NCLT-NCLAT woes: Delhi HC asks MCA and Urban Development Secretaries to be present in Court

Disappointed with the apathy on the part of the government over the state of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), the Delhi High Court has directed the Secretaries of the Union Ministries of Finance and Corporate Affairs and Housing & Urban Development to be present before it on the next date of hearing..The Court has also asked the Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), who is in charge of the complex where the NCLAT is situated, to be present before it..Additionally, the Court has sought the assistance of an Additional Solicitor General in the matter..A Division Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and V Kameswar Rao was hearing a plea by the NCLT Bar Association and the Appellate Tribunal Bar Association seeking relief from the day-to-day struggle faced by litigants as well as advocates in securing entry into the premises that house the two Tribunals..“I cannot even express my pain to you, Your Lordship”, said Senior Advocate AS Chandhiok, referring to the absence of any change in the functioning of the Tribunals in spite of several orders from the High Court..“There is no space to keep the files even…All the departments (in the building that houses the Appellate Tribunal) have refused to move”, said Senior Advocate Ramji Srinivasan..Taking note of the manner in which the Tribunals are functioning, the Court, therefore, deemed it appropriate to call the Secretaries of the two concerned Ministries to Court, as it was not satisfied with the reaction to its orders..Apart from Chandhiok and Srinivasan, the petitioners were represented by Senior Advocate UK Chaudhary along with Advocates Vipul Ganda, Rakesh Kumar, Abhishek Sharma, Ramya and Anand Singh..The matter will next be heard on January 18.