High Court Raises Concerns Over NCLT Bengaluru Bench Operations
In a recent session, the Karnataka High Court voiced its concerns about the operational inefficiencies at the Bengaluru Bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Presiding over the matter, Justice Suraj Govindaraj highlighted several persistent issues, including delays in order uploads, irregular sittings, and decisions being rendered without hearing all involved parties.
Justice Govindaraj noted, “We are receiving numerous complaints regarding the NCLT. Orders are not being uploaded, sittings conclude prematurely by noon, and some orders are issued without proper hearings.” These critical observations were made during a case review under the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) framework, where an advocate brought the delay in order uploads to the court’s attention.
Directive to Additional Solicitor General
In response to these ongoing grievances, the court directed Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aravind Kamath to investigate the matters further. The judge stated, “We will request Additional Solicitor General Aravind Kamath to examine this issue.” ASG Kamath acknowledged the court’s concerns and promised to discuss the allegations with the Deputy Registrar of the tribunal.
Despite Kamath’s assurances, the court expressed skepticism due to the recurrence of these issues. According to Justice Govindaraj, previous assurances had led to temporary improvements in the order-uploading process, but significant delays, sometimes up to three months, remained a problem. He emphasized, “Last time, an assurance was given, which resulted in some improvement, but now orders are still being delayed. Without timely uploads, parties are deprived of their right to appeal.”
Commitment to Readdress the Issue
ASG Kamath reassured the bench of his commitment to revisit the issue with the Deputy Registrar, aiming to address the ongoing complaints and ensure that the tribunal’s functioning aligns with judicial standards.
The Karnataka High Court’s intervention aims to prompt corrective measures at the NCLT Bengaluru Bench, ensuring that procedural delays do not hinder the delivery of justice.
