MUMBAI: Another level gets cleared for Zee Entertainment’s (Zeel) proposed acquisition of Diligent Media Corporation’s (DMCL) media business undertaking. The court convened meeting on 4 June, saw majority of both equity and preference shareholders give their nod to the scheme of arrangement.

Now, the approval needs to go through the Bombay High Court and other regulatory authorities such as the central government.

Out of the 745419538 equity shares that were polled, 99.082 per cent were in favour of the decision while 99.437 per cent of the 13195108470 of the preference shares that were polled were in favour. In all, 97365 equity shareholders and 91076 preference shareholders voted in the meeting.

With both giving majority approval, Zeel will look forward for the legal and regulatory approvals to also sail through, thus allowing it to completely own the media business undertaking of DMCL that involves events as well as a non-News channel licence and certain registered intellectual properties for TV formats of gaming-based shows.

DMCL was formed in 2005 with a 50:50 JV between Essel Group and Dainik Bhaskar Corp (DB). In 2012, Essel Group bought out DB’s 50 per cent stake.