SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

 

Bank of India

 

Vs.

 

Ketan Parekh

 

C.A.No……of 2008

 

(A.K.Mathur and Altamas Kabir JJ.)

 

16.05.2008

 

JUDGMENT

 

A.K. Mathur, J.

 

1. Leave granted.

 

2. This appeal  is directed against the order dated 17.1.2006 passed by the Division Bench of the Bombay High Court whereby the Division Bench has held that since the property of the respondent No.1 has been seized under the Special Courts( Trial of Offences Relating to Transactions in Securities) Act,1992 (hereinafter to be referred to as the Act of1992), the Debts Recovery Tribunal had no jurisdiction to grant a declaration that the properties of a notified person stand charged and the certificate against such properties cannot be executed by the Recovery Officer under the Recovery of   Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 (hereinafter to be referred to as the Act of 1993) and the financial institution would have to move the Special  Court  in respect of  the property attached.

 

3.  Brief facts which are necessary for disposal of this appeal are that the respondent No.1 was declared as a notified party on 6.10.2001. Pursuant   to     the    said notification, considering section 3(3) of the Act of 1992, all properties, movable and immovable stood attached simultaneously. The Custodian confirmed the attachment on 1.11.2001. The respondent No.2 - Oriental Bank of Commerce (hereinafter to be referred to as the Bank)filed an application   being  Original  Application  No.233 of  2002 against the respondent No.1. The respondent No.1 took out Miscellaneous Application for impleading the Custodian as a party. That application came to be rejected by order dated 16.3.2005. Aggrieved against the said order the respondent No.1 preferred an appeal before the Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal (hereinafter to be referred to as the Appellate Tribunal). That appeal came to be rejected by order    dated     19.8.2005.Against the order passed by the Appellate Tribunal, a writ petition was filed before the High Court. It was contended by the   respondent   No.1 before the Debts Recovery Tribunal that the custodian under the Act of 1992 had to be joined as necessary party as the respondent No.1 had been declared as a notified party under the said Act. This was opposed by the Bank on the ground that the defendant No.2 has been sued merely as a guarantor and therefore, the provisions of the Act of 1992 were not attracted. It was submitted that Section 9A of the Act of 1992 would be attracted. This was opposed by the Bank on the ground that the provisions of Section 9A of the Act of 1992 were not attracted as the respondent No.1 was being sued in his personal capacity as guarantor and not as a mortgagor  or  pledger of the  movable or immovable properties. The D.R.T. accepted the objection and rejected the petition of respondent No.1. Aggrieved against this order the matter was taken up before the Appellate Tribunal on the basis that the property of the respondent No.1 stood attached by the Custodian   under   the Act of 1992. Therefore, the Debts Recovery Tribunal had no jurisdiction to deal with the matter. The Appellate Tribunal held that the provisions of the Act of 1992 are not attracted and consequently, dismissed the appeal. Aggrieved against this order the present writ petition was filed before the Bombay High Court by respondent No.1. The Division Bench of the Bombay High Court held that since the respondent No.1 was declared   as a notified   party  all   the    properties  stood attached   pursuant    to     section       3    of   the    Act     of    1992   and considering Section 9A of the said Act,  it is the Special Court which will have jurisdiction so far as the notified party is concerned and  as such the Division Bench of the High   Court    reversed the order passed by  the  Appellate Tribunal   and held that  the Special Court  will have jurisdiction  and  not  the Appellate   Tribunal.  Hence,    the present appeal against the order passed by the Division Bench of the High Court of Bombay dated 17.1.2006.

 

4.  Mr.K.N.Bhatt, learned senior counsel appearing for the appellant strenuously urged before us that since the Act of 1993 is a subsequent legislation which came into force in 1993 will override the Act of 1992 which came in 1992. It was contended that the decree passed  by the Debts Recovery Tribunal will prevail over the property attached under the provisions of the Act of 1992. Therefore, the short question for our consideration is whether the Act of 1992 will prevail or the Act of 1993. In order to better appreciate the controversy involved in the matter we may refer to necessary provisions of both the Acts. The Special Courts   (Trial of  Offences Relating  to Transactions in Securities) Act, 1992 came into force in 1992. Section 3 deals with the appointment and functions of the Custodian.

