Shareholders of central bank of india approved a special resolution to raise equity capital up to ₹7,000 crore at its 19th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on July 31, 2026. The resolution, which permits the bank to raise funds through Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP), Follow-on Public Offer (FPO), or rights issues, secured 99.26% assent from voting shareholders. This approval provides the board with the flexibility to execute capital raising measures necessary for balance sheet strengthening or growth initiatives in the coming fiscal periods.

The AGM was conducted through Video Conferencing (VC) or Other Audio Visual Means (OAVM) with a deemed venue at Chandermukhi, Nariman Point, Mumbai. S. N. Ananthasubramanian & Co., led by Managing Partner S. N. Viswanathan, served as the scrutinizer for the remote e-voting process. Voting rights were reckoned as of July 24, 2026, with remote e-voting open from July 27 to July 30, 2026. MUFG Intime India Private Limited acted as the e-voting agency.

In addition to the capital raise, shareholders passed seven ordinary resolutions. Key outcomes included the adoption of the audited standalone and consolidated financial statements for the financial year ended March 31, 2026, and the confirmation of four interim dividends aggregating to ₹1.20 (12%) per equity share of face value ₹10 each for FY25-26. This dividend payment received 99.68% support from shareholders.

The meeting also addressed significant changes to the Board of Directors. Shareholders approved the appointment of Kalyan Kumar as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) effective September 30, 2025, for a three-year term. Additionally, E. Ratan Kumar was appointed as an Executive Director effective November 24, 2025, also for a three-year term. The term of Executive Director M V Murali Krishna was extended beyond his existing notified term ending November 30, 2025, until his superannuation date of July 31, 2027, or until further orders.

Government nominee director appointments were also ratified. Baldeo Purushartha was appointed as a Non-Executive Government Nominee Director effective July 24, 2025, until June 19, 2026. Chandradeep Kumar Jha was appointed as a Non-Executive Government Nominee Director effective June 19, 2026, until further orders. Both resolutions received overwhelming support, with dissent votes below 1.12%.

AGM Resolution Outcomes

What the Numbers Show

The near-unanimous support for the ₹7,000 crore equity raise (99.26%) signals strong shareholder confidence in the bank’s capital deployment strategy. With no single shareholder other than the Central Government holding more than 10% of voting rights, the broad base of support suggests alignment between retail/institutional investors and management on the need for capital adequacy or expansion. The high assent rates across all board appointments further indicate stability in governance expectations.

Central Bank of India has appointed Shri Rajesh Ranjan as Shareholder Director on its Board, effective August 1, 2026. The appointment, made under Section 9(3)(i) of the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970, carries a three-year term concluding on July 31, 2029. This move strengthens the bank’s governance framework by adding a director with extensive experience in vigilance administration and fraud risk management.

The Board approved the appointment following procedural compliance with regulatory norms. Central Bank of India submitted the intimation to the National Stock Exchange of India Limited and BSE Limited pursuant to Regulation 30 and Regulation 51 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015. The filing confirms that Ranjan is not debarred from holding office by SEBI or any other authority, as per the SEBI letter dated June 14, 2018.

Director Profile and Experience

Shri Rajesh Ranjan is a retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer with a Master’s Degree in Arts (English Literature). He possesses 36 years of professional experience spanning law, human resources, fraud risk management, corporate governance, vigilance administration, compliance, and Anti-Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing (ALM/TF). His career includes tenures in Public Sector Undertakings and various Central Armed Police Forces.

Ranjan currently serves as an Independent Director on the Board of DME Development Limited. Previously, he served as a Director at IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance Company Ltd and as Chief Vigilance Officer at GAIL India Ltd. His background aligns with the bank’s focus on robust internal controls and regulatory adherence.

Key Appointment Details

The appointment does not involve any change in the bank’s capital structure or dividend policy. It represents a routine governance update aimed at ensuring independent oversight and expertise in risk management within the Board composition.