Ajinkya Lad 23 November 2023
Sanskriti Tiwari 23 November 2023
When a property is being auctioned under the Sarfaesi Act's Section 8(6) while a civil dispute is ongoing in a civil court regarding the same property, it leads to a complex legal scenario.
The Sarfaesi Act empowers banks and financial institutions to auction off properties to recover outstanding dues without court intervention. However, when there's a concurrent civil dispute, the situation becomes intricate. The civil court retains its authority to adjudicate on matters related to the property despite the Sarfaesi action.
Typically, the civil court case won't be automatically dismissed due to the Sarfaesi proceedings. The civil court will continue to address the dispute unless it issues a specific order or injunction recognizing the Sarfaesi action or directs a stay on the proceedings.
The civil court may consider various aspects:
1. The court might grant a stay on its proceedings until the Sarfaesi auction is completed or make specific orders regarding the property's status during the auction process.
2. Both processes could continue simultaneously. The civil court might resolve the dispute based on its merits, irrespective of the Sarfaesi auction's outcome.
3. The civil court's decision could affect the rights and claims of parties involved in the Sarfaesi auction.
Ultimately, the interaction between the Sarfaesi Act and civil court proceedings requires careful legal consideration. The civil court might adapt its actions based on the progress and outcome of the Sarfaesi auction or issue directives to protect the interests of all parties involved.
T. Kalaiselvan, Advocate (Advocate) 23 November 2023
If the defendant raises the issue before the civil court and refers to the action taken by bank through sarfaesi act and the same has been disposed hence the pending suit automatically becomes infructuous then the trial court may proceed further as per procedures of law.
Supreme Court has reiterated that a civil suit would not be maintainable when proceedings under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement Of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act, 2002, are already initiated.
Ajinkya Lad 23 November 2023