NCLAT (08.05.2018) in Quinn Logistics India Pvt. Ltd. Vs. Mack Soft Tech Pvt. Ltd. [Company Appeal (AT) (Insolvency) No. 185 of 2018] held that; For example, for following good grounds and unforeseen circumstances, the intervening period can be excluded for counting of the total period of 270 days of resolution process:-
(i) If the corporate insolvency resolution process is stayed by ‘a court of law or the Adjudicating Authority or the Appellate Tribunal or the Hon’ble Supreme Court.
(ii) If no ‘Resolution Professional’ is functioning for one or other reason during the corporate insolvency resolution process, such as removal.
(iii) The period between the date of order of admission/moratorium is passed and the actual date on which the ‘Resolution Professional’ takes charge for completing the corporate insolvency resolution process.
(iv) On hearing a case, if order is reserved by the Adjudicating Authority or the Appellate Tribunal or the Hon’ble Supreme Court and finally pass order enabling the ‘Resolution Professional’ to complete the corporate insolvency resolution process.
(v) If the corporate insolvency resolution process is set aside by the Appellate Tribunal or order of the Appellate Tribunal is reversed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and corporate insolvency resolution process is restored.
(vi) Any other circumstances which justifies exclusion of certain period.
However, after exclusion of the period, if further period is allowed the total number of days cannot exceed 270 days which is the maximum time limit prescribed under the Code.
Excerpts of the order;
# 2. Further prayer has been made to direct the Adjudicating Authority to exclude the period from 15th September, 2017 to 28th February, 2018 for counting the total period of 180 days + 90 days (total 270 days) as ‘corporate insolvency resolution process’ could not proceed during the aforesaid period on account of interim directions passed by the Adjudicating Authority.
# 8. One or other Adjudicating Authority including Adjudicating Authority (Hyderabad Bench), Hyderabad, (Kolkata Bench), Kolkata and (Ahmedabad Bench), Ahmedabad have also passed the order excluding such period taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of each case.
# 9. From the decisions aforesaid, it is clear that if an application is filed by the ‘Resolution Professional’ or the ‘Committee of Creditors’ or ‘any aggrieved person’ for justified reasons, it is always open to the Adjudicating Authority/Appellate Tribunal to ‘exclude certain period’ for the purpose of counting the total period of 270 days, if the facts and circumstances justify exclusion, in unforeseen circumstances.
# 10. For example, for following good grounds and unforeseen circumstances, the intervening period can be excluded for counting of the total period of 270 days of resolution process:-
(i) If the corporate insolvency resolution process is stayed by ‘a court of law or the Adjudicating Authority or the Appellate Tribunal or the Hon’ble Supreme Court.
(ii) If no ‘Resolution Professional’ is functioning for one or other reason during the corporate insolvency resolution process, such as removal.
(iii) The period between the date of order of admission/moratorium is passed and the actual date on which the ‘Resolution Professional’ takes charge for completing the corporate insolvency resolution process.
(iv) On hearing a case, if order is reserved by the Adjudicating Authority or the Appellate Tribunal or the Hon’ble Supreme Court and finally pass order enabling the ‘Resolution Professional’ to complete the corporate insolvency resolution process.
(v) If the corporate insolvency resolution process is set aside by the Appellate Tribunal or order of the Appellate Tribunal is reversed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and corporate insolvency resolution process is restored.
(vi) Any other circumstances which justifies exclusion of certain period.
However, after exclusion of the period, if further period is allowed the total number of days cannot exceed 270 days which is the maximum time limit prescribed under the Code.
# 11. In the present case, as the corporate insolvency resolution process remained stayed for 166 days due to the interim order passed by the Adjudicating Authority on 15th September, 2017 which was vacated on 28th February, 2018, we hold that the ‘Committee of Creditors’ / ‘Resolution Professional’ rightly requested the Adjudicating Authority to exclude the period of 166 days for the purpose of counting the total period of 270 days. Taking into consideration the stand taken by the parties and the stage of corporate insolvency resolution process, we direct the Adjudicating Authority to exclude 166 days for the purpose of counting the period of corporate insolvency resolution process and thereby allow the Resolution professional / Committee of Creditors further 166 days with immediate effect (i.e. 8th May, 2018) to complete the corporate insolvency resolution process.
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