The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has asked applicants seeking adjournments to, as far as practicable, obtain a “No Objection” endorsement from opposing counsel before submitting their requests.

The direction forms part of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) dated 10 September 2026, which lays down procedures for filing and processing applications concerning pending matters, urgent listing or mentioning, adjournments, and extensions of time. The SOP has come into effect immediately and will remain operative until modified or superseded.

Where notice has already been issued, applicants seeking adjournments must serve a copy of the application on all appearing parties before submitting it to the Registry. Proof of such service must accompany the application. The applicant shall, as far as practicable, obtain a “No Objection” endorsement from the counsel appearing for the opposite party.

If the opposite party refuses to give the endorsement, the applicant must specifically state in the application that a “No Objection” was sought but was declined or refused. The absence of such an endorsement, however, will not by itself prevent the matter from being placed before the Bench.

The prescribed adjournment form requires applicants to disclose the reasons for seeking the adjournment, the number of adjournments already granted, whether an interim stay is operating, the next date of hearing, and the date on which the matter is sought to be postponed.

The SOP also coveres other requests: permission to file an application in a pending matter, urgent mentioning for listing or accommodation, adjournments, and extension of time for filing replies, rejoinders, process fees, additional documents or other documents permitted by the Tribunal.

All such requests must be made in the prescribed formats. Incomplete applications or applications not submitted in the prescribed format shall not ordinarily be processed and will be summarily rejected.

Applications must be submitted through the designated NCLAT email address by 3 PM on the working day preceding the date on which the request is intended to be considered.

Applications received thereafter will ordinarily be considered on the next working day, unless the concerned Bench directs otherwise.

For urgent listing or mentioning, applicants must disclose details of the adjudicating authority's order, the grounds of urgency, the precise relief sought, the stage of the matter, whether notice has been issued, whether all parties have been informed where applicable, and complete particulars of the counsel appearing for the applicant. Mere filing of an application does not entitle an applicant to urgent listing.

For interlocutory applications proposed to be filed in pending matters, the prescribed form must indicate the nature of the application and the reasons necessitating its filing.

The Registry will scrutinize applications to check whether the prescribed format has been used, all particulars have been furnished, supporting documents have been enclosed where applicable, proof of service has been furnished wherever required, and the application is otherwise complete. Applications found complete will be placed before the concerned Bench for appropriate orders.

Applications seeking extension of time must state the period of delay, the order under which the filing was required, the reasons for the delay, and the period of extension sought.

Submission of an application also does not create any vested right in favour of the applicant.

The bench's discretion to permit or refuse urgent listing and grant or decline adjournments or extensions of time remains unaffected.

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To Read the full text of the Order CLICK HERE