(1) No-one may exercise the voting right for themselves or for some other party if the resolution to be adopted concerns the question of whether their actions are to be approved and they are to be granted discharge or whether they are to be released from a liability or whether it is intended to have the company assert a claim against them. The voting right for shares of stock not entitling the stockholder to exercise the voting right pursuant to sentence 1 may not be exercised by some other party, either.
(2) Any contract is null and void by which a stockholder enters into obligation to exercise the voting right in accordance with instructions issued by the company or by the management board or the supervisory board of the company, or in accordance with instructions issued by a controlled enterprise. Likewise, a contract is null and void by which a stockholder enters into obligation to vote in accordance with the guidance provided by the management board or the supervisory board of the company.