904 Listed Companies Yet To Appoint Women Directors: Report

Further, 18 of the 80 positions are non-independent, thus leaving only 43 positions which are apparently independent. Among the companies which have filled the vacancies by naming women belonging to the promoter group included Reliance Industries' appointing Nita Ambani, wife of Mukesh Ambani, on the company's board. While Asian Paints has brought Amrita Amar Vakil on board, GodfreyPhillips India has signed on Bina Modi.

While Kirloskar Oil Engines has hired Gauri Kirloskar, Raymondhas appointed Nawaz Gautam Singhania. "However, of these 59 women, 15 women (holding 17 directorship positions) are from the promoter group and a further 18 women (holding 18 directorship positions) are non-independent, thus leaving only 26 women (holding 28 directorship positions) who are apparently independent," the report said.

Among women directors, Renu Sud Karnad has the maximum number of board positions at 8 of which 5 are as an independent director, while in terms of companies, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise (four) has the highest number of female directors, though none are independent. On an aggregate basis, there are 8,987 persons occupying a total of 11,527 directorships in NSE-listed firms. Of these, only 673 positions are held by women, which is just 5.8 percent.

Under the Companies Act 2013, every listed company and those public firms having paid up share capital of 100 crore or more should have at least one woman director on their board. Similar norms were issued by Sebi in February 2014.

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