Section 3 reads    as under:

 

 "3. Appointment and functions of Custodian.-

 

(1) The Central Government may appoint one or more Custodian as it may deem fit for the purpose of this Act.

 

(2) The Custodian may, on being satisfied  on    information  received  that any    person  has  been involved   in any offence  relating  to  transactions  in securities  after  the 1st   day     of     April,1991   and on and before 7th June, 1992, notify    the name of such person in   the Official Gazette.

 

(3)  Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code and any other law for the time being in force, on and from the    date of   notification under  sub-section  (2), any  property,   movable or immovable, or both,  belonging to any person    notified  under  that sub-section shall stand attached simultaneously with the issue of the notification.

 

(4) The property attached under sub-section (3) shall be dealt with by the Custodian in such manner as the Special Court may direct.

 

(5) The Custodian may take assistance of any person while exercising his powers or for discharging his duties under this section and Sec.4." Section 4 deals with the contracts entered   into fraudulently may be cancelled. Section 5 deals with the establishment of Special Court. Section 6 deals with the cognizance of cases by Special Court. A section 7 deal with the jurisdiction of Special Court which is relevant for our purpose and it reads as under:

 

"7. Jurisdiction      of    Special Court.-  Notwithstanding  anything contained  in  any  other law, any prosecution  in  respect of any    offence referred to in sub-section (2) of Sec.3 shall be instituted only in the Special Court and any prosecution in respect of such offence pending in any Court shall stand transferred to the Special Court."

 

Section 9 lays down the procedure and powers of Special Court.  Section 9-A deals with the  jurisdiction, powers, authority and procedure of Special Court in civil matters. Section 9-A came into force subsequently by amending Act 24 of 1994 with effect from 25th January, 1994 which reads as under:

 

"9-A. Jurisdiction,  powers, authority and procedure of Special Court in civil matters.- (1) On and from the commencement of the Special Court (Trial of Offences Relating to Transactions in Securities) Amendment Act, 1994, the Special Court shall  exercise  all     such jurisdiction,  powers  and  authority  as were exercisable, immediately before such commencement  by   any  Civil  Court  in relation to any matter or claim-

 

(a)    Relating to any property standing attached under sub-section (3) of Sec.3;

 

(b)    Arising out of transactions in securities entered into after the 1st day of April, 1991,   and  on or before the 6th day  of June, 1992. In which a person is notified under sub-section (2) of Sec.3 is involved as a party, broker, intermediary or in other manner.

 

(2)   Every suit, claim or other  legal proceeding (other than an appeal) pending before any Court immediately before the commencement of the Special Court (Trial of Offences Relating to Transactions in Securities) Amendment  Act,1994,  being    a suit, claim or proceeding, the cause of action whereon it is based is such that it   would have been, if it  had arisen after such commencement, within  the jurisdiction of the Special Court under sub-section (1), shall stand transferred on such commencement of the Special Court and the Special Court may, on receipt of the records of such suit, claim or other legal proceedings proceed to deal with it so far as may be in the same manner as a suit, claim or legal proceeding from the stage which  was  reached before  such transfer or from any earlier stage or de novo as the Special Court may deem fit.

 

(3)   On  and   from the commencement of the Special Court (Trial of Offences Relating to Transactions in Securities) Amendment Act,     1994, no Court other than  the Special Court shall have, or be entitled to    exercise any    jurisdiction, power    or authority  in  relation  to any   matter or claim referred to in sub-section (1).

