Debts Recovery Tribunal -1, Chennai

CHAPTER III

ENFORCEMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST

13. Enforcement of security interest

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 69 or section 69A of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 (4 of 1882), any security interest created in favour of any secured creditor may be enforced, without the intervention of court or tribunal, by such creditor in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

(2) Where any borrower, who is under a liability to a secured creditor under a security agreement, makes any default in repayment of secured debt or any instalment thereof, and his account in respect of such debt is classified by the secured creditor as non-performing asset, then, the secured creditor may require the borrower by notice in writing to discharge in full his liabilities to the secured creditor within sixty days from the date of notice failing which the secured creditor shall be entitled to exercise all or any of the rights under sub-section (4).

(3) The notice referred to in sub-section (2) shall give details of the amount payable by the borrower and the secured assets intended to be enforced by the secured creditor in the event of non-payment of secured debts by the borrower.

            (3A) If, on receipt of the notice under sub-section (2), the borrower makes any representation or raises any objection, the secured creditor shall consider such representation or objection and if the secured creditor comes to the conclusion that such representation or objection is not acceptable or tenable, he shall communicate within one week of receipt of such representation or objection the reasons for non-acceptance of the representation or objection to the borrower:

            PROVIDED that the reasons so communicated or the likely action of the secured creditor at the stage of communication of reasons shall not confer any right upon the borrower to prefer an application to the Debts Recovery Tribunal under section 17 or the Court of District Judge under section 17A.

            (4) In case the borrower fails to discharge his liability in full within the period specified in sub-section (2), the secured creditor may take recourse to one or more of the following measures to recover his secured debt, namely:--

(a)        take possession of the secured assets of the borrower including the right to transfer by way of lease, assignment or sale for realising the secured asset;

(b)        take over the management of the business of the borrower including the right to transfer by way of lease, assignment or sale for realising the secured asset:

PROVIDED that the right to transfer by way of lease, assignment or sale shall be exercised only where the substantial part of the business of the borrower is held as security for the debt:

PROVIDED FURTHER that where the management of whole of the business or part of the business is severable, the secured creditor shall take over the management of such business of the borrower which is relatable to the security for the debt.

(c)        appoint any person (hereafter referred to as the manager), to manage the secured assets the possession of which has been taken over by the secured creditor;

(d)        require at any time by notice in writing, any person who has acquired any of the secured assets from the borrower and from whom any money is due or may become due to the borrower, to pay the secured creditor, so much of the money as is sufficient to pay the secured debt.

(5) Any payment made by any person referred to in clause (d) of sub-section (4) to the secured creditor shall give such person a valid discharge as if he has made payment to the borrower.

(6) Any transfer of secured asset after taking possession thereof or take over of management under sub-section (4), by the secured creditor or by the manager on behalf of the secured creditor shall vest in the transferee all rights in, or in relation to, the secured asset transferred as if the transfer had been made by the owner of such secured asset.

(7) Where any action has been taken against a borrower under the provisions of sub-section (4), all costs, charges and expenses which, in the opinion of the secured creditor, have been properly incurred by him or any expenses incidental thereto, shall be recoverable from the borrower and the money which is received by the secured creditor shall, in the absence of any contract to the contrary, be held by him in trust, to be applied, firstly, in payment of such costs, charges and expenses and secondly, in discharge of the dues of the secured creditor and the residue of the money so received shall be paid to the person entitled thereto in accordance with his rights and interests.

(8) If the dues of the secured creditor together with all costs, charges and expenses incurred by him are tendered to the secured creditor at any time before the date fixed for sale or transfer, the secured asset shall not be sold or transferred by the secured creditor, and no further step shall be taken by him for transfer or sale of that secured asset.

