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2009 Supreme(All) 910

HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
AMITAVA LALA AND RAJES KUMAR, JJ.
ACE MEDIA ADVERTISERS PVT LTD
Versus
BANK OF BARODA
Decided On : 26 March 2009
C. M. W. P. No. 2452 of 2009

Advocates Appeared:
Bhagwati Prasad Singh, Satya Jeet Mukharjee, Vivek Kumar Singh,

The main legal point established in the judgment is that the remedies under the Securitisation Act and the DRT Act are complementary and can be pursued simultaneously, and the doctrine of election of remedies does not apply when the remedies are complementary and not repugnant.

Headnote:

Securitisation Act - Writ Petition - Section 13 (2) of Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 - Summary of Acts and Sections: The court discussed the provisions of Section 13 (2) of the Securitisation Act and its relationship with the Recovery of Debts due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993. It highlighted the interpretation of the term 'debt' as per Section 2 (g) of the DRT Act and the applicability of both Acts in parallel. The court also referred to the judgment in Transcore v. Union of India and another (2008) 1 SCC 125 : (AIR 2007 SC 712) to emphasize the complementary nature of the remedies under the two Acts and the non-applicability of the doctrine of election of remedies.

Fact of the Case:

The petitioners sought to quash an order and notice issued under Section 13 (2) of the Securitisation Act. The respondent-bank held that the notice was legal and sustainable, and had the right to proceed simultaneously under the Securitisation Act and the DRT Act. The petitioners contended that when a decree has been passed by the DRT, they cannot be subjected to the remedy available under the Securitisation Act.

Finding of the Court:

The court analyzed the provisions of the Securitisation Act and the DRT Act, along with the judgment in Transcore v. Union of India and another, to conclude that the remedies under both Acts are complementary and can be pursued simultaneously. It held that the process under the Securitisation Act, during the pendency of proceeding under the DRT Act, cannot be a bar. However, if a decree/order is passed by DRT, the claim under the Securitisation Act will be confined to that extent.

Issues: The main issue was whether the bank could proceed under the Securitisation Act when a decree/order had been passed by the DRT, and the applicability of the doctrine of election of remedies.

Ratio Decidendi: The court established that the remedies under the Securitisation Act and the DRT Act are complementary and can be pursued simultaneously. It emphasized the non-applicability of the doctrine of election of remedies when the remedies are complementary and not repugnant.

Final Decision: The writ petition was disposed of with the finding that the process under the Securitisation Act, during the pendency of proceeding under the DRT Act, cannot be a bar. However, the claim under the Securitisation Act will be confined to the extent of the decree/order passed by DRT.

AMITAVA LALA, J.

( 1 ) THIS writ petition has been filed by the petitioners to get a writ or direction issued in the nature of Certio-rari to quash the impugned order dated 11th december, 2008 passed by the respondent no. 2 and notice dated 14th October, 2008 issued under Section 13 (2) of Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (for short the Securitisation Act ). ( 2 ) IT appears to this Court that by an order dated 26th November, 2008 passed in civil Misc. Writ Petition No. 61141 of 2008, m/s. Ace Media Advertisers Pvt. Ltd. and others. v. Branch Manager and others, this bench was pleased to pass following order:

"the contention of the petitioners is that there is an order of Debt Recovery Tribunal in favour of the respondents-bank and against the said order appeal is pending and, therefore, notice under Section 13 (2) of the securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial assets and Enforcement of Security Interest act, 2002 (hereinafter referred to as the "act, 2002") cannot be issued. It has been contended before this Court that two simultaneous remedies cannot be availed by the concerned bank, therefore, notice under Section 13 (2) of the Act is bad. We are of the view that the petitioners should file a reply/objection under Section 13 (3-A) of the act to the notice under Section 13 (2) of the act before the authority concerned raising its grievances and taking all defence taken before this Court. In view of the above, writ petition is disposed of with the direction that in case if petitioners file any objection to the notice under Section 13 (2) of the Act within a period of seven days, the same will be considered by the authority concerned expeditiously within a period an other seven days after giving opportunity of hearing by a speaking order in accordance to law. It is made clear that we have not adjudicated the matter on merit. No order is passed as to costs. "

( 3 ) SUCH objection was considered under the order impugned dated 11th December, 2008 by the authorised officer of the respondent-bank and it was held that the notice under Section 13 (2) of the Securitisation Act is legal and accordingly sustainable. It has right to proceed simultaneously under the securitisation Act and The Recovery of Debts due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1093 (hereinafter referred to as the DRT act ). As per Reserve Bank of India (for short rbi) guidelines, the account is NPA (non-performing asset) and the petitioners are chronic defaulters. The denial in the objection is bogus, concocted and has no force in the eye of law. The Bank calculated interest as per the RBI guidelines. The Bank had already served notice upon the petitioners under section 13 (2) of the Securitisation Act and such service of notice has been admitted in the objection. The Bank has full right to recover the outstanding dues with interest till the date of payment through securitisation Act or under, decree passed by Debts Recovery Tribunal (for short drt)as such effective for clearance of dues amount, as deemed fit. Question of availability of other mechanism of recovery cannot be bar for providing remedy under securitisation Act.

( 4 ) ACCORDING to learned counsel appearing for the petitioners, when a decree has been passed by the DRT in accordance with the DRT Act, the petitioners cannot be subjected to the remedy available under the securitisation Act.

( 5 ) LEARNED counsel appearing for the respondents, on the other hand, has vehemently opposed the contentions of the petitioners and brought to our notice various provisions of both the Acts. According to him, as per Section 2 (ha), being definition clause of Securitisation Act, debt shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (g) of section 2 of DRT Act. This has been incorporated in the law with effect from 11th November, 2004. Therefore, if we go through the reference under the meaning of debt in the above Act, we have to see clause (g)

























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