 

(4)   While dealing with cases relating to any matter or claim under this section, the Special Court shall not be bound by the procedure laid down by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 ( 5 of 1908), but shall be    guided by  the  principles of    natural justice, and  subject  to  the  other provisions of this Act and or any rules, the Special  Court    shall  have  power    to regulate its own procedure.

 

(5)   Without   prejudice   to the other powers conferred   under this  Act,  the Special Court shall   have,  for  the purposes of discharging  its functions  under this section, the same powers as are vested in Civil Court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908, while trying a suit in respect  of the following matters, namely:

 

(a) Summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath;

 

(b) Requiring the discovery and production of documents;

 

(c) Receiving evidence on affidavits;

 

(d) Subject to the provisions of Secs.123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence  Act, 1872, requisitioning  any public record or document or copy  of  such   record or document from any office;

 

(e) Issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents;

 

(f) Reviewing its decisions;

 

(g) Dismissing a case for default or deciding it ex parte;

 

(h) Setting aside any order of dismissal of any case for default or any order passed by it ex parte; and

 

(i)  Any other matter which may be prescribed by    the   Central    Government         under     sub- section (1) of Sec.14."

 

Section 9-B deals with the powers of the Special Court in arbitration matters. Section 10 deals with appeal. Section 11 which deals with the discharge of liabilities and is relevant for our purpose, reads as under:

 

"11. Discharge of liabilities.-

 

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code and any other law for the time being in force, the Special Court may make such order as it may deem fit    directing the Custodian  for the disposal of the property under attachment.

                        

(2) The following liabilities shall be paid or discharged in full, as far as may be, in the order as under:-

                         

(a)  All revenues, taxes, cesses  and   rates  due  from  the persons notified by the Custodian under sub- section (2)   of  Sec. 3 to the Central Government or any State Government or any local autority.

                        

(b)   All amounts due from the person so notified by the Custodian to any bank or financial institution or mutual fund; and) any other liability as may be specified by the Special Court from time to time."

 

Section 13 deals with overriding effect which has relevance for our purpose, reads as under:

 

"    13. Act to have overriding effect.- The provisions of this Act shall have effect  notwithstanding anything inconsistent  therewith  contained  in any other law for the time being in force or in any instrument having effect by virtue of any law, other than this Act, or in any decreeor order  of  any  Court, tribunal or other authority."

 

The    Recovery of Debts   Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 came into effect in 1993. The purpose of this Act was  recovery of debts due to Banks or financial institutions or consortium of Banks less than ten lakhs rupees or such other amount being not less than one lakh rupees as the Central Government may by notification specify. Under this Act Tribunals were constituted. Section 17 lays down the jurisdiction that  a Tribunal shall exercise  on  and  from  the appointed day, the  powers and authority  to entertain and  decide application from   the Banks and financial institutions for recovery of debts due to  such banks and  financial  institutions. Appeal is provided against  that  to the  appellate authority under Section 20 of the Act. Section 34 lays down that   it has the overriding power. Section 34 reads as under:

 

“34. Act to have over-riding effect.- (1) Save as otherwise provided in     sub-section (2), the     provisions  of this Act shall  have  effect notwithstanding anything   inconsistent therewith contained in any other law for  the time being  in    force or  in    any instrument having effect by virtue of any law other than this Act.

 

(2) The provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, the Industrial Finance Corporation Act, 1948 (15     of 1948), the State   Financial   Corporation Act, 1951 (63 of 1951), the Unit Trust of India  Act, 1963    (52 of  1963),The Industrial Reconstruction Bank    of   India Act, 1984 (62 of 1984), the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985 and  the Small  Industries Development Bank of India Act, 1989."