(9) In the case of financing of a financial asset by more than one secured creditors or joint financing of a financial asset by secured creditors, no secured creditor shall be entitled to exercise any or all of the rights conferred on him under or pursuant to sub-section (4) unless exercise of such right is agreed upon by the secured creditors representing not less than three-fourth in value of the amount outstanding as on a record date and such action shall be binding on all the secured creditors:

PROVIDED that in the case of a company in liquidation, the amount realised from the sale of secured assets shall be distributed in accordance with the provisions of section 529A of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956):

PROVIDED FURTHER that in the case of a company being wound up on or after the commencement of this Act, the secured creditor of such company, who opts to realise his security instead of relinquishing his security and proving his debt under proviso to sub-section (1) of section 529 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), may retain the sale proceeds of his secured assets after depositing the workmen's dues with the liquidator in accordance with the provisions of section 529A of that Act:

            PROVIDED ALSO that the liquidator referred to in the second proviso shall intimate the secured creditors the workmen's dues in accordance with the provisions of section 529A of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) and in case such workmen's dues cannot be ascertained, the liquidator shall intimate the estimated amount of workmen's dues under that section to the secured creditor and in such case the secured creditor may retain the sale proceeds of the secured assets after depositing the amount of such estimated dues with the liquidator:

            PROVIDED ALSO that in case the secured creditor deposits the estimated amount of workmen's dues, such creditor shall be liable to pay the balance of the workmen's dues or entitled to receive the excess amount, if any, deposited by the secured creditor with the liquidator:

            PROVIDED ALSO that the secured creditor shall furnish an undertaking to the liquidator to pay the balance of the workmen's dues, if any.

Explanation : For the purposes of this sub-section,--

(a)        "record date" means the date agreed upon by the secured creditors representing not less than three-fourth in value of the amount outstanding on such date;

(b)        "amount outstanding" shall include principal, interest and any other dues payable by the borrower to the secured creditor in respect of secured asset as per the books of account of the secured creditor.

(10) Where dues of the secured creditor are not fully satisfied with the sale proceeds of the secured assets, the secured creditor may file an application in the form and manner as may be prescribed to the Debts Recovery Tribunal having jurisdiction or a competent court, as the case may be, for recovery of the balance amount from the borrower.

(11) Without prejudice to the rights conferred on the secured creditor under or by this section, the secured creditor shall be entitled to proceed against the guarantors or sell the pledged assets without first taking any of the measures specified in clauses (a) to (d) of sub-section (4) in relation to the secured assets under this Act.

(12) The rights of a secured creditor under this Act may be exercised by one or more of his officers authorised in this behalf in such manner as may be prescribed.

(13) No borrower shall, after receipt of notice referred to in sub-section (2), transfer by way of sale, lease or otherwise (other than in the ordinary course of his business) any of his secured assets referred to in the notice, without prior written consent of the secured creditor.

COMMENTS

Sec. 69 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 deals with the power of a mortagee to effect a valid sale of the property mortgaged, whereunder a mortgagee, or any person acting on his behalf, shall, subject to the provisions of this section have power to sell or concur in selling the mortgaged property or any part thereof, in default of payment of the mortgage-money, without the intervention of the court, in the following cases and in no others, namely,--

(a)        where the mortgage is an English mortgage, and neither the mortgagor nor the mortgagee is a Hindu, Mohammedan or Buddhist or a member of any other race, sect, tribe or class from time to time specified in this behalf by the State Government, in the Official Gazette;

(b)        where a power of sale without the intervention of the court is expressly conferred on the mortgagee by the mortgage-deed and the mortgagee is the government;

(c)        where a power of sale without the intervention of the court is expressly conferred on the mortgagee by the mortgage-deed and the mortgaged property or any part thereof was, on the date of the execution of the mortgage-deed, situate within the towns of Calcutta, Madras, Bombay, or in any other town or area which the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify in this behalf.

No such power shall be exercised unless and until--

(a)        notice in writing requiring payment of the principal money has been served on the mortgagor, or on one of several mortgagors, and default has been made in payment of the principal money, or of part thereof, for three months after such service; or

(b)        some interest under the mortgage amounting at least to five hundred rupees is in arrear and unpaid for three months after becoming due.

