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2020 (7) TMI 741 - HC - Indian LawsImposition of a pre-deposit in appellate proceedings before the DRAT - Section 18(1) of the SARFAESI Act - HELD THAT:- Upon examining Section 18(1), it is found that the first proviso indicates that different fees would be prescribed for filing of appeals by borrowers and by persons other than borrowers. This proviso has been inserted because an appeal under Section 18 may be filed by any aggrieved person. By way of illustration, a lessee, a person, other than the borrower, claiming title over the mortgaged/charged property, or any any other person affected by the measures under Section 13(4) of the SARFAESI Act could be an aggrieved person. Thus, such aggrieved persons are not always borrowers. Consequently, the second proviso regarding pre-deposit applies only when the appellant is a borrower. The word “borrower” is defined in such a manner as to include a guarantor. This stands to reason inasmuch as a guarantor's liability is co-extensive with that of the principal debtor under Section 128 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872. Under the second proviso to Section 18(1) of the SARFAESI Act, a borrower is required to pre-deposit 50% of the amount of the debt due from him either as claimed by the secured creditor or as determined by the DRT, whichever is less. The third proviso empowers the DRAT to reduce the pre-deposit to an amount not less than 25% of the debt for reasons to be recorded in writing. The pre-deposit provision (the second and third proviso) in Section 18 is applicable only to borrowers, as defined in the SARFAESI Act. In addition, the DRAT is vested with the discretion to reduce such pre-deposit to not less than 25% of the debt. Hence, the provision cannot be said to be arbitrary, onerous or unreasonable. Mr. Subramaniyan had also contended that his appeal before the DRAT was in respect of the dismissal of an application under Section 5 of the Limitation Act and, therefore, the order of the DRT should not be construed as an order under Section 17 of the SARFAESI Act - Once the Section 5 application is rejected, it is tantamount to a rejection by the DRT of the Section 17 application and a refusal to interfere with the measures taken by the secured creditor under Section 13(4). Thereafter, the only statutory recourse available to the borrower is to appeal under Section 18 to the DRAT, which functions as an appellate forum and not as a court of first instance - there are no reason to strike or even read down Section 18(1) of the SARFAESI Act and the second proviso thereto - petition dismissed.
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