Several firms listed on the Delhi Stock Exchange (DSE) and thousands of investors in these have been caught off-guard by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) move to withdraw its recognition. Many of these firms, which had initiated the process of migrating to other bourses such as the BSE, are now in no-man’s land for no fault of theirs, say company executives and merchant bankers. Corporate actions planned by DSE-listed companies such as open offers have been suspended.
Last week, Sebi withdrew its recognition, citing irregularities in DSE’s demutualisation programme seven years ago. Of 2,500 companies listed on DSE, about 1,700 are not listed on any other bourse, leaving investors in these stranded. Some prominent companies listed on DSE are Delhi Flour Mills, the makers of Shakti Bhog atta, Bajaj Electricals and Bajaj Leasing & Finance. The Birla Cotton and Weaving Mills, belonging to the KK Birla family and industrial refrigeration entity Frick India are others.