Under s. 69A of the said Act, a mortgagee who has got the right to exercise a power of sale under s. 69, subject to certain conditions mentioned in s. 69A, is entitled to appoint a receiver of the income of the mortgaged property or any part thereof.

These provisions of the Transfer of Property Act notwithstanding, s. 13 of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002, lays down a special mechanism for the enforcement of security interest. Sec. 38(1) of that Act empowers to make rules for carrying out the provisions of the Act. In exercise of that power, the Central Government notified the Security Interest (Enforcement) Rules, 2002, vide S.O. 1020(E), dt. 20-9-2002, for the enforcement of security interest under the Act, which is reporoduced infra.

14. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate or District Magistrate to assist secured creditor in taking possession of secured asset

(1) Where the possession of any secured assets is required to be taken by the secured creditor or if any of the secured asset is required to be sold or transferred by the secured creditor under the provisions of this Act, the secured creditor may, for the purpose of taking possession or control of any such secured asset, request, in writing, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate or the District Magistrate within whose jurisdiction any such secured asset or other documents relating thereto may be situated or found, to take possession thereof, and the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate or, as the case may be, the District Magistrate shall, on such request being made to him--

(a)             take possession of such asset and documents relating thereto; and

(b)             forward such assets and documents to the secured creditor.

(2) For the purpose of securing compliance with the provisions of sub-section (1), the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate or the District Magistrate may take or cause to be taken such steps and use, or cause to be used, such force, as may, in his opinion, be necessary.

(3) No act of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate or the District Magistrate done in pursuance of this section shall be called in question in any court or before any authority.

15. Manner and effect of take over of management

(1) When the management of business of a borrower is taken over by a securitisation company or reconstruction company under clause (a) of section 9 or, as the case may be, by a secured creditor under clause (b) of sub-section (4) of section 13, the secured creditor may, by publishing a notice in a newspaper published in English language and in a newspaper published in an Indian language in circulation in the place where the principal office of the borrower is situated, appoint as many persons as it thinks fit--

(a)        in a case in which the borrower is a company as defined in the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), to be the directors of that borrower in accordance with the provisions of that Act; or

(b)        in any other case, to be the administrator of the business of the borrower.

(2) On publication of a notice under sub-section (1),--

(a)        in any case where the borrower is a company as defined in the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), all persons holding office as directors of the company and in any other case, all persons holding any office having power of superintendence, direction and control of the business of the borrower immediately before the publication of the notice under sub-section (1), shall be deemed to have vacated their offices as such;

(b)        any contract of management between the borrower and any director or manager thereof holding office as such immediately before publication of the notice under sub-section (1), shall be deemed to be terminated;

(c)        the directors or the administrators appointed under this section shall take such steps as may be necessary to take into their custody or under their control all the property, effects and actionable claims to which the business of the borrower is, or appears to be, entitled and all the property and effects of the business of the borrower shall be deemed to be in the custody of the directors or administrators, as the case may be, as from the date of the publication of the notice;

(d)        the directors appointed under this section shall, for all purposes, be the directors of the company of the borrower and such directors or, as the case may be, the administrators appointed under this section, shall alone be entitled to exercise all the powers of the directors or, as the case may be, of the persons exercising powers of superintendence, direction and control, of the business of the borrower whether such powers are derived from the memorandum or articles of association of the company of the borrower or from any other source whatsoever.

(3) Where the management of the business of a borrower, being a company as defined in the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), is taken over by the secured creditor, then, notwithstanding anything contained in the said Act or in the memorandum or articles of association of such borrower,--

(a)        it shall not be lawful for the shareholders of such company or any other person to nominate or appoint any person to be a director of the company;

(b)        no resolution passed at any meeting of the shareholders of such company shall be given effect to unless approved by the secured creditor;

(c)        no proceeding for the winding up of such company or for the appointment of a receiver in respect thereof shall lie in any court, except with the consent of the secured creditor.

