Abhishek Singh vs. Huhtamaki PPL Ltd. and Ors. - (Supreme Court) (28 Mar 2023)

Section 12A of IBC does not debar entertaining of applications for withdrawal of CIRP even before constitution of CoC

MANU/SC/0312/2023

Insolvency

The Appellant, a suspended Director of the Corporate Debtor has filed present appeal assailing the correctness of the order passed by the National Company Law Tribunal, rejecting the application of the Appellant under Section 12A of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 for withdrawal of the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process.

The application had been filed prior to the constitution of the CoC. The settlement had been arrived at within two days of the admission order. The payment as per the settlement had been made within the next five days i.e. in a weeks’ time from the date of admission. The application for withdrawal was filed on the 10th day. The NCLT ought to have immediately taken the decision on the application. Once the parties had settled the dispute even before the CoC had been constituted, the application ought to have been allowed then and there rather than await the other creditors to jump into the fray and allow the IRP to proceed further.

Section 12A of IBC permits withdrawal of applications admitted under sections 7, 9 and 10 of IBC. It permits withdrawal of such applications with approval of 90 percent voting share of CoC in such manner as may be specified. The role of CoC and 90 percent of its voting share approving the said withdrawal would come into play only when CoC has been constituted. Section 12A did not specifically mention withdrawal of such applications where CoC had not been constituted but at the same time it does not debar entertaining applications for withdrawal even before constitution of CoC. Therefore, the application under Section 12A for withdrawal cannot be said to be kept pending for constitution of CoC, even where such application was filed before constitution of CoC.

The IBBI which had the power to frame Regulations wherever required and in particular section 240 of IBC for the subjects covered therein had accordingly substituted Regulation 30A dealing with the procedure for disposal of application for withdrawal filed under section 12A of IBC. The substituted Regulation 30A of IBC clearly provided for withdrawal applications being entertained before constitution of CoC. It does not in any way conflicts or is in violation of section 12A of IBC. There is no inconsistency in the two provisions. It only furthers the cause introduced vide section 12A of IBC. Thus, NCLT fell in error in taking a contrary view. The impugned order of the NCLT cannot be sustained. The application filed under Regulation 30A of IBBI Regulations deserves to be allowed. The impugned order of NCLT is set aside. Appeal allowed.

Tags : WITHDRAWAL CIRP APPLICATION