Eligibility to receive dividend distributions declared by Indian Railway Finance Corporation is strictly restricted to shareholders whose names appear in the company's official register or depository participant records as beneficial owners at the close of business on the designated record date. To be officially registered by that cutoff date, an investor must purchase the company's equity shares on or before the corresponding ex-dividend date. Shareholders who acquire the stock on or after the ex-dividend date are not entitled to the upcoming payout, with the distributed cash amounts subsequently credited directly to the bank accounts linked to their eligible Demat accounts.