Gujarat High Court
Judgename :Jayant Patel
APEX ELECTRICALS LTD. - Appellant
Versus
I.C.I.C.I.BANK LTD. - Respondent
S.C.A. 3401 of 2003
Decided On : 07/30/2003
Constitution of India, 1950 – Article 226 – Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 – Sections 13, 17, 35 –Challenge is to action of Bank of taking steps under Sec. 13 (4) of Act of either sealing secured assets and/or for taking possession of secured assets – It is also an admitted position that as per the information supplied to Court that none of petitioners has approached Debts Recovery Tribunal against action of Bank under Sec. 13 (4) of Act by preferring appeal under sec. 17 of Act and all these petitions are preferred under Art. 226 of constitution of India before this Court – Held, Even if bye-laws are treated as an agreement between member and a Co-operative bank, which is a Co-operative Society, then also as per provisions of Sec. 35 of the Act, provisions of the present Act shall have effect notwithstanding other law for time-being in force and/or an instrument having effect by virtue of such law – Method providing for remedial measure is for realisation of security interest in secured assets of a Co-operative bank and such method/procedure is in addition to provisions of any other law for the time-being in force, therefore, it cannot legitimately be contended that Co-operative Banks cannot resort to the provisions of Act for realisation of their secured assets as per present Act – It is only in case where default is after Act coming into force and debt which has accrued after Act has come into force and loan transaction which has taken place after Act came into force, would be covered by the provisions of Act and not default or loan transaction or debt prior to Act, as case may be – Order Accordingly (Paras 19, 20)
( 1 ) IN all these petitions challenge is made by the concerned petitioners to the action taken by the concerned respondent bank or Financial Institution, as the case may be, under the Act. In majority of the cases the action under challenge is at a stage of issuance of notice under sec. 13 (2) of "the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002" (hereinafter referred to as "the act"), requiring the borrower, by notice in writing, to discharge full liabilities of secured creditors. Only in few cases which shall be dealt with at the appropriate stage, there is challenge to other actions of Bank in addition to the action for challenging the notice. The challenge is also to the action of the Bank of taking steps under Sec. 13 (4) of the Act of either sealing secured assets and/or for taking possession of the secured assets. It is also an admitted position that as per the information supplied to the Court that none of the petitioners has approached Debts Recovery Tribunal (hereinafter referred to as "d. R. T. ") against the action of the Bank under Sec. 13 (4) of the Act by preferring appeal under sec. 17 of the Act and all these petitions are preferred under Art. 226 of the constitution of India before this Court.
( 2 ) I have heard the learned Counsel appearing for the parties namely, Mr. Mihir H. Joshi, Mr. N. K. Majmudar, Mr. Bhagat, Mr. M. S. Shah, Mr. S. S. Shah, Mr. P. S. Champaneri, Mr. Marshal, Mr. J. T. Trivedi, Mr. A. M. Parekh, Mr. C. L. Soni, Mr. Kapadia, Mr. A. M. Raval, and Mr. Jayesh Dave, and other learned Advocates appearing on behalf of the petitioners who are mainly representing borrowers or loanees or the guarantors. I have also heard learned Counsel, Mr. M. J. Thakore, with Mr. Sangi, Mr. S. N. Soparkar, with Mr. Amar Bhatt, Mr. K. S. Nanavati with Mr. Chudgar, Mr. Panesar, Mr. P. V. Nanavati, and Mr. G. S. Thakkar, and other learned advocates appearing for Financial Institution, Nationalized Banks, Other Banks and the Co-operative Banks, as the case may be.
( 3 ) THE other learned Counsel appearing for the petitioners have adopted the submissions made by the aforesaid learned Advocates Mr. M. H. Joshi and others appearing either for the borrowers or the guarantors, as the case may be, and the learned Counsel appearing for the Banks, may be Nationalized Banks or Co-operative Banks or other Banks, as the case may be, have adopted the submissions made by aforesaid learned Advocates appearing for Banks namely mr. M. J. Thakore and others.
( 4 ) THE contentions raised by the learned Counsel appearing for the parties shall be considered and dealt with to the extent they are relevant for deciding the questions and the points involved in these petitions, in the subsequent portion of the judgment hereinafter.
( 5 ) IT was already indicated to the learned Counsel appearing for the parties that the matters are being considered for final disposal, and therefore, the learned counsel have accordingly made submissions for such purpose, and therefore, they are being decided finally.
( 6 ) WHEN the hearing of the group had begun, it was already notified to all the learned Advocates appearing for the parties that the hearing of the present group of petitions which is under the Act has already started and those who want to address the Court may make submissions and if the learned Advocates are desirous to give notes for distinguishing facts, they may also give one page note for such purpose.
( 7 ) THE perusal of the prayers made in the petitions and more particularly keeping in view notes submitted by the learned Advocates for giving distinguishing facts it appears that the present group of petitions can be classified into various categories on facts as under : (a) the petitions wherein challenge to the constitutionality of the provisions of the Act is attempted to be made by filing applications for amendment in the main Special Civil Applications; (b) t
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