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TMI Blog2019 (12) TMI 1650X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... d to as the 'I&B Code'), seeking exclusion of time period of 129 days, was accepted but the Adjudicating Authority excluded period of 100 days only with effect from 1st May, 2019 to 9th August, 2019, i.e., the date of pendency of the proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal and the Hon'ble Supreme Court. 3. Learned Counsel appearing on behalf of the Appellant submits that the Appellant was appointed later on and 29 days of exclusion should have been granted as no steps for liquidation were taken by the earlier 'Liquidator', showing his inability to continue as 'Liquidator'. After 29 days, the Appellant was appointed as 'Liquidator'. However, that cannot be a ground for exclusion of period of 29 days. The period which has been taken by this Appellate Tribunal and the Hon'ble Supreme Court, i.e., the total period of 180 days has been taken into consideration for the purpose of counting the period of exclusion. We find no reason to interfere with the impugned order dated 14th October, 2019. 4. Learned Counsel for the Appellant submits that the Appellant was directed to sell the assets within 180 days. However, we are not inclined to make any observation in this regard as ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ng the resolution process. The timelines within which the resolution process is to take place again protects the corporate debtor's assets from further dilution, and also protects all its creditors and workers by seeing that the resolution process goes through as fast as possible so that another management can, through its entrepreneurial skills, resuscitate the corporate debtor to achieve all these ends." In 'Arcelormittal India Pvt. Ltd. vs. Satish Kumar Gupta & Ors.' at paragraph 83, footnote 3 is mentioned. The Hon'ble Supreme Court noticed that : "3. Regulation 32 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Liquidation Process) Regulations, 2016, states that the liquidator may also sell the corporate debtor as a going concern." 6. In 'Meghal Homes Pvt. Ltd. vs. Shree Niwas Girni K.K. Samiti & Ors. - (2007) 7 SCC 753" the Hon'ble Supreme Court observed and held as follows: "33. The argument that Section 391 would not apply to a company which has already been ordered to be wound up, cannot be accepted in view of the language of Section 391(1) of the Act, which speaks of a company which is being wound up. If we substitute the definition in Section 390(a) of the A ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... the latest financial position of the company, the latest auditor's report on the accounts of the company and the pendency of any investigation or proceedings against the company; (b) reduction of share capital of the company, if any, included in the compromise or arrangement; (c) any scheme of corporate debt restructuring consented to by not less than seventy-five per cent. of the secured creditors in value, including- (i) a creditor's responsibility statement in the prescribed form; (ii) safeguards for the protection of other secured and unsecured creditors; (iii) report by the auditor that the fund requirements of the company after the corporate debt restructuring as approved shall conform to the liquidity test based upon the estimates provided to them by the Board; (iv) where the company proposes to adopt the corporate debt restructuring guidelines specified by the Reserve Bank of India, a statement to that effect; and (v) a valuation report in respect of the shares and the property and all assets, tangible and intangible, movable and immovable, of the company by a registered valuer. (3) Where a meeting is proposed to be called in pursuance of an order o ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... such other sectoral regulators or authorities which are likely to be affected by the compromise or arrangement and shall require that representations, if any, to be made by them shall be made within a period of thirty days from the date of receipt of such notice, failing which, it shall be presumed that they have no representations to make on the proposals. (6) Where, at a meeting held in pursuance of sub-section (1), majority of persons representing threefourths in value of the creditors, or class of creditors or members or class of members, as the case may be, voting in person or by proxy or by postal ballot, agree to any compromise or arrangement and if such compromise or arrangement is sanctioned by the Tribunal by an order, the same shall be binding on the company, all the creditors, or class of creditors or members or class of members, as the case may be, or, in case of a company being wound up, on the liquidator appointed under this Act or under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, as the case may be, and the contributories of the company. (7) An order made by the Tribunal under subsection (6) shall provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:- (a) ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... on, pass such order as it may deem fit. Explanation.-For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that the provisions of section 66 shall not apply to the reduction of share capital effected in pursuance of the order of the Tribunal under this section. 8. In view of the provision of Section 230 and the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in 'Meghal Homes Pvt. Ltd.' and 'Swiss Ribbons Pvt. Ltd.', we direct the 'Liquidator' to proceed in accordance with law. He will verify claims of all the creditors; take into custody and control all the assets, property, effects and actionable claims of the 'corporate debtor', carry on the business of the 'corporate debtor' for its beneficial liquidation etc. as prescribed under Section 35 of the I&B Code. The Liquidator will access information under Section 33 and will consolidate the claim under Section 38 and after verification of claim in terms of Section 39 will either admit or reject the claim, as required under Section 40. Before taking steps to sell the assets of the 'corporate debtor(s)' (companies herein), the Liquidator will take steps in terms of Section 230 of the Companies Act, 2013. The Adjudicating Authority, if so required ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... the Companies Act, 2013. As the liquidation so taken up under the 'I&B Code', the arrangement of scheme should be in consonance with the statement and object of the 'I&B Code'. Meaning thereby, the scheme must ensure maximisation of the assets of the 'Corporate Debtor' and balance the stakeholders such as, the 'Financial Creditors', 'Operational Creditors', 'Secured Creditors' and 'Unsecured Creditors' without any discrimination. Before approval of an arrangement or Scheme, the Adjudicating Authority (National Company Law Tribunal) should follow the same principle and should allow the 'Liquidator' to constitute a 'Committee of Creditors' for its opinion to find out whether the arrangement of Scheme is viable, feasible and having appropriate financial matrix. It will be open for the Adjudicating Authority as a Tribunal to approve the arrangement or Scheme in spite of some irrelevant objections as may be raised by one or other creditor or member keeping in mind the object of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016." 6. In view of the aforesaid decision of this Appellate Tribunal, we direct the 'Liquidator' to first act in accordance with the decision in Y. Shivram Prasad (supra) b ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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