 

5.  The admitted facts are that the respondent No.1- Ketan Parekh was a notified party on 6.10.2001. Therefore, on 6.10.2001 all his movable and immovable roperties stood attached. Under the Act of 1992, under Section 3(3), the Custodian     may, on being satisfied on information received that   any person has been involved in any offence relating  to transactions in securities after the lst day of April, 1991 and on and before 7th June, 1992, notify the name of such person in the official gazette and from the date when such party is notified all properties, movable or immovable or   both    belonging   to any   person notified shall   stand attached simultaneously with the issue of the notification, notwithstanding  anything  contained   in  the Code  and any other law for the time being in force. After attaching that property the Custodian will have the right to deal with such property in such manner as directed the Special Court. Therefore, an analysis of this  section means that the moment a person is notified, his property stands attached and    the Custodian is in authority of that property and he shall deal with the property in the manner as directed by the Special Court notwithstanding anything contained in the Code ( Code means the Civil Procedure Code). Therefore, the property of the respondent herein stood attached under the orders  of    the    Special  Court  on  6.10.2001 when  the respondent was declared a notified person under sub-section (3) of Section 3 of the Act of 1992. Section 9-A which was introduced  in 1994 gives  full  power    from   the date this amended provision came into force i.e. in 1994 that the Special Court alone will have the jurisdiction to deal with all the cases pending immediately before such commencement by    any   Civil  Court   in   relation  to   any   manner or claim relating  to  the   property  standing  attached  under sub- section (3) of Section 3. Sub-section (2) of Section 9-A says    that  every      suit, claim or  other  legal  proceeding (other than an appeal) pending before any Court immediately before  the  commencement  of    the    Special  Court (Trial    of Offences Relating to Transactions in Securities) Amendment Act,1994, being a suit, claim or proceeding, the cause of action whereon it is based is such that it would have been, if  it had arisen after such  commencement, within the jurisdiction of the Special Court under sub-section (1), shall stand transferred on such commencement of the Special Court and the Special Court may, on receipt of the records of such suit, claim or other legal proceedings proceed to deal with it so far as may be in the same manner as a suit, claim or legal proceeding from the stage which was reached before such transfer or from any earlier stage or de novo as the Special Court may deem fit. Sub-section (3) further says that no Court other than the Special Court shall have, or   be   entitled    to   exercise  any   jurisdiction, power    or authority in relation to any matter or claim referred to in sub-section    (1).    Sub-section   (4)    further    says     that    the Special Court shall not be bound by the procedure laid down by the Code of Civil Procedure. But it shall be guided by the principles of natural justice and subject to the other provisions         of this Act and the Rules framed thereunder. Sub-section (5) futher says that the Special Court    shall have all powers as a Civil Court under the Code of Civil Procedure for trying such suits. Section 11 deals with the discharge     of    liabilities.     It    also    starts     with    a     non- obstante    clause      and   says    that      otwithstanding      anything contained     in the Code     or any other law for the time being in force, the Special Court shall direct the Custodian for disposal of the property under attachment and liabilities shall be discharged in the order i.e.   (a)     all    revenues, taxes, cesses and rates due from the persons notified by the   Custodian      under   sub-section   (2)   of    Sec.    3   to   the Central Government or any State Government or any local authority. (b) all amounts due from the person so notified by the Custodian to any bank or financial institution or mutual fund; and any other liability as may be specified by the Special Court. Therefore, by virtue of section 11, the first priority has been given to all dues of the revenues, taxes, cesses etc. The second priority has been given to any bank or financial institution or mutual fund and the last priority has been given as directed the Special Court. Section 13 clearly lays down that this Act will have over- riding      effect     notwithstanding anything  inconsistent therewith contained in any other law for the time being in force or in any instrument having effect by virtue of any law, other than this Act, or in any decree or order of any Court, tribunal or other authority. The analysis of these necessary    provisions      clearly   establishes      that   once     the property of a notified person is attached by the Custodian and the same having been notified then the property of the notified person being movable or immovable shall be subject to the order passed by the Special Court and the manner in which properties for discharge of the liabilities would be dealt with has already been mentioned in Section 11 of the Act of 1992 and lastly that the provisions of this Act will have the over-riding effect even on Tribunals as is clearly and categorically mentioned in Section 13 of the Act of 1992. Therefore, in the scheme of things   this Act has been given priority over all Acts. The Act of 1993 came for recovery  of debts   due  to the Banks and     Financial Institutions. This  Act  also   contains  the    over-riding effect.     Section 34 of the Act of 1993 clearly says that this Act will have the over-riding effect for recovery of debts due to the Banks and Financial Institutions. Both the Acts   have  non-obstante clause. The   Act    of    1993   is    a subsequent legislation and the Act of 1992 is a prior legislation. Therefore, it was contended by learned senior counsel for the appellant that since the Act of 1993 is a subsequent    legislation, it     should   have the    over-riding effect    over   the    Act    of    1992.  As    against  this,   learned senior counsel  for    the    respondent   No.1, contended  that Section 9-A of the Act of 1992 came by the amending Act 24 of 1994 on 25.1.1994 and it is specifically provided that after a person is notified under section 3(3) of the Act of 1992,  his  property  pertaining  to the transactions  in securities entered after the 1st day of April, 1991 and on and before 6th June, 1992 shall stand attached and the  Special Court will have the jurisdiction and none else. Learned senior counsel for the respondent No.1  submitted that this provisions having come subsequently after the Act of 1993, Section 9-A of the Act of 1992 (came into force w.e.f. 25.1.1994) will have the over-riding effect over the Act of 1993. The contention of learned senior counsel for respondent No.1 appears to be justified. Apart from that it is provided in sub-section (3) of Section 3 that  the transactions in securities entered into after 1st day of April, 1991 and on or before 6th June, 1992, the properties pertaining  to  these  securities  shall  vest  with  the Custodian  to     be    dealt with as directed by     the    Special Court. Therefore, the     properties pertaining  to     these transactions during the aforesaid period,  will be subject to the jurisdiction of the Special Court only. There is another reason to come to this conclusion that in fact this Act    was specially  meant   to  deal  with     the     fraudulent transactions which has taken place from 1st of April, 1991 to    6th   of    June,  1992. Therefore, this     Act     has    special purpose to deal with the scam which has taken place in securities  transactions during  this    period.  The    special purpose behind    this   Act    is    more      than  apparent   from   the Statement  of   Objects and Reasons  and    the    Statement   of Objects and Reasons   amply clarifies this position. The Statement of Objects and Reasons reads as under :

