Companies (Removal of Difficulties) Fourth Order, 2016 - F. No. 16/61/2016-Legal - S.O. 3676(E) - Companies Law

MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS ORDER New Delhi, the 7th December, 2016 S.O. 3676(E).- Whereas clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 434 of the Companies Act, 2013 (hereinafter referred to as the 2013 Act) provides that on a date which may be notified by the Central Government for the purpose of transfer of pending proceedings, all proceedings under the Companies Act, 1956 (hereinafter referred to as the 1956 Act ) including proceedings relating to arbitration, compromise, arrangements and reconstruction and winding up of companies, pending immediately before such date before any District Court or High Court, shall stand transferred to the Tribunal and the Tribunal may proceed to deal with such proceedings from the stage before their transfer; And, whereas, the proviso thereof further provides that only such proceedings relating to the winding up of companies shall be transferred to the Tribunal that are at a stage as may be prescribed by the Central Government; And, whereas, clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 434 of the 2013 Act shall come into force from the 15 th December, 2016; And, whereas, provisions of sections 6 to 32, 60 to 67 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (hereinafter referred to as the Code) have been brought into force on 1st December, 2016 and sections 33 to 54 of the Code and the provisions of Chapter XV and Chapter XX of the 2013 Act shall be notified to come into force from 15th December, 2016; And, whereas, it has been decided that (i) proceedings under the 1956 Act with High Courts on all cases other than winding-up as on 15th December, 2016 shall stand transferred to the Benches of the Tribunals exercising respective territorial jurisdiction and (ii) all cases of winding up under the 1956 Act which are pending before the High Courts as on 15th December, 2016 and wherein petitions have not been served to the respondents as per rule 26 of Companies (Court) Rules, 1959 shall be transferred to Tribunal, and all remaining cases of winding up pending on that date would continue with the respective High Courts; And, whereas, difficulties have arisen regarding continuation of provisions of the 1956 Act for (i) those proceedings relating to cases other than winding-up that are reserved for orders for allowing or otherwise and (ii) those winding up cases which would not be transferred to Tribunal and be proceeded with by High Courts on account of commencement of the corresponding provisions under the 2013 Act or under the Code; And, whereas, difficulties have also arisen regarding transfer of proceedings relating to cases other than winding-up where hearings have been completed and only pronouncement of order is pending or is reserved since their transfer to Tribunal may result into delay and rights of parties to the proceedings are likely to be affected prejudicially; Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 470 of the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013) , the Central Government hereby makes the following Order to remove the above said difficulties, namely:- 1. Short title and commencement.- (1) This Order may be called the Companies (Removal of Difficulties) Fourth Order, 2016. (2) It shall come into force with effect from the 15th December, 2016. 2. In the Companies Act, 2013 , in Section 434 , in sub-section (1), in clause (c), after the proviso, the following provisos shall be inserted, namely:- Provided further that only such proceedings relating to cases other than winding-up, for which orders for allowing or otherwise of the proceedings are not reserved by the High Courts shall be transferred to the Tribunal: Provided further that (i) all proceedings under the Companies Act, 1956 other than the cases relating to winding up of companies that are reserved for orders for allowing or otherwise such proceedings; or (ii) the proceedings relating to winding up of companies which have not been transferred from the High Courts; shall be dealt with in accordance with provisions of the Companies Act, 1956 and the Companies (Court) Rules, 1959 . [F. No. 16/61/2016-Legal] AMARDEEP SINGH BHATIA, Jt. Secy.