A shareholder in the UAE can petition the National Company Law Tribunal under sections 241 and 242 of the Companies Act 2013 against oppression and mismanagement, or under section 59 to rectify the register. The verifying affidavit is notarised in the UAE and attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indian mission. Your advocate appears at hearings, and the Tribunal can undo allotments, restore your position or order a buy-out.
- Document route
- UAE notary, MOFA attestation, then Indian Embassy or Consulate attestation
- Time difference
- IST is 1h30 ahead of UAE time all year (no daylight saving)
- Law
- Companies Act 2013, sections 241 to 246
- Forum
- NCLT bench of the registered office state
Shareholder Disputes & NCLT from the UAE: how it works
We pull the company's full filing history from the MCA portal and compare it with what you were told. Allotments filed while you were in the UAE, director changes you did not authorise and annual returns showing a reduced shareholding are the usual starting points. A legal notice seeks inspection of registers and minutes, and the response often confirms what happened. Bank records of the money you remitted from the UAE into the company support your account of the investment.
The petition goes to the bench for the company's registered office. If the challenged allotment reduced you below 10 per cent, we apply for a waiver. Interim orders can freeze further allotments or the sale of company property. Where the relationship cannot be repaired, a buy-out at fair value is common, and the price can be remitted to the UAE after FEMA compliance if your holding was repatriable. Mediation through the Tribunal is also available for family disputes.
What clients in the UAE should know
- The limitation period generally runs from the act complained of, so act soon after learning of a dilution or removal.
- Money remitted to a relative to invest on your behalf, without shares in your name, raises a different question of ownership that we assess separately.
- Gains from a buy-out are taxed in India; the UAE does not tax them for individuals.
Step by step from the UAE
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits the UAE, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in the UAE
UAE notary, MOFA attestation, then Indian Embassy or Consulate attestation
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in the UAE where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in the UAE. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on Shareholder Disputes & NCLT, or see all services for clients in the UAE and the Disputes & Enforcement practice area.
Questions from clients in the UAE
Can I file the NCLT petition without travelling from the UAE?
Yes. The affidavit is attested in the UAE and your advocate handles the hearings.
What if the shares were held in my father's name with my money?
That requires proof of the arrangement and may involve a civil claim as well as company law remedies. We assess the evidence first.
Can the Tribunal order my relatives to buy me out?
Yes, at a fair value, usually after independent valuation.