 

"     Statement of Objects and Reasons.-

 

(1) In  the  course  of  the investigations   by the Reserve Bank of India, large  scale irregularities and malpractices were noticed in transactions in  both  the Government  and  other securities, indulged in by some brokers in collusion with the employees of various banks and financial institutions. The said irregularities and malpractices led to the diversion of funds from banks and financial institutions to the individual accounts of certain brokers.

 

(2) To deal with the situation and in particular to ensure speedy recovery of    the  huge    amount      involved,  to punish the guilty and restore confidence  in and maintain the basic integrity and credibility of the  banks and  financial institutions the Special Court (Trial of Offences Relating  to   Transactions   in Securities) Ordinance  ,1992,   was promulgated on the 6th June, 1992. The Ordinance provides for the establishment of a Special Court with a sitting Judge of a High Court for speedy  trial of offences relating  to transactions  in securities and disposal of  properties attached. It also provides for appointment of one or more custodians for attaching the property of the offenders with a view to prevent diversion of such properties by the offenders.”

 

6.   Therefore, this Act has a special task before it and that task has to be dealt with in the parameters laid down by this Act. The Act of 1993 was of comparatively general in nature pertaining to recovery of debts due to the Banks and Financial Institutions. The idea was that all the suits pertaining to recoveries of Banks and Financial Institutions spreading over the Civil Courts and this has resulted into great strain  on the Banks and Financial Institutions. Therefore, in order to meet that contingency this Act was promulgated. The preamble in this Act clearly reads as under:

 

"An Act to provide for   the establishment of Tribunals for expeditious adjudication and recovery of debts due to banks and financial institutions and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto."

