| 单词 | Minority shareholder |
| 释义 | 少數股東 In corporations law, a shareholder whose voting rights do not provide control of the general meetings of the company. While a corporation is the proper plaintiff in respect of causes of action available to it as a separate legal entity, the courts of equity admit exceptions to this rule to ensure that controllers of a corporation cannot defraud the minority shareholders with impunity: Spokes v Grosvenor and West End Railway Terminus Hotel Co Ltd [1897] 2 QB 124. Despite the general rule that the only proper plaintiff in an action in respect of a wrong alleged to be done to a company is the company itself, a minority shareholder of a company may institute a derivative action: (Estmanco (Kilner House) Ltd v Greater London Council [1982] 1 All ER 437); in his or her own name to redress a wrong done to the corporation if the acts complained of are of a fraudulent or criminal character, where the company has not sued in its own name because the alleged wrongdoers control it (Companies Ordinance (Cap 32) s 5B(2); Prudential Assurance Co Ltd v Newman Industries Ltd (No 2)) [1982] Ch 204; Tan Eng Guan & Anor v Southland Co Ltd & Ors [1996] 2 HKC 100 (CA)). However, if the company is in liquidation, a minority shareholder’s action will not lie: Cape Breton Co v Fenn (1881) 17 Ch D 198 (CA). The position of the minority shareholders may be protected by the exercise of statutory rights (Companies Ordinance (Cap 32) s 131) or by using different classes of shares as a means of securing the position of the minority in the context of both general meetings and board meetings; or by purely contractual provisions: Halsbury’s Laws of Hong Kong, Vol 20, Partnerships and Joint Ventures [290.229]. See also Corporate crime; Derivative action; Minority interest. 在公司法上，指投票權利不足以控制公司股東大會的股東。當某公司就作獨立法律實體的訴訟因由而成為適當的原訴人，衡平法法庭接納此規則的例外情況，以確定某法團的控權人不能以免除懲罰對少數股東進行欺詐性行為：Spokes v Grosvenor and West End Railway Terminus Hotel Co Ltd [1897] 2 QB 124。雖然一般規則指明在就被指稱對公司作出錯誤行為的訴訟中唯一適當的原訴人是公司本身，某少數股東可提出衍生訴訟： (Estmanco (Kilner House) Ltd v Greater London Council [1982] 1 All ER 437)；以本身的名義糾正對公司所作出的錯誤行為，如被投訴的行為屬欺詐或刑事性質，當公司不得以其名義起訴，因為已受被指稱作出錯誤行為的人控制 （《公司條例》 （第32章） 第5B條 (2)；Prudential Assurance Co Ltd v Newman Industries Ltd (No 2)） [1982] Ch 204; Tan Eng Guan & Anor v Southland Co Ltd & Ors [1996] 2 HKC 100 （上訴法院）)。但是，如公司正進行清盤，某少數股東不得提出訴訟：Cape Breton Co v Fenn (1881) 17 Ch D 198 （英國上訴法院）。少數股東的地位可受法定權利的行使 （《公司條例》 （第32章） 第131條） 或以不同級數的股份作為在股東大會及會議的內容中確保少數股東地位的方式而獲得保障；或以純粹的合約條文而獲得保障：Halsbury’s Laws of Hong Kong, 第20冊，合夥與合資企業，第[290.229]段。另見 Corporate crime; Derivative action; Minority interest。 |
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