Andhra Pradesh High Court
Judges : CHENNAKESAVA REDDY, V.RAMASWAMI
Punjab National Bank, Madras.rep.by its Chief Manager - Appellant
Versus
Challapalli Sugars Ltd., madras - Respondent
Decided On : 04-22-83
ANDHRA PRADESH SUGAR CANE (REGULATION OF SUPPLY AND PURCHASES) ACT, 1961 - SECTION 19(4) AND RULE 39-A - INTERPRETATION - RIGHT TO RECOVER MONEY LENT BY BANK TO SUGAR FACTORY - SUBJECT TO PROVISIONS OF SECTION 19(4) AND RULE 39-A - BANK'S RIGHT AS SECURED CREDITOR LOST TO THE EXTENT OF 65% OF AMOUNT ADVANCED.
Fact of the Case:
The appellant bank entered into an agreement with the respondent sugar factory to extend several monetary facilities including grant of key-loan on the factory pledging the sugar produced or to be produced by it as security for due discharge thereof. The bank estimated the stock to be 54,849 quintals and its value at Rs. 1,75,10,000/-. The Revenue Divisional Officer attached the sugar stored in the godowns for recovery of Rs. 1,06,80,579-86 Ps. due and payable by the factory under various heads. The bank filed a writ petition for a mandamus to direct the respondents to desist from recovering the dues by the seizure and sale of the sugar pledged to the bank. The learned single Judge partly allowed the writ petition holding that the arrears of purchase-tax of Rs 18,97, 040-03 Ps. for the year 1974-75 does not take precedence over the bank's claim though recoverable as arrears of land revenue. He disallowed the relief to the extent of purchase tax of Rs. 8, 83,152-08 Ps. for the year 1981-1982 and Rs. 84,00,387-75 Ps. towards sugarcane price payable to the cultivators. The bank is assailing in this appeal only the precedence given to the recovery of cane price payable to the cultivators over its right on the premise that under the contract, the bank has got the first charge over the stock of sugar pledged with it.
Finding of the Court:
The Court held that the provisions of Section 19(4) and Rule 39-A of the Andhra Pradesh Sugar Cane (Regulation of Supply and Purchases) Act, 1961 are mandatory and that by necessary implication the above provisions are intended to be read as part of the agreement entered into by the factory with the bank and that the bank shall comply with setting apart 65% of the amount of advance agreed to be lent to the factory on the sugar produced or to be produced in the factory. The Court further held that the bank lost its right as a secured creditor to the extent of 65% of the amount advanced retaining the remainder of 35% as secured creditor.
Issues: Whether the right to recover the money lent by the Bank to the factory is subject to the provisions of Section 19 (4) of the Andhra pradesh Sugarcane (Regulation of supply and Purchases) Act, 1961 (Act XLV of 1961) hereinafter referred to as "the act and Rule 39-A made thereunder though not engrafted therein.
Ratio Decidendi: The Court held that the provisions of Section 19(4) and Rule 39-A of the Andhra Pradesh Sugar Cane (Regulation of Supply and Purchases) Act, 1961 are mandatory and that by necessary implication the above provisions are intended to be read as part of the agreement entered into by the factory with the bank and that the bank shall comply with setting apart 65% of the amount of advance agreed to be lent to the factory on the sugar produced or to be produced in the factory. The Court further held that the bank lost its right as a secured creditor to the extent of 65% of the amount advanced retaining the remainder of 35% as secured creditor.
Final Decision: The Court dismissed the appeal with costs.
( 1 ) SHORT but an interesting question of law that emerges for adjudication in this appeal is : Whether the right to recover the money lent under a contract by a nationalised bank to a sugar factory is subject to the provisions of Section 19 (4) of the Andhra pradesh Sugarcane (Regulation of supply and Purchases) Act, 1961 (Act XLV of 1961) hereinafter referred to as "the act and Rule 39-A made thereunder though not engrafted therein.
( 2 ) TO decide this point, shortly stated the facts not in dispute are : The appallant, Punjab National Bank, its branch at Madras, hereinafter referred to "the Bank" entered into an agreement with the Challapalli Sugars Limited, the first respondent, hereineftar called "the factory", to extend several monetary facilities including grant of key-loan on the factory pledging the sugar produced or to be produced by it as security for due discharge thereof. Pursuant thereto, the factory, executed pledge-documents and the bank lent several sums. As and when the sugar was produced by the factory, it was stocked in the godowns kept under the custody of the bank. The sugar thus stored stands first charge for the bank to realise the amounts lent. It is not necessary to state the antecedent legal proceedings but suffice to start with the action initiated by the Revenue divisional Officer, Machilipatnam, the 3rd respondent, by serving a notice dated September 1, 1982 by affixure on the godown intimating that attachment of sugar stored in the godowns would ensue for recovery of Rs. 1,06,80,579- 86 Ps. due and payable by the factory under various heads, followed by attachment and seizure by breaking open the locks, counting the sugar bags stocked in the godown under a panchanama and keeping them under his lock and seal. The bank estimated the stock to be 54,849 quintals and its value at rs. 1,75,10,000/ -. The details of the amount due as mentioned in the notice are: Rs. 8400, 387-75ps. towards the sugar cane price payable to the cultivators for the crushing season 1981-82 and intended to be recovered as arrears of land revenue ; Rs. 8, 83,152-06 Ps. towards purchase tax for the year 1981-82 and P. s. 18,97,040-03 Ps. towards arrears of purchase tax for the year 1974-75.
( 3 ) ASSAILING the above action, the bank has filed writ Petition No. 6081/82 for a mandmus to direct the respondents 2 and 3 viz , the Government of andhra Pradesh and the Revenue Divisional Officer to desist from recovering the dues by the seizure and sale of the sugar pledged to the bank. Our learned brother, Jeevan Reddy, J. Partly allowed the writ petition holding that the arrears of purchase-tax of Rs 18,97, 040-03 Ps. for the year 1974-75 does not take precedence over the bank s claim though recoverable as arrears of land revenue. He disallowed the relief to the extent of purchase tax of Rs. 8, 83,152-08 Ps. for the year 1981-1982 and rs. 84,00,387-75 Ps. towards sugarcane price payable to the cultivators. The bank is not assailing in this writ appeal with regard to the right of the state Government to recover, Rs. 8,83, 152-08 Ps. towards the purchase-tax for the year 1981 -82 in view of the first charge statutorily created under Section 21 (3) of the Act. The Government did not file any appeal to the extent allowed. Out learned brother gave the following directions to the third respondent : (I) The Revenue Divisional Officer shall ascertain the amount which the bank has agreed to, or must be deemed to have agreed to, advance on the stocks of sugar pledged to it during the current season. This can be done by ascertaining the actual quantity of sugar pledged to the Bank, keeping in mind the agreement now subsisting between the bank and the occupier of the factory (according to the Bank and the 1st respondent, the agreement now in force is dated 24-2-1979, a photo-copy of which was made avilable to this court) ; (II) 65% of the amount so agreed to be advanced during the year 1981- 82 (current season), shall be directed
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