other financial institution who are
dealing in any kind of financial assets. It is an obligation
of the entities to whom this Act is applicable, to report
certain kind of transactions routed through them to FINANCIAL
INTELIGENCE UNIT, a department specially set up to administer
this Act under the Ministry of Finance
The transactions which are supposed to be
reported are cash transactions above rupees ten lakhs or
series of cash transactions below ten lakhs but aggregating to
above ten lakhs in a month or its equivalent in any foreign
currency and the transactions which may not be in cash but
suspicious in nature. Any such types of transaction, though
not executed but attempted and failed are also required to be
reported.
SEBI has issued master circular no. ISD/AML/CIR-1/2010
dated February 12, 2010. You are requested to go through the
same for more details.
- Client
obligation related to Anti money laundering
1. What has this
got to do with opening Trading/Demat account?
The first step in the laundering process
for criminals is to get their money into an account with a
Bank/Financial intermediaries, often using a false identity
and address. The funds so deposited will be transferred to
other accounts locally or abroad or used for buying goods or
services. This transaction would appear to be like any legally
earned money and becomes difficult to trace it back to its
criminal past. SEBI registered Intermediary under law should
not only prevent this, but should stop criminals who wish to
use the banking/Financial channel to launder the ill-gotten
money from illegal / criminal activities.
2. Why does the Kotak Securities Limited (KSL) ask you for
proof of your Identity, Signature and Address?
The identification of a customer is a very
critical process with a view to protect the customer interests
by preventing from fraudsters who may use the name, address
and forge signature to undertake benami / illegal business
activities. This also helps to safeguard the intermediaries
from being unwittingly used from the transfer or deposit of
funds derived from criminal activity or for financing of
terrorism. Identification of customers will also help to
control financial frauds, identify money laundering and
suspicious activities. The Prevention Of Money-Laundering Act,
2002 (PMLA) was notified on July 1, 2005. As per the
provisions of PMLA Act and as per the circular issued by
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on 18th January
2006 and subsequent circulars issued in this regard, every
market intermediaries registered with SEBI is obligated to
adopt a policy framework with respect to anti-money laundering
measures. KSL is inter alia a stock broker, depository
participant and a portfolio manager registered with SEBI and
needs to adhere to the same.
3. How could money laundering affect you as a customer?
A key defence against money laundering is
to prevent accounts being opened in false identities. Anyone
wishing to open an account will therefore be asked for proof
of their identity, address and signature. These documents have
to be essentially obtained irrespective of the type of account
to be opened and the purpose for which the account is opened
for.
The fact that these documents are asked for
opening of account does not mean that you are suspected of
money laundering. Criminals try to appear to be normal
law-abiding customers, for example they may try to open a
number of accounts using small amounts of money. Hence it is
necessary to identify all prospective account holders or
customers. Anybody including a criminal could falsely use your
identity, if these identity documents are not obtained.
4. What proof of identity will you need?
The best identification documents are those
which are issued by a Government authority, which should have
a photograph, address and signature. You may provide one
single document which can establish your identity, address and
the signature or two or more documents. For an individual,
documents like copy of the Passport, Election Identity Card,
Driving License, Permanent Account Number (PAN) card, etc.
would be sufficient for the purpose of establishing the
identity, address and signature. Similarly, for other entities
like firms, companies, trusts, documents like - Deed,
Memorandum & Articles of Association, Certificate of
Incorporation etc. would be applicable and the branch / sales
staff / call centre would be able to help you in providing the
details of the list of approved documents. As per SEBI
regulations, KSL is under obligation to obtain sufficient
information in order to identify persons who beneficially own
or control securities account. The beneficial owner is the
natural person or persons who ultimately own, control or
influence a client and/or persons on whose behalf a
transaction is being conducted. It also incorporates those
persons who exercise ultimate effective control over a legal
person or arrangement.
5. What if you cannot provide the documents suggested?
If you cannot provide the basic KYC
documents the company will not be in a position to open your
account.
6. What are the responsibilities of a client related to
money laundering?
KSL has to conduct ongoing due diligence
and scrutiny, i.e. perform ongoing scrutiny of the
transactions and account throughout the course of the business
relationship to ensure that the transactions being conducted
are consistent with the registered intermediary’s knowledge of
the customer, its business and risk profile, taking into
account, where necessary, the customer’s source of funds.
Clients should provide KSL with updated
details of their occupation, source of income and give details
of their annual income and networth on annual basis. Further,
they should provide explanation for any trading pattern
observed by KSL in its routine course.
7. Help us to help you
Please help us to prevent crime, tax
evasion and the laundering of the proceeds of such crime or
evasion by being patient when staff asks you to provide
documents to prove your identity. You can also help prevent
crime against yourself and others by maintaining the
confidentiality of your account details and identity
documentation.
Revised dated
21062011 |