(a) Any document kept by or on file with a national securities exchange, national securities association, registered clearing agency or the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board pursuant to the Act or any rule or regulation thereunder may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of by such exchange, association, clearing agency or the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board at the end of five years or at such earlier date as is specified in a plan for the destruction or disposition of any such documents if such plan has been filed with the Commission by such exchange, association, clearing agency or the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board and has been declared effective by the Commission.

(b) Such plan may provide that any such document may be transferred to microfilm or other recording medium after such time as specified in the plan and thereafter be maintained and preserved in that form. If a national securities exchange, association, clearing agency or the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board uses microfilm or other recording medium it shall:

(1) Be ready at all times to provide, and immediately provide, easily readable projection of the microfilm or other recording medium and easily readable hard copy thereof;

(2) Provide indexes permitting the immediate location of any such document on the microfilm or other recording medium; and

(3) In the case of microfilm, store a duplicate copy of the microfilm separately from the original microfilm for the time required.

(c) For the purposes of this rule a plan filed with the Commission by a national securities exchange, association, clearing agency or the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board shall not become effective unless the Commission, having due regard for the public interest and for the protection of investors, declares the plan to be effective. The Commission in its declaration may limit the applications, reports, and documents as to which it shall apply, and may impose any other terms and conditions to the plan and to the period of its effectiveness which it deems necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors.

[45 FR 79426, Dec. 1, 1980]