 

Therefore, the purpose of the Act of 1993 was to expedite the recovery of the debts due to the banks and financial institutions. Incidentally, the purpose of both the Acts has separate area of operation. Application was filed by the Bank before the Debts Recovery Tribunal for recovery of its debts against the same person i.e. Ketan Parekh and temporary injunction was issued to disclose the assets and during the pendency of these Original Applications the jurisdiction of the Tribunal was challenged. Therefore, the issue came up especially before the High Court. The effect of Act of 1992 has special purpose and incidentally the subject matter appears to be the same under both the Acts but the Act of 1992 clearly lays down the specific purpose i.e. the scam which has taken place relating to the transactions in securities from 1.4.1991 to 6.6.1992 to deal with such scam only. Section 9-A which have come subsequently in the Act of 1992 i.e. on 25.1.1994 deals with the over-riding effect on the Act of 1993. Therefore, the Act of 1992 has the over-riding effect over the Act of1993.”

 

7. In this connection, our attention was invited to a decision of this Court in B.O.I. Finance Ltd. v. Custodian & Ors.1.  In this case, notification was issued under the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 prohibiting all contracts for sale or purchase of securities other than such spot delivery contract or contract for cash or hand delivery or special delivery in any securities as permissible under the Act. The transaction was consisting of two interconnected legs i.e. ready leg consisting of sale of securities by the brokers and purchase thereof by the banks   at market price and the forward leg consisting of sale back of the securities by the banks and purchase thereof by the brokers after a period of 14 days on a   fixed date at a price determined on the first date. Their Lordships held that the ready- forward transaction is severable into two parts i.e. the ready leg and the forward leg.  Ready leg transaction was not illegal, unlawful or prohibited under Section 23 of the Contract   Act. Ready leg having been completed prior to the notified date, forward leg which is illegal being hit by the notification, the same has to be ignored. It    was further held that once the payment of market price is made  the title to the securities stood validly transferred to the banks under Transfer of Property Act and thereby the banks became owners and the ready leg having  been  performed   illegally  of  the  forward  leg contained   in  the  agreements  cannot affect  the  transfers which had already taken place. The appellant banks had prior to 6.6.1992 entered into contracts with different brokers for the purchase and sale of certain securities which were not listed on any stock exchange. Therefore, such transactions were completed after the payment of agreed price and delivery of securities was received before 6.6.1992. Therefore, it was held that the order passed by the Special Court on application filed by the Custodian of the notified person was not correct and the order passed by the Special Court was set aside. This was a case in which the transaction was found to be valid. Therefore, this case cannot provide any assistance. Our attention was invited to another decision of this Court in Tax Recovery Officer, Central Rang e-I v. Custodian & Ors.2. In that case it was held that that the property of any person notified under section 3(2) & (3) of the Act can be attached and the jurisdiction of the Special Court is confined to that property of the notified person only. It was found that the Company D which was notified as a party under section 3(2) of the Act of 1992 and not the Company K. Company D owed money from Company K and its subsidiaries and it was in execution of the decree passed in the favour of Company D, the property of Company K was put to auction. Thus, the Special    Court    could    not   have entertained the application moved by the Income-Tax Department for realization of its income tax dues from the Company K and therefore, it was held that the application moved by the Income Tax Department was rightly rejected by the Special Court. Our attention was invited to a decision of this Court in Life Insurance Corporation of India v. D.J.Bahadur & Ors.3.In this case, the question was whether  the  provisions of   the Industrial Disputes Act will prevail or the provisions of the Life Insurance ( Alteration of Remuneration and other Terms and Conditions of  Service of Employees)Order, 1957 framed under the Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956. In that context, their Lordships after dealing with the provisions of   Life   Insurance Corporation Act and Rules framed thereunder held that the case will be covered by   the Industrial  Disputes Act. It was observed per Krishna Iyer, J as follows:

 

"     In determining whether a statute is a special or a general one, the focus must be on the principal subject-matter plus the particular perspective. For certain purposes, an Act may be general and for certain other purpose  it may be special. Vis-`-vis ` industrial vists' at the termination of the settlement as between the workmen and the Corporation the ID Act is a special legislation and   the  LIC  Act a general legislation. So the ID Act, being a special  law, will  prevail over the LIC Act which is a general law."

