Supreme Court
Supreme Court Denies Housing Societies Locus To Intervene In Insolvency Admission; Issues Directions For CoC
The Supreme Court has held that housing societies lack the locus standi to intervene in the admission stage of insolvency proceedings, ruling that “right to initiate or participate in CIRP flows from the debt transaction and the statute, not from associative or representational interest.” While limiting third-party intervention, the court simultaneously directed that the Committee of Creditors (CoC) “shall mandatorily record cogent and specific reasons in writing” whenever it...
Limitation Act Applies Only To Courts Not Tribunals Unless Statute Expressly Permits It: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has recently clarified that the Limitation Act applies only to cases filed before courts and cannot be used in proceedings before tribunals or other quasi-judicial bodies unless the statute expressly gives them that power. The ruling was delivered by a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan while allowing an appeal filed by The Property Company (P) Ltd., which challenged orders of the Company Law Board and the Calcutta High Court condoning a substantial delay...
Heavy Earth Moving Machinery Not 'Motor Vehicles' Liable For Road Tax: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has recently held that Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM) and construction equipment vehicles used exclusively within private premises are not 'motor vehicles' liable to be taxed within the ambit of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (the Act).A Bench of Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Prasanna B. Varale held,“We are of the conclusive opinion that the vehicles used by the appellants are vehicles of special types, precisely construction equipment vehicles which are suitable and are...
Courts Cannot Decide Arbitrability While Appointing Arbitrators: Supreme Court Dismisses Motilal Oswal's Appeal
The Supreme Court of India recently held that courts cannot decide questions of arbitrability while appointing arbitrators, even when a party relies on a special statute to oppose arbitration. At the Section 11 stage, the court said judges are required to “confine to the examination of the existence of an arbitration agreement” and nothing beyond that. On that basis, the court dismissed an appeal filed by Motilal Oswal Financial Services Limited challenging the appointment of an...
Promise To Arrange Funds In Case of Default Does Not Make Promoter A Guarantor: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of India has held that a promoter's promise to arrange funds to help a borrower meet financial covenants does not amount to a contract of guarantee under the Indian Contract Act and cannot be used to fasten insolvency liability on the promoter. A bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Alok Aradhe said that for an obligation to qualify as a guarantee under Section 126 of the Act, there must be a clear and unambiguous promise by the surety to repay the borrower's debt if the...
Special Court Cannot Hear Private Complaints In Companies Act Fraud Cases; Only SFIO Can File: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Friday held that a special court cannot entertain a private complaint in cases involving fraud under the Companies Act. It ruled that where an offence attracts punishment under the fraud provision, cognisance can be taken only on a complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office or an authorised officer of the Central government. A Division Bench of Justice J K Maheshwari and Justice K Vinod Chandran held that offences under Section 448 of the Companies Act, which...
Income Tax | Shares Received On Amalgamation Can Be Taxed as Business Income If Held As Stock-in-Trade: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has held that when shares held as stock-in-trade are replaced with shares of another company under an amalgamation scheme, the allotment can result in taxable business income, provided the new shares can be realised in money and have a definite value. The bench, consisting of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, opined that "where the shares of an amalgamating company, held as stock-in-trade, are substituted by shares of the amalgamated company pursuant to a scheme of...
Arbitral Proceedings Commence On Respondent Receiving Notice Invoking Arbitration Clause, Not On Arbitrator's Appointment : Supreme Court
The Supreme Court reaffirmed that the arbitral proceedings are set to commence on the date of receipt of notice invoking the arbitration clause by the respondent. “...the date on which the respondent receives a notice or request invoking arbitration is the moment at which the arbitral proceedings commence under Section 21 of the Act. It further clarified that a valid invocation requires the notice to articulate the dispute sought to be referred but once such notice is received, commencement is...