(4) Where the management of the business of a borrower had been taken over by the secured creditor, the secured creditor shall, on realisation of his debt in full, restore the management of the business of the borrower to him.

COMMENTS

The secured creditor can take over possession of assets 60 days after giving notice. Where the possession of assets is required to be taken or if any asset is required to be sold or transferred and if secured creditor expects resistance, he can request in writing, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate or the District Magistrate within whose jurisdiction the assets or the documents are located, to take possession of the assets or documents. On such request, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate or the District Magistrate shall take possession of such assets and documents relating thereto and forward such assets and documents to secured creditor.

Action taken by the Chief Metropolitan or District Magistrate cannot be questioned in any court or before any authority.

16. No compensation to directors for loss of office

(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any contract or in any other law for the time being in force, no managing director or any other director or a manager or any person in charge of management of the business of the borrower shall be entitled to any compensation for the loss of office or for the premature termination under this Act of any contract of management entered into by him with the borrower.

(2) Nothing contained in sub-section (1) shall affect the right of any such managing director or any other director or manager or any such person in charge of management to recover from the business of the borrower, moneys recoverable otherwise than by way of such compensation.

17. Right to appeal

(1) Any person (including borrower), aggrieved by any of the measures referred to in sub-section (4) of section 13 taken by the secured creditor or his authorised officer under this Chapter, may make an application alongwith such fee, as may be prescribed to the Debts Recovery Tribunal having jurisdiction in the matter within forty-five days from the date on which such measure had been taken:

PROVIDED that different fees may be prescribed for making the application by the borrower and the person other than the borrower.

Explanation : For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that the communication of the reasons to the borrower by the secured creditor for not having accepted his representation or objection or the likely action of the secured creditor at the stage of communication of reasons to the borrower shall not entitle the person (including borrower) to make an application to the Debts Recovery Tribunal under this sub-section.

(2) The Debts Recovery Tribunal shall consider whether any of the measures referred to in sub-section (4) of section 13 taken by the secured creditor for enforcement of security are in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder.

(3) If, the Debts Recovery Tribunal, after examining the facts and circumstances of the case and evidence produced by the parties, comes to the conclusion that any of the measures referred to in sub-section (4) of section 13, taken by the secured creditor are not in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder, and require restoration of the management of the business to the borrower or restoration of possession of the secured assets to the borrower, it may by order, declare the recourse to any one or more measures referred to in sub-section (4) of section 13 taken by the secured creditors as invalid and restore the possession of the secured assets to the borrower or restore the management of the business to the borrower, as the case may be, and pass such order as it may consider appropriate and necessary in relation to any of the recourse taken by the secured creditor under sub-section (4) of section 13.

(4) If, the Debts Recovery Tribunal declares the recourse taken by a secured creditor under sub-section (4) of section 13, is in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder, then, notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the secured creditor shall be entitled to take recourse to one or more of the measures specified under sub-section (4) of section 13 to recover his secured debt.

(5) Any application made under sub-section (1) shall be dealt with by the Debts Recovery Tribunal as expeditiously as possible and disposed of within sixty days from the date of such application:

PROVIDED that the Debts Recovery Tribunal may, from time to time, extend the said period for reasons to be recorded in writing, so, however, that the total period of pendency of the application with the Debts Recovery Tribunal, shall not exceed four months from the date of making of such application made under sub-section (1).

(6) If the application is not disposed of by the Debts Recovery Tribunal within the period of four months as specified in sub-section (5), any part to the application may make an application, in such form as may be prescribed, to the Appellate Tribunal for directing the Debts Recovery Tribunal for expeditious disposal of the application pending before the Debts Recovery Tribunal and the Appellate Tribunal may, on such application, make an order for expeditious disposal of the pending application by the Debts Recovery Tribunal.

