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

2026 Supreme(Online)(Ker) 29670

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
P. V. BALAKRISHNAN, J
FAIZAL T – Appellant
Versus
STATE BANK OF INDIA – Respondent
WP(C) NO. 15514 OF 2026



Advocates:
For the Appellants/Petitioners: VISHNU NARAYANAN, ASWATHY KRISHNA M.P.
For the Respondents: PREETHI RAMAKRISHNAN

A writ petition challenging proceedings under the SARFAESI Act is not maintainable when an efficacious alternative remedy is available before the Debts Recovery Tribunal.

Headnote:The petitioner filed this writ petition challenging the recovery measures initiated by the respondent financial institution under the SARFAESI Act, 2002. The court examined the maintainability of the writ petition in light of the availability of an alternative statutory remedy. The court addressed the issue of whether a writ petition is maintainable against proceedings initiated under the SARFAESI Act. Relying on settled judicial precedents, the court held that since an efficacious alternative remedy is available before the Debts Recovery Tribunal, the invocation of writ jurisdiction is inappropriate. The writ petition is dismissed, with liberty granted to the petitioner to approach the appropriate statutory forum.

Table of Content
1. exhaustion of statutory remedies before the debts recovery tribunal is mandatory for sarfaesi disputes. (Para 1 , 2 , 3 , 4)

JUDGMENT

Dated this the 18th day of May, 2026 It is aggrieved by the coercive steps taken by respondent under the provisions of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘SARFAESI Act’, for short), this writ petition has been preferred by the petitioner.

2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Standing Counsel for the respondent.

3. The learned Standing Counsel appearing for the respondent vehemently opposed entertaining this writ petition and granting the reliefs to the petitioner since, he has an efficacious alternative remedy before the Debts Recovery Tribunal.

4. The Honourable Apex Court in a catena of decisions including, the decisions in Phoenix ARC Pvt. Ltd. v. Vishwa Bharati Vidya Mandir and Others [2022 KHC OnLine 6040], South Indian Bank Ltd. (M/s.) v. Naveen Mathew Philip [2023 KHC OnLine 6435] and PHR Invent Educational Society v. UCO Bank [2024 KHC OnLine

6208], has categorically held that writ petitions against SARFAESI proceedings must not be entertained since, the aggrieved persons have an alternative and efficacious remedy before the Debts Recovery Tribunal.

In such circumstances, this writ petition is dismissed, without prejudice to the contentions and right of the petitioner to avail the statutory remedy.

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