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Issues Involved:
1. Whether the Central Bank of India is a "moneylender" under the Assam Money Lenders Act, 1934. 2. Whether the Bank is required to take a license under the Assam Act to carry on its activities. 3. Whether the suit filed by the Central Bank of India for the recovery of a loan is maintainable without a registration certificate under the Assam Act. Issue-wise Detailed Analysis: 1. Whether the Central Bank of India is a "moneylender" under the Assam Money Lenders Act, 1934: The primary issue is whether the Central Bank of India qualifies as a "moneylender" as defined in Section 2(1) of the Assam Money Lenders Act, 1934. The Act defines a moneylender as a person who in the regular course of business advances a loan. The appellants contended that the Bank's activities fall within this definition. However, the respondent argued that the Bank's activities are broader and regulated under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, which distinguishes banking from mere money lending. The Court noted the distinction between banking activities, which include accepting deposits, making loans, and other financial services, and the narrower scope of money lending. 2. Whether the Bank is required to take a license under the Assam Act to carry on its activities: The appellants argued that without a notification by the State Government declaring the Bank as a notified bank under Section 2A of the Assam Act, the Bank must obtain a registration certificate to carry on its activities. The respondent countered that the Bank's multifarious activities, governed by the Banking Regulation Act, are fundamentally different from those of a moneylender. The Court examined the provisions of both the Banking Regulation Act and the Assam Money Lenders Act. It emphasized that banks are financial institutions engaged in a wide range of activities regulated by the Reserve Bank of India, whereas moneylenders operate on a smaller scale without such regulatory oversight. 3. Whether the suit filed by the Central Bank of India for the recovery of a loan is maintainable without a registration certificate under the Assam Act: The appellants contended that the suit was not maintainable under Section 7D of the Assam Act, which requires a moneylender to hold a valid registration certificate to file a suit for loan recovery. The respondent argued that since the Bank does not fall under the definition of a moneylender, this requirement does not apply. The Court considered the broader context and purpose of the Assam Act, which aims to regulate moneylending to protect borrowers from exploitation. It concluded that applying the Act to banks would lead to absurd results, such as rendering all bank loans illegal and irrecoverable. The Court adopted a purposive interpretation, holding that banks do not fall within the purview of the Assam Money Lenders Act. Conclusion: The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's decision, ruling that the Central Bank of India is not a moneylender under the Assam Money Lenders Act, 1934, and therefore, the suit for loan recovery is maintainable without a registration certificate. The appeal was dismissed with costs.
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