SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2023 Supreme(P&H) 2558

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
G.S. SANDHAWALIA, HARPREET KAUR JEEWAN, JJ.
Kapoor Mala Jain – Petitioner
Versus
M/s. Aditya Birla Finance Limited & Anr. – Respondents
CWP-26506 of 2022
Decided On : 11-04-2023

Advocates Appeared:
Mr. N.K. Verma, Advocate; For the Petitioner

Headnote:(A) Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 - Sections 13(2) and 17 - Challenge to securitization proceedings regarding demand for recovery of dues - The Writ Court should not exercise jurisdiction under Articles 226/227 when an alternative remedy exists, as affirmed in United Bank of India v. Satyawati Tondon. (Paras 3, 27, 29)

(B) Jurisdiction - High Court's jurisdiction under Articles 226 and 227 is limited when statutory remedies are available, as established in Kaniyalal Lalchand Sachdev v. State of Maharashtra and M/s Hindon Forge Pvt. Ltd. v. State of Uttar Pradesh. (Paras 5, 6)

Facts of the case:
The petitioner challenged the notice issued under Section 13(2) of the Act demanding Rs.3,93,39,611.40/-, leading to the taking of possession of mortgaged property.

Findings of Court:
The High Court maintained that the petitioner should utilize the available statutory remedy under Section 17 of the Act, thereby disposing of the writ petition.

Issues: The core issue is whether the High Court should intervene in the matter given the existence of alternative remedies under the Act.

Ratio Decidendi: The court ruled that the existence of a statutory remedy precludes the exercise of writ jurisdiction, emphasizing the importance of adhering to established legal protocols for financial recoveries.

Result: The writ petition is disposed of, relegating the petitioner to pursue an alternative remedy.

Table of Content
1. challenge regarding securitisation proceedings. (Para 1 , 2)
2. high court should be cautious in writ jurisdiction. (Para 3)
3. jurisdictional issues related to statutory remedies. (Para 4 , 5 , 6)
4. writ petition dismissed; alternate remedy advised. (Para 8)

JUDGMENT

G.S.Sandhawalia, J. (Oral) - The challenge in the petition is to the securitisation proceedings wherein while issuing notice dated 16.06.2021 (Annexure P-3) under Section 13 (2) of the Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002, (for short 'the Act') a demand of Rs.3,93,39,611.40/- was made.

2. The possession of the mortgaged property thereafter was taken on 14.10.2022 which is the subject matter of challenge including the public auction which was to be held.

3. Keeping in view the above, we are of the considered opinion that it is not for the Writ Court to exercise its extra-ordinary writ jurisdiction under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India, in view of the huge outstanding as the bank is only seeking to recover the same, especially keeping in view the law laid down in United Bank of India v. Satyawati Tondon and others , (2010) 8 SCC 110 . The principles laid down in the said case were also arising out of the proceedings of Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act') and resultantly discussing the law in detail it was held that as under:-

    27. It is a matter of serious concern that despite repeated pronouncement of this Court, the High Courts continue to ignore the availability of statutory remedies under the DRT Act and SARFAESI Act and exercise jurisdiction under Article 226 for passing orders which have serious adverse impact on the right of banks and other financial institutions to recover their dues. We hope and trust that in future the High Courts will exercise their discretion in such matters with greater caution, care and circumspection.

    28. Insofar as this case is concerned, we are convinced that the High Court was not at all justified in injuncting the appellant from taking action in furtherance of notice issued under Section 13(4) of the Act.

    29. In the result, the appeal is allowed and the impugned order is set aside. Since the respondent has not appeared to contest the appeal, the costs are made easy."

4. In Union Bank of India and another v. Panchanan Subudhi , (2010) 15 SCC 552 , the High Court had disposed of the writ petition by directing the petitioners to pay a sum of Rs.10 lakhs in installments for liquidating the dues of the appellant-Bank and proceedings were pending before the Debts Recovery Tribunal. During the pendency of the proceedings before the Tribunal, the Bank had issued notices under Section 13 (2) and 13 (4) of the Securitization and Re-construction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 and even the recovery amount had been quantified by the Tribunal. Resultantly, the High Court had been approached, which had directed that the amount be paid in installments. Thereafter, the appeal had been filed before the Apex Court, wherein it was held that there was no justification for the High Court to entertain the writ petition by ignoring the fact a statutory alternative remedy was available to the respondent under Section 17 of the Act. Section 17 reads as under:-

    "17. Application against measures to recover secured debts.-

    (1) Any person (including borrower), aggrieved by any of the measures referred to in sub-section (4) of section 13 taken by the secured creditor or his authorised officer under this Chapter, 1 [may make an application along with such fee, as may be prescribed,] to the Debts Recovery Tribunal having jurisdiction in the matter within forty five days from the date on which such measure had been taken:

    Provided that different fees may be prescribed for making the application by the borrower and the person other than th

                                              Click Here to Read the rest of this document
                                              1
                                              2
                                              3
                                              4
                                              5
                                              6
                                              7
                                              8
                                              9
                                              10
                                              11
                                              SupremeToday Portrait Ad
                                              supreme today icon
                                              logo-black

                                              An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

                                              Please visit our Training & Support
                                              Center or Contact Us for assistance

                                              qr

                                              Scan Me!

                                              India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

                                              For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

                                              whatsapp-icon Back to top