<div>As many as 38 independent director posts are lying vacant in 31 public sector companies, Parliament was informed on Thursday (13 August).</div><div> </div><div>A maximum of 6 posts are vacant at BHEL's subsidiary Electricals Machines Ltd, followed by Scooter India (3), Cement corporation (2), Engineering Projects India (2), HMT Ltd (2), etc. </div><div> </div><div>"There are 38 posts of independent directors lying vacant in 31 public sector companies under the Department of Heavy Industry," Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises G M Siddeshwara said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. </div><div> </div><div>"The companies are functioning with the existing set of functional, independent and government directors. The department has forwarded proposals for filling up the vacant posts of independent directors to competent authorities as per procedure," the Minister said.</div><div> </div><div>According to the provisions of the Companies Act 2013, every listed public company shall have at least one-third of the total number of directors as independent directors and the central government may prescribe their (independent directors) minimum number in case of any class or classes of public companies. </div><div><br>(PTI)</div>
