law: Companies Act, 2013 
  Chapter
  
  III
  Prospectus
  
  and Allotment of Securities
  PART
  
  I.—Public offer
  23.
  
    Public
  
  offer and private placement.
  1.      A public company may
  
  issue securities—
  a.     
  
    to
  
  public through prospectus (herein referred to as "public offer") by
  
  complying with the provisions of this Part; or
  b.    
  
    through
  
  private placement by complying with the provisions of Part II of this Chapter;
  
  or
  c.     
  
    through
  
  a rights issue or a bonus issue in accordance with the provisions of this Act
  
  and in case of a listed company or a company which intends to get its
  
  securities listed also with the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board
  
  of India Act, 1992 and the rules and regulations made there under.
  1.     
  2.      A private company may
  
  issue securities—
  a.     
  
    by
  
  way of rights issue or bonus issue in accordance with the provisions of this
  
  Act; or
  b.    
  
    through
  
  private placement by complying with the provisions of Part II of this Chapter.
  Explanation.— For the purposes of
  
  this Chapter, "public offer" includes initial public offer or further
  
  public offer of securities to the public by a company, or an offer for sale of
  
  securities to the public by an existing shareholder, through issue of a
  
  prospectus.