The coverage of this chapter is no longer restricted to industrial companies, and the determination of the net worth would not be relevant for assessing whether a company is a sick company.
Revival and Rehabilitation of sick companies under new act 2013
The coverage of the Sick Industrial Companies Act, 1985 (SICA) is limited to only industrial companies, while the 2013 Act covers the revival and rehabilitation of all companies, irrespective of their sector.
The determination of whether a company is sick would no longer be based on a situation where accumulated losses exceed the net worth. Rather it would be determined on the basis of whether the company is able to pay its debts. In other words, the determining factor of a sick company has now been shifted to the secured creditors or banks and financial institutions with regard to the assessment of a company as a sick company.
The 2013 Act does not recognize the role of all stakeholders in the revival and rehabilitation of a sick company, and provisions predominantly revolve around secured creditors. The fact that the 2013 Act recognizes the presence of unsecured creditors, is felt only at the time of the approval of the scheme of revival and rehabilitation. In accordance with the requirement of section 253 of 2013
Act, a company is assessed to be sick on a demand by the secured creditors of a company representing 50% or more of its outstanding amount of debt under the following circumstances:
- The company has failed to pay the debt within a period of 30 days of the service of the notice of demand
- The company has failed to secure or compound the debt to the reasonable satisfaction of the creditors
To speed up the revival and rehabilitation process, the 2013 Act provides a one year time period for the finalization of the rehabilitation plan.
Overview of the process
1. In response to the application made by either the secured creditor or by the company itself, if the Tribunal is satisfied that a company has become a sick company, it shall give time to the company to settle its outstanding debts if Tribunal believes that it is practical for the company to make the repayment of its debts within a reasonable period of time.
2. Once a company is assessed to be a sick company, an application could be made to the Tribunal under section 254 of 2013
Act for the determination of the measures that may be adopted with respect to the revival and rehabilitation of the identified sick company either by a secured creditor of that company or by the company itself. The application thus made must be accompanied by audited financial statements of the company relating to the immediately preceding financial year, a draft scheme of revival and rehabilitation of the company, and with such other documents as may be prescribed.
Subsequent to the receipt of the application, for the purpose of revival and rehabilitation, the Tribunal, not later than seven would be required to fix a date for hearing and would be appointing an interim administrator under Section 256 of 2013 Act to convene a meeting of creditors of the company in accordance with the provisions of section 257 of the 2013 Act. In certain circumstances, the Tribunal may appoint an interim administrator as the company administrator to perform such functions as the Tribunal may direct.
3. The administrator thus appointed would be required to prepare a report specifying the measures for revival and rehabilitation of the identified sick industry. The measures that have been identified under section 261 of the 2013 Act for the purpose of revival and rehabilitation of a sick company provides for the following options:
— Financial reconstruction
— Change in or takeover of the management
— The amalgamation of the sick company with any other company, or another company’s amalgamation with the sick company
4. The scheme thus prepared, will need to be approved by the secured and unsecured creditors representing three-fourth and one-fourth of the total representation in amounts outstanding respectively, before submission to the Tribunal for sanctioning the scheme pursuant to the requirement of section 262 of the 2013 Act. The Tribunal, after examining the scheme will give its approval with or without any modification. The scheme, thus approved will be communicated to the sick company and the company administrator, and in the case of amalgamation, also to any other company concerned.
5. The sanction accorded by the Tribunal will be construed as conclusive evidence that all the requirements of the scheme relating to the reconstruction or amalgamation or any other measure specified therein have been complied with. A copy of the sanctioned scheme will be filed with the ROC by the sick company within a period of 30 days from the date of its receipt.
6. However, if the scheme is not approved by the creditors, the company administrator shall submit a report to the Tribunal within 15 days, and the Tribunal shall order for the winding up of the sick company. On the passing of an order, the Tribunal shall conduct the proceedings for winding up of the sick company in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XX.
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