JUDGMENT

Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, J. - The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), a statutory authority under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980 (hereinafter referred to as "1980 Act"), has filed the present writ petition challenging an Order dated December 17, 2019 passed by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), acting as Adjudicating Authority under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (hereinafter referred to as "the IBC") for handing over physical possession of the office premises at 127A, Sarat Bose Road, Kolkata - 700 026.

2. The KMC, in exercise of its authority under Sections 217-220 of the 1980 Act, had distrained the said property in recovery of municipal tax dues from an assessee.

3. Subsequently, the debt of the assessee came within the purview of a Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP), thus prompting respondent no.4, the Resolution Professional, representing the owner of the asset, to approach the NCLT for handing over of such physical possession of the property-in-question from the KMC. Such action gave rise to the present writ petition.

4. Learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioner, by relying on the 1980 Act, submits that the KMC is