2025 (5) TMI 1145 - AT - IBC

Condonation of delay in filing the appeal against the modification order - delay of 11 days or 47 days - delay in filing the appeal against the modification order - HELD THAT - From the material on record there is no whisper on appealing the Order of 22.12.2023 and all the correspondence relates to Appeal with respect to modification order which is not a substantive order. There is no material on record to show that the Appellant has chosen to file an appeal against the approval of Resolution Plan. We find that the Appellant has not been vigilant and not taking timely action in pursuing the Orders passed by the Adjudicating Authority on 22.12.2023 and even in this Appeal has filed beyond condonable period. As per materials on record there is a delay of 47 days. On going through the justification provided by the Appellant. There is no sufficient cause to explain the delay in filing the Appeal when the Appellant had known about the Orders by at least 16.08.2024. Moreover this order was a modification order and the substantive order was already issued on 22.12.2023 whereby the Resolution Plan of the Respondent was approved by the NCLT. The subsequent order dated 02.08.2024 was only a modification order correcting some inadvertent errors which had crept in due to over sight. The Appellants had not preferred any Appeal against the Order of 22.12.2023 and strangely only modification orders are being assailed by the Appellant. The material on record don t indicate any steps taken by the Appellant after the Adjudicating Authority had passed substantive order on 22.12.2023. The Appellant itself admits to have the knowledge of the Impugned Order at the worst case as on 16.08.2024. Moreover this was a modification order and substantive order was issued on 23rd August 2023 which the Appellant had not challenged. The Appellants arguments that limitation for filing of Appeal under Section 61 of IBC would commence from 18th September 2024 i.e. the date of knowledge of the contents of order cannot be accepted as per existing law which prescribes strict compliances with the timelines in the IBC proceedings - Presuming that they had come to know about the Order on 16th August 2024 even then the 45 days had elapsed by 8th Oct 2024. In any case the Appeal was filed on 26th October 2024 much beyond 45 days. Therefore the argument for taking advantage of the Navratri holidays is absurd and is of no avail to the Appellant. In conclusion it is not found that the Appellant has been vigilant in pursuing their Appeals. In the facts and the circumstances of the case therefore there are no sufficient cause for condoning the delay of more than 15 days. Conclusion - i) The modification orders do not reset limitation periods if the substantive order remains unchallenged and that delay caused by lack of vigilance or failure to promptly seek certified copies or communicate with the RP does not constitute sufficient cause. ii) The limitation period under Section 61(2) is mandatory and only a maximum of 15 days delay beyond 30 days can be condoned subject to sufficient cause. iii) There are no merit in the application for condonation of delay as sufficient cause has not been shown. Application for condonation of delay dismissed.

The core legal questions considered by the Tribunal pertain to whether the delay in filing the appeal against the modification order dated 02.08.2024 could be condoned under Section 61(2) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016. Specifically, the issues include: (i) the date from which limitation for filing the appeal should be computed, (ii) whether the appellant had sufficient cause for the delay in filing the appeal, (iii) the applicability of the pronouncement and upload of the order on the NCLT website in triggering the limitation period, (iv) the effect of holidays (Navratri holidays) on the limitation period under the Limitation Act, and (v) the relevance of the appellant's knowledge or receipt of the order and resolution plan in computing limitation.

Regarding the computation of limitation and knowledge of the order, the Tribunal examined the legal framework under Section 61(2) of the IBC, which mandates that an appeal must be filed within thirty days from the date of the order, with a maximum condonation period of fifteen days for sufficient cause. The Tribunal also referred to the NCLT Rules, 2016, particularly Rules 150 and 151, which distinguish between the hearing and pronouncement of an order, emphasizing that limitation begins only from the date of pronouncement, which must be recorded in the order sheet. The Supreme Court's ruling in Sanjay Pandurang Kalate vs. Vistra ITCL India Ltd. was considered, which clarified that the limitation period commences from the date of pronouncement and upload of the order, not merely the date of hearing or knowledge of the order.

