Can one pledge dematerialised securities?
Yes. In fact, pledging dematerialised securities is easier and more advantageous as compared to pledging physical securities.

What should one do to pledge electronic securities?
The procedure to pledge electronic securities is as follows:

Both investor (pledgor) and the lender (pledgee) must have depository accounts with the same depository,Investor has to initiate the pledge by submitting to DP the details of the securities to be pledged in a standard format,The pledgee has to confirm the request through his/her DP,Once this is done, securities are pledged,All financial transactions between the pledgor and the pledgee are handled as per usual practice outside the depository system.

How can one close the pledge after repayment of loan?
After one has repaid the loan, one can request for a closure of pledge by instructing the DP in a prescribed format. The pledgee on receiving the repayment will instruct his DP accordingly for the closure of the pledge.

Who would receive the corporate benefits on the pledged securities?
The securities pledged are only blocked in the account of pledgor in favour of the pledgee. The pledgor would continue to receive all the corporate benefits.