SCI (2018.11.01) in M/s Hindon Forge Pvt. Ltd. vs The State Of Uttar Pradesh [2019 (2) SCC 198, CIVIL APPEAL NO. 10873 OF 2018 (ARISING OUT OF SLP(CIVIL) NO.5895 OF 2018)] held that;
That all measures having been taken under section 13(4), and before the date of sale auction, it would be open for the borrower to file a petition under section 17 of the Act.
That if on receipt of the notice under section 13(2), the borrower makes a representation or raises an objection, the secured creditor is to consider such representation or objection and give reasons for non- acceptance. The proviso to section 13(3-A) makes it clear that this would not confer upon the borrower any right to prefer an application to the Debts Recovery Tribunal under section 17 as at this stage no action has yet been taken under section 13(4).
This is for the reason that, from this stage on, the secured asset is liable to be sold to realise the debt owed, and title in the asset divested from the borrower and complete title given to the purchaser, as is mentioned in Section 13(6) of the Act.
There is, thus, a radical change in the borrower dealing with the secured asset from this stage. At the stage of a Section 13(2) notice, Section 13(13) interdicts the borrower from transferring the secured asset (otherwise than in the ordinary course of his business) without prior written consent of the secured creditor.
But once a possession notice is given under Rules 8(1) and 8(2) by the secured creditor to the borrower, the borrower cannot deal with the secured asset at all as all further steps to realise the same are to be taken by the secured creditor under the 2002 Rules.”
General scheme of the Act is also clear from section 17(2) which states that the Debts Recovery Tribunal, when an application is filed before it, shall consider whether any of the measures referred to in section 13(4) taken by the secured creditor are in accordance with the provisions of the Act and rules made thereunder.
Excerpts of the Order;
# 9. The judgment in Mardia Chemicals (supra) had made it clear in paragraph 80 that all measures having been taken under section 13(4), and before the date of sale auction, it would be open for the borrower to file a petition under section 17 of the Act. This paragraph appears to have been missed by the Full Bench in the impugned judgment.
# 10. A reading of section 13 would make it clear that where a default in repayment of a secured debt or any instalment thereof is made by a borrower, the secured creditor may require the borrower, by notice in writing, to discharge in full his liabilities to the secured creditor within 60 days from the date of notice. It is only when the borrower fails to do so that the secured creditor may have recourse to the provisions contained in section 13(4) of the Act. Section 13(3-A) was inserted by the 2004 Amendment Act, pursuant to Mardia Chemicals (supra), making it clear that if on receipt of the notice under section 13(2), the borrower makes a representation or raises an objection, the secured creditor is to consider such representation or objection and give reasons for non- acceptance. The proviso to section 13(3-A) makes it clear that this would not confer upon the borrower any right to prefer an application to the Debts Recovery Tribunal under section 17 as at this stage no action has yet been taken under section 13(4).
# 11. When we come to Section 13(4)(a), what is clear is that the mode of taking possession of the secured assets of the borrower is specified by Rule 8. Under Section 38 of the Act, the Central Government may make rules to carry out the provisions of the Act. One such rule is Rule 8. Rule 8(1) makes it clear that “the authorised officer shall take or cause to be taken possession”. The expression “cause to be taken” only means that the authorised officer need not himself take possession, but may, for example, appoint an agent to do so. What is important is that such taking of possession is effected under sub-rule (1) of Rule 8 by delivering a possession notice prepared in accordance with Appendix IV of the 2002 Rules, and by affixing such notice on the outer door or other conspicuous place of the property concerned. Under sub-rule (2), such notice shall also be published within 7 days from the date of such taking of possession in two leading newspapers, one in the vernacular language having sufficient circulation in the locality. This is for the reason that when we come to Appendix IV, the borrower in particular, and the public in general is cautioned by the said possession notice not to deal with the property as possession of the said property has been taken. This is for the reason that, from this stage on, the secured asset is liable to be sold to realise the debt owed, and title in the asset divested from the borrower and complete title given to the purchaser, as is mentioned in Section 13(6) of the Act. There is, thus, a radical change in the borrower dealing with the secured asset from this stage. At the stage of a Section 13(2) notice, Section 13(13) interdicts the borrower from transferring the secured asset (otherwise than in the ordinary course of his business) without prior written consent of the secured creditor. But once a possession notice is given under Rules 8(1) and 8(2) by the secured creditor to the borrower, the borrower cannot deal with the secured asset at all as all further steps to realise the same are to be taken by the secured creditor under the 2002 Rules.”
# 12. Section 19, which is strongly relied upon by Shri Ranjit Kumar, also makes it clear that compensation is receivable under section 19 only when possession of secured assets is not in accordance with the provision of this Act and rules made thereunder. The scheme of section 13(4) read with rule 8(1) therefore makes it clear that the delivery of a possession notice together with affixation on the property and publication is one mode of taking “possession” under section 13(4). This being the case, it is clear that section 13(6) kicks in as soon as this is done as the expression used in section 13(6) is “after taking possession”. Also, it is clear that rule 8(5) to 8(8) also kick in as soon as “possession” is taken under rule 8(1) and 8(2). The statutory scheme, therefore, in the present case is that once possession is taken under rule 8(1) and 8(2) read with section 13(4)(a), section 17 gets attracted, as this is one of the measures referred to in section 13(4) that has been taken by the secured creditor under Chapter III.
# 13. Rule 8(3) begins with the expression “in the event of”.
These words make it clear that possession may be taken alternatively under sub-rule (3). The further expression used in That this is the general scheme of the Act is also clear from section 17(2) which states that the Debts Recovery Tribunal, when an application is filed before it, shall consider whether any of the measures referred to in section 13(4) taken by the secured creditor are in accordance with the provisions of the Act and rules made thereunder.
sub-rule (3) is “actually taken” making it clear that physical possession is referred to by rule 8(3). Thus, whether possession is taken under either rule 8(1) and 8(2), or under rule 8(3), measures are taken by the secured creditor under section 13(4) for the purpose of attracting section 17(1).
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