MCA notifies framework for insolvency and liquidation proceedings of Financial Service Providers (FSPs) other than banks. Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has notified the Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019 (Rules) today to provide a generic framework for insolvency and liquidation proceedings of systemically important Financial Service Providers (FSPs) other than banks.
The Rules shall apply to such FSPs or categories of FSPs, as will be notified by the Central Government under section 227 from time to time in consultation with appropriate regulators, for the purpose of their insolvency and liquidation proceedings.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code) provides a consolidated framework for reorganisation, insolvency resolution and liquidation of corporate persons, limited liability partnerships, partnership firms and individuals in a time-bound manner. Section 227 of the Code enables the Central Government to notify, in consultation with the financial sector regulators, financial service providers (FSPs) or categories of FSPs for the purpose of insolvency and liquidation proceedings, in such manner as may be prescribed.
The Secretary, Corporate Affairs, stated that the special framework provided under Section 227 of the Code for financial service providers is essentially aimed at serving as an interim mechanism to deal with any exigency pending introduction of a full-fledged enactment to deal with financial resolution of Banks and other systemically important financial service providers. The special framework under Section 227 of the Code shall not apply to Banks.
Separately, however, the government will notify specific categories of FSPs that do not fall under the systemically important category and shall be resolved under the normal provisions of the Code as ordinarily applicable to corporate debtors.
The Rules provide that the provisions of the Code relating to the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP), Liquidation Process and Voluntary Liquidation Process for a corporate debtor shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to a process for an FSP, subject to modifications, as under:
a. The CIRP of an FSP shall be initiated only on an application by the appropriate regulator.
b. On admission of the application, the Adjudicating Authority shall appoint the individual, who has been proposed by the appropriate regulator in the application for initiation of CIRP as the Administrator.
c. While conducting a proceeding of an FSP, the Administrator shall have the same duties, functions, obligations, responsibilities, rights, and powers of an insolvency professional, interim resolution professional, resolution professional or liquidator, as the case may be. He shall be appointed or replaced by the Adjudicating Authority on an application made by the appropriate regulator in this behalf.
d. The appropriate regulator may constitute an Advisory Committee of three or more experts to advise the Administrator in the operations of the FSP during the CIRP.
e. An interim moratorium shall commence on and from the date of filing of the application for initiation of CIRP by the appropriate regulator till its admission or rejection by the Adjudicating Authority.
f. The provisions of interim-moratorium or moratorium shall not apply to any third-party assets or properties in custody or possession of the FSP, including any funds, securities and other assets required to be held in trust for the benefit of third parties.
g. The Administrator shall take control and custody of third-party assets or properties in custody or possession of the FSP and deal with them in the manner, to be notified by the Central Government under section 227.
h. The license or registration which authorises the FSP to engage in the business of providing financial services shall not be suspended or cancelled during the interim-moratorium and the CIRP.
i. Upon approval of the resolution plan by the Committee of Creditors, the Administrator shall seek ‘no objection’ from the appropriate regulator to the effect that it has no objection to the persons, who would be in control or management of FSP after approval of the resolution plan. The appropriate regulator shall issue ‘no objection’ on the basis of the ‘fit and proper’ criteria applicable to the business of the FSP without prejudice to the provision of Section 29A of the Code.
j. The FSP shall obtain prior permission of the appropriate regulator for initiating voluntary liquidation proceedings.
k. The Adjudicating Authority shall provide the appropriate regulator an opportunity of being heard before passing an order for liquidation or dissolution of the FSP.
These Rules shall come into force on the date of their publication on the official gazette.
Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019.
MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 15th November, 2019
G.S.R. 852(E). —In exercise of the powers conferred under section 227 read with clause (zk) of sub-section (2) of section 239 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (31 of 2016), the Central Government hereby makes
the following rules, namely:―
1. Short title and commencement.-
(1) These rules may be called the Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019.