 

Pathak, J. concurring with Krishna Iyer, J observed as follows”

 

"     Law declared by the court in respect of an award holds true in the case of a settlement. Not only are the statutory provisions pertaining to a settlement  and      an award comparable in this regard but, if anything the observations if read in respect of a settlement, which after all  is a voluntary agreement between the parties, would seem to hold more strongly. "

 

Our attention was invited to a decision of this Court in L.S.Synthetics Ltd. v. Fairgrowth Financial Services Ltd. & Anr.4. In this case it was held that the contention that only those properties belonging to the notified person which are the subject-matter of the transactions in securities  would stand attached and for that purpose Section 9-A of the Act must be read down was not sustainable. Our attention was also invited to a decision of this Court in Allahabad Bank v. Canara Bank & Anr.5 In this case there was a question of jurisdiction whether the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 will prevail or the provisions of   the Companies Act, 1956. In that context their Lordships observed as follows:

 

"Alternatively,  the Companies Act, 1956 and the RDB Act can both be treated   as  special  laws, and   the principle that   when  there are  two special laws,  the latter will  normally prevail  over the former  if   there  is a provision  in the latter special  Act giving it overriding effect, can also be applied. Such a provision is there in the RDB Act, namely Section 34. Therefore, in view of Section 34 of the RDB Act, the said Act overrides the Companies Act, to the extent there is anything inconsistent between the Acts."

 

8.   In the present case, both the two Acts i.e. the Act of 1992 and the Act of 1993 start with the the non- obstante clause. Section 34 of the Act of 1993 starts with non-obstante clause, likewise Section 9-A of the Act of 1992.   But    incidentally,     in    this    case    Section    9-A    came subsequently, i.e. it came on 25.1.1994. Therefore, it is a subsequent  legislation     which    will    have the    over-riding effect over the Act of 1993. But cases might arise where both the enactments have the non-obstante clause then in that    case, the proper perspective would be that one has to  see the    subject   and   the   dominant      purpose    for    which   the special enactment was made and in case the dominant purpose is covered by that contingencies, then notwithstanding that the Act might have come at a later point of time still the intention can be ascertained by looking to the objects and reasons. However, so far as the present case is concerned, it is more than clear that Section 9-A of the Act of 1992  was amended on 25.1.1994 whereas the Act of 1993 came in 1993. Therefore, the Act of 1992 as amended to include  Section   9-A   in   1994     being   subsequent   legislation  will  prevail and not the provisions of the Act of 1993.

 

9.   Apart from this, in the present case both the Acts can be read harmoniously. Whatever dues are due to the Banks or the Financial Institutions can be claimed under Section 11 (2) of the Act of 1992 which specially empowers that the liabilities can be adjusted out of the securities of the person notified in the manner provided under Section 11(2)(b). Therefore, in the present case, the Bank can certainly make an application before the Special Court under Section 11(2)(b) of the Act of 1992 for discharge of their liabilities against the securities of the notified person.

 

10. As a result of our above discussion, the view taken by the Division Bench of the High Court of Bombay appears tobe justified and there is no ground to interfere with the same. Consequently, the appeal is dismissed with no order as to costs.

 

1[(1997)10 SCC 488]

2[(2007) 7 SCC 461]

3[ (1981) 1 SCC 315]

4[ (2004)11 SCC 456]

5[(2000) 4 SCC 406]