NCLAT Suggests Appointing Former Supreme Court Judge For IL&FS Asset Sales
NCLAT wants the transfer of assets at IL&FS Group to happen under supervision of a Supreme Court judge.
The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal on Friday suggested that all further proceedings for transfer of assets of crisis-hit Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services should take place under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge.
The new management of IL&FS is considering asset sales to bail out the company from its financial mess and pay back to its lenders over Rs 90,000 crore.
“As it appears that a process required to be followed, similar to corporate insolvency resolution process, for the purpose of proper resolution of IL&FS and its subsidiaries,” said a two-judge bench headed by Justice SJ Mukhopadhaya.
It added that in such a case, a committee of creditors may be required for determining “viability, feasibility and financial matrix of the plan or offer, if any, given by one or other party for acquisition of one or other group companies or its asset”.
“In such case, parties are directed to address as to why this appellate tribunal will not direct that while matter to be supervised by a retired Supreme Court Judge,” the appellate tribunal said.
Meanwhile, the NCLAT also clarified that “IL&FS and its board may be allowed to proceed with the matter”. The NCLAT also directed IL&FS to submit all details of the arbitration proceedings going against it and its 348 group companies.
The two-member bench also said that the pending arbitration proceedings against IL&FS and its subsidiaries companies would proceed but the order would be kept in a sealed cover.
“So far as the pending arbitration proceedings are concerned, if any pending before one or other arbitral tribunal in which the IL&FS or any of its 348 group companies are parties, in such case, the arbitral tribunal may proceed with to determine the claim and counter claim, if any, made by the parties and may pass the award, and keep it in a sealed cover,” the appellate tribunal said.
However, it also added that “if the award is given in favour of the “IL&FS” or any of its group companies, in such case, the award need not be kept in a sealed cover, even during the pendency of the company petition.”
The NCLAT directed to list the matter on Jan. 28 for next hearing, when it would hear the matter of granting moratorium to IL&FS and group companies.
The appellate tribunal was hearing a petition filed by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and IL&FS.
Earlier, passing an order on Jan. 1, 2019, the NCLT had permitted the government to reopen and recast the accounts of IL&FS and its subsidiaries, IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd. and IL&FS Financial Services, for the past five years.
On Oct. 15, NCLAT had stayed all proceedings against IL&FS group and its 348 firms till its further order, over an urgent petition moved by the government.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs had approached the appellate tribunal after the Mumbai bench of national company law tribunal turned down its plea to grant 90-day moratorium.
This matter is scheduled to be heard on Jan. 28 for hearing.
The NCLT had on Oct. 1 suspended the board of IL&FS on government's plea and authorised reconstitution of the board by appointing seven directors two days later.