1. Every company shall keep one or more registers giving separately the particulars of all contracts or arrangements to which sub-section (2 ) of section 184 or section 188 applies, in such manner and containing such particulars as may be prescribed and after entering the particulars, such register or registers shall be placed before the next meeting of the Board and signed by all the directors present at the meeting.
2. Every director or key managerial personnel shall, within a period of thirty days of his appointment, or relinquishment of his office, as the case may be, disclose to the company the particulars specified in sub-section (1 ) of section 184 relating to his concern or interest in the other associations which are required to be included in the register under that sub-section or such other information relating to himself as may be prescribed.
3. The register referred to in sub-section (1 ) shall be kept at the registered office of the company and it shall be open for inspection at such office during business hours and extracts may be taken therefrom, and copies thereof as may be required by any member of the company shall be furnished by the company to such extent, in such manner, and on payment of such fees as may be prescribed.
4. The register to be kept under this section shall also be produced at the commencement of every annual general meeting of the company and shall remain open and accessible during the continuance of the meeting to any person having the right to attend the meeting.
5. Nothing contained in sub-section (1 ) shall apply to any contract or arrangement—
a. for the sale, purchase or supply of any goods, materials or services if the value of such goods and materials or the cost of such services does not exceed five lakh rupees in the aggregate in any year; or
b. by a banking company for the collection of bills in the ordinary course of its business.
6. Every director who fails to comply with the provisions of this section and the rules made there under shall be liable to a penalty of twenty-five thousand rupees.
Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Section 189
Section 189 enforces statutory transparency by requiring every company to maintain a dedicated Register of Contracts or Arrangements in which directors are interested under Section 184 or related party transactions under Section 188.
Petitioners alleging oppression and mismanagement under Section 241 should file an urgent application for an advocate commissioner to inspect and seal the Form MBP-4 register at the registered office. Discrepancies between related-party transactions reported in the financial statements and entries in the Section 189 register serve as prima facie proof of corporate governance collapse.