The appellant contended that the limitation period should commence from the date they came to know of the order's contents, which they claimed was on 18.09.2024, due to non-receipt of the formal order and resolution plan. They argued further that the Navratri holidays from 07.10.2024 to 13.10.2024 prevented timely filing, thus justifying condonation of an 11-day delay. The appellant also highlighted that the impugned order was neither pronounced in open court nor uploaded on the NCLT website, and that the resolution plan was not supplied, thereby delaying their knowledge and ability to file the appeal.

The Tribunal analyzed the timeline of events and correspondence, noting that the impugned modification order was passed on 02.08.2024, and the appellant had knowledge of the order at least by 16.08.2024 as evidenced by an email from the Resolution Professional (RP). Although the appellant claimed the email was found in the spam folder on 19.08.2024, the Tribunal found this did not excuse the delay. The appellant's subsequent requests for certified copies and the resolution plan, as well as the delay in applying for certified copies (21 days after knowledge), further demonstrated lack of diligence. The substantive order approving the resolution plan was passed on 22.12.2023, which the appellant had not challenged, and the 02.08.2024 order was merely a modification correcting inadvertent errors.

Applying the law to the facts, the Tribunal held that the limitation period under Section 61(2) started from the date of the impugned order (02.08.2024) or at the latest from the date the appellant had knowledge (16.08.2024). The appellant's delay in filing the appeal (71 days from knowledge, 49 days from supply of order, and 47 days from receipt of certified copy) far exceeded the permissible period including the condonation window of 15 days. The Tribunal rejected the appellant's contention that the limitation should start from the date of actual knowledge of the order's contents (18.09.2024) or that the Navratri holidays extended the limitation period, as by 08.10.2024, the delay was already substantial. The Tribunal emphasized that strict compliance with timelines under the IBC is mandated and that the appellant had not been vigilant in pursuing the appeal.

In addressing competing arguments, the Tribunal distinguished the present case from the Supreme Court precedent relied upon by the appellant, noting that the Supreme Court's ruling pertained to the pronouncement of substantive orders and commencement of limitation only upon pronouncement and upload. Here, the appellant admitted knowledge of the impugned order and the modification nature of the order did not warrant fresh limitation beyond the original substantive order. The Tribunal also dismissed the appellant's argument about non-upload and non-pronouncement, as the appellant had actual knowledge and correspondence indicating the order's existence.

The Tribunal concluded that the appellant failed to demonstrate sufficient cause for the delay beyond the permissible 15 days under Section 61(2) of the IBC. Consequently, the application for condonation of delay was dismissed, and the appeal was rejected on grounds of being time-barred.

Significant holdings include the Tribunal's reiteration of the strict limitation regime under the IBC and the principle that knowledge of the order or its pronouncement triggers the limitation period. The Tribunal stated: "The Appellants arguments that limitation for filing of Appeal under Section 61 of IBC would commence from 18th September 2024 i.e. the date of knowledge of the contents of order cannot be accepted as per existing law, which prescribes strict compliances with the timelines in the IBC proceedings." Further, the Tribunal emphasized that "the argument for taking advantage of the Navratri holidays is absurd and is of no avail to the Appellant."

Core principles reaffirmed include that modification orders do not reset limitation periods if the substantive order remains unchallenged, and that delay caused by lack of vigilance or failure to promptly seek certified copies or communicate with the RP does not constitute sufficient cause. The Tribunal underscored that the limitation period under Section 61(2) is mandatory and only a maximum of 15 days delay beyond 30 days can be condoned, subject to sufficient cause.

In final determination, the Tribunal dismissed the condonation application and consequently the appeal, holding that the appellant's delay of 47 days or more was not justifiable, and that the appeal was barred by limitation. The Tribunal's decision thus enforces the procedural rigor and timeline discipline essential for insolvency proceedings under the IBC framework.

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