Hong Kong Ordinances

COMPANIES ORDINANCE - SECT 8

Mode in which and extent to which objects may be altered

(Past version on 30/06/1997).

(1) A company may, by special resolution of which notice has been duly given
to all the members of the company (including, for the purposes of this
section, members who are not entitled to such notice under the articles of the
company), alter the conditions of its memorandum with respect to the objects
of the company by abandoning or restricting any of those objects or by
adopting any new object which could lawfully have been contained in the
memorandum at the time of its registration: Provided that, where a
private company passes such a resolution, an application may be made to the
court in accordance with subsections (2) to

(5) for the alteration to be cancelled, and if such an application is made,
the alteration shall not have effect except in so far as it is confirmed by
the court. (Replaced 6 of 1984 s. 8. Amended 28 of 2003 s. 5)

(2) An application under this section may be made-

   (a)  by the holders of not less in the aggregate than 5 per cent in nominal
        value of the company's issued share capital or any class thereof or,
        if the company is not limited by shares, not less than 5 per cent of
        the company's members; or

   (b)  by the holders of not less than 5 per cent of the company's debentures
        entitling the holders to object to alterations of its objects.

(3) An application under this section shall be made within 28 days after the
date on which the resolution altering the company's objects was passed, and
may be made on behalf of the persons entitled to make the application by such
one or more of their number as they may appoint in writing for the purpose.

(4) On an application under this section the court may make an order
confirming the alteration either wholly or in part and on such terms and
conditions as it thinks fit, and may, if it thinks fit, adjourn the
proceedings in order that an arrangement may be made to the satisfaction of
the court for the purchase of the interests of dissentient members, and may
give such directions and make such orders as it may think expedient for
facilitating or carrying into effect any such arrangement.

(5) The debentures entitling the holders to object to alterations of a
company's objects shall be any debentures secured by a floating charge that
were issued or first issued before 15 February 1963, or form part of the same
series as any debentures so issued, and a special resolution altering a
company's objects shall require the same notice to the holders of any such
debentures as to members of the company. In default of any provisions
regulating the giving of notice to any such debenture holders, the provisions
of the company's articles regulating the giving of notice to members shall
apply.

(6) (Repealed 6 of 1984 s. 8)

(7) Where a private company passes a resolution altering its objects- (Amended
28 of 2003 s. 5)

   (a)  if no application is made with respect thereto under this section, it
        shall within 15 days after the end of the period for making such an
        application deliver to the Registrar a printed copy of its memorandum
        as altered and certified as correct by an officer of the company; and

   (b)  if such an application is made it shall-

        (i)    forthwith give notice of that fact to the Registrar; and

        (ii)   within 15 days after the date of any order cancelling or
               confirming the alteration, deliver to the Registrar an office
               copy of the order and, in the case of an order confirming the
               alteration, a printed copy of its memorandum as altered and
               certified as correct by an officer of the company. (Amended 28
               of 2003 s. 5) The court may by order at any time extend the
               time for the delivery of documents to the Registrar under
               paragraph (b) of this subsection for such period as the court
               may think proper.

(7A) Where a company (not being a private company) passes a resolution
altering its objects, it shall, within 15 days after the date on which the
resolution was passed, deliver to the Registrar a printed copy of its
memorandum as altered and certified as correct by an officer of the company.
(Added 28 of 2003 s. 5)

(8) If a company makes default in giving notice or delivering any document to
the Registrar as required by subsection (7) or (7A), the company and every
officer of the company who is in default shall be liable to a fine and, for
continued default, to a daily default fine. (Amended 7 of 1990 s. 2; 28 of
2003 s. 5)

(9) In relation to a resolution for altering the conditions of a company's
memorandum with respect to the objects of the company passed before the
commencement* of the Companies (Amendment) Ordinance 1984 (6 of 1984), the
provisions of this section in force immediately before such commencement shall
continue to have effect as if that Ordinance had not been enacted. (Replaced 6
of 1984 s. 8)

(10) In relation to a resolution for altering the conditions of a company's
memorandum with respect to the objects of the company that is passed by a
company (whether a private company or not) after the commencement* of the
Companies (Amendment) Ordinance 1984 (6 of 1984) and before the commencement**
of section 5 of the Companies (Amendment) Ordinance 2003 (28 of 2003), the
provisions of this section in force immediately before the commencement** of
section 5 of the Companies (Amendment) Ordinance 2003 (28 of 2003) shall
continue to have effect as if section 5 of that Ordinance had not been
enacted. (Added 28 of 2003 s. 5) (Replaced 4 of 1963 s. 3. Amended 6 of 1984
s. 8) [cf. 1929 c. 38 s. 5 U.K.]
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___ Note:

* Commencement date: 31 August 1984.

** Commencement date: 13 February 2004.