Over a billion unclaimed shares in IEPF, shows Lok Sabha data

Less than 2% of such shares with IEPF make their way back to investors, shows data before Lok Sabha

The number of unclaimed shares in government custody has crossed over a billion, with new additions every year. 

Total number of unclaimed shares lying with the government’s Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) Authority has reached 1.15 billion, according to data shared in the Lok Sabha. It has more than doubled since 2017-18.
 

The government began to transfer shares that it deemed unclaimed to the IEPF Authority in October 2017. The definition of an unclaimed share was one on which the investor did not encash or otherwise claim a declared dividend for seven years.

For example, if an investor receives