(7) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, the Debts Recovery Tribunal shall, as far as may be, dispose of the application in accordance with the provisions of the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 and the rules made thereunder.

17A. Making of application to Court of District Judge in certain cases

In the case of a borrower residing in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, the application under section 17 shall be made to the Court of District Judge in that State having jurisdiction over the borrower which shall pass an order on such application.

Explanation : For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that the communication of the reasons to the borrower by the secured creditor for not having accepted his representation or objection or the likely action of the secured creditor at the stage of communication of reasons shall not entitle the person (including borrower) to make an application to the Court of District Judge under this section.

18. Appeal to Appellate Tribunal

(1) Any person aggrieved, by any order made by the Debts Recovery Tribunal under section 17, may prefer an appeal alongwith such fee, as may be prescribed to the Appellate Tribunal within thirty days from the date of receipt of the order of Debts Recovery Tribunal:

PROVIDED that different fees may be prescribed for filing an appeal by the borrower or by the person other than the borrower:

PROVIDED FURTHER that no appeal shall be entertained unless the borrower has deposited with the Appellate Tribunal fifty per cent. of the amount of debt due from him, as claimed by the secured creditors or determined by the Debts Recovery Tribunal, whichever is less:

PROVIDED ALSO that the Appellate Tribunal may, for the reasons to be recorded in writing, reduce the amount to not less than twenty-five per cent. of debt referred to in the second proviso.

(2) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, the Appellate Tribunal shall, as far as may be, dispose of the appeal in accordance with the provisions of the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 (51 of 1993) and rules made thereunder.

COMMENTS

Appellate Tribunal is defined under s. 2(1)(a) of the Act to mean a Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal established under s. 8(1) of the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993, which empowers the Central Government, by notification in the Official Gazette, to establish one or more Appellate Tribunals to be known as the Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal, to exercise the jurisdiction, powers and authority conferred on it. The Tribunal so established shall consist of one person only, the Chairman, to be appointed by the Central Government by notification. The said Tribunal is now empowered to hear appeals of a person including the borrower aggreived by any of the measures taken under s. 13(4) of the Securities and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 also by virtue of s. 17 of the Act. An order of the said Tribunal under s. 17 is appealable to the Appellate Tribunal (Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal).

18A. Validation of fees levied

Any fee levied and collected for preferring, before the commencement of the Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws (Amendment) Act, 2004, an appeal to the Debts Recovery Tribunal or the Appellate Tribunal under this Act, shall be deemed always to have been levied and collected in accordance with law as if amendments made to sections 17 and 18 of this Act by sections 11 and 12 of the said Act were in force at all material times.

18B. Appeal to High Court in certain cases

Any borrower residing in the State of Jammu and Kashmir and aggrieved by any order made by the Court of District Judge under section 17A may prefer an appeal, to the High Court having jurisdiction over such Court, within thirty days from the date of receipt of the order of the Court of District Judge:

PROVIDED that no appeal shall be preferred unless the borrower has diposited, with the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, fifty per cent of the amount of the debt due from him as claimed by the secured creditor or determined by the Court of District Judge, whichever is less:

PROVIDED FURTHER that the High Court may, for the reasons to be recorded in writing, reduce the amount to not less than twenty-five per cent. of the debt referred to in the first proviso.

19. Right of borrower to receive compensation and costs in certain cases

If the Debts Recovery Tribunal or the Court of District Judge, on an application made under section 17 or section 17A or the Appellate Tribunal or the High Court on an appeal preferred under section 18 or section 18A, holds that the possession of secured assets by the secured creditor is not in accordance with the provisions of this Act and rules made thereunder and directs the secured creditors to return such secured assets to the concerned borrowers, such borrower shall be entitled to the payment of such compensation and costs as may be determined by such Tribunal or Court of District Judge or Appellate Tribunal or the High Court referred to in section 18B.