Where are the women?

About 32 state-owned companies, including ONGC and NTPC, have failed to meet the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi)'s requirement of having at least one woman director each on their boards. These public sector undertakings (PSUs) and another 150 private companies are likely to face Sebi's ire for non-compliance. In June 2013, Sebi had passed an order against 105 companies for failing to comply with the 25 per cent minimum public shareholding requirement. The penalty included freezing of voting rights and corporate benefits of the promoter group. Back then, none of the non-compliant companies were PSUs. It remains to be seen what action Sebi takes this time around.