(2) These rules shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. Application. ― These rules shall apply to such financial service providers or categories of financial service providers, as may be notified by the Central Government under section 227, from time to time, for the purpose of their insolvency and liquidation proceedings under these rules.
3. Definitions. ― (1) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,-
(a) “Administrator” means an individual appointed by the Adjudicating Authority under sub-clause (iii) of clause (a) of rule 5, to exercise the powers and functions of the insolvency professional, interim resolution professional, resolution professional or the liquidator for the purpose of insolvency and liquidation proceedings of a financial service provider;
(b) “Advisory Committee” means the Committee constituted by the appropriate regulator in accordance with clause (c) of rule 5 of these rules;
(c) “appropriate regulator” means the financial sector regulator, as may be notified by the Central Government under section 227, for a category of financial service providers;
(d) “Code” means the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (31 of 2016);
(e) “Form” means a Form appended to these rules; and
(f) “identification number” means the corporate identity number or the limited liability partnership identification number, as the case may be, of a financial service provider.
(2) The words and expressions used and not defined in these rules but defined in the Code shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the Code.
4. General modifications. – For the purposes of these rules, in all the provisions relating to insolvency and liquidation proceedings under the Code,-
(i) for the expression “corporate debtor” wherever they occur, shall mean “financial service provider”; and
(ii) for the expressions “insolvency professional”, “interim resolution professional”, “resolution professional” or “liquidator”, wherever they occur, shall mean “administrator”.
5. Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process of financial service providers.― The provisions of the Code relating to the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process of the corporate debtor shall, mutatis mutandis apply, to the insolvency resolution process of a financial service provider subject to the following modifications, namely:―
(a) Initiation of Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process.-
(i) no corporate insolvency resolution process shall be initiated against a financial service provider which has committed a default under section 4, except upon an application made by the appropriate regulator in accordance with rule 6;
(ii) the application under sub-clause (i) shall be dealt with in the same manner as an application by a financial creditor under section 7, subject to clause (iii); and (iii) on the admission of the application, the Adjudicating Authority shall appoint the individual proposed by the appropriate regulator in the application filed under sub-clause (i) of clause (a) of rule 5, as the Administrator.
(b) Moratorium– Save as provided in section 14,-
(i) an interim moratorium shall commence on and from the date of filing of the application under clause (a) till its admission or rejection; and
(ii) the license or registration which authorises the financial service provider to engage in the business of providing financial services shall not be suspended or cancelled during the interim-moratorium and the corporate insolvency resolution process.
Explanation.- For the purposes of this clause, “interim moratorium” shall have the effect of the provisions of
sub-sections (1), (2) and (3) of section 14.
(c) Advisory Committee.-
(i) the appropriate regulator may, where deemed necessary, constitute an Advisory Committee, within 45 days of the insolvency commencement date, to advise the Administrator in the operations of the financial service provider during the corporate insolvency resolution process;
(ii) the Advisory Committee shall consist of three or more Members, who shall be persons of ability, integrity and standing, and who have expertise or experience in finance, economics, accountancy, law, public policy or any other profession in the area of financial services or risk management, administration, supervision or resolution of a financial service provider;
(iii) the terms and conditions of the Members of the Advisory Committee and the manner of conducting meetings and observance of rules of procedure shall be such as may be determined by the appropriate regulator;
(iv) the compensation paid to the Members of the Advisory Committee shall be part of the insolvency resolution process costs;
(v) the Administrator shall chair the meetings of the Advisory Committee.
(d) Resolution plan.-
(i) the resolution plan shall include a statement explaining how the resolution applicant satisfies or intends to satisfy the requirements of engaging in the business of the financial service provider, as per laws for the time being in force;
(ii) upon approval of the resolution plan by the committee of creditors under sub-section (4) of section 30, the Administrator shall seek ‘no objection’ of the appropriate regulator to the effect that it has no objection to the persons, who would be in control or management of the financial service provider after approval of the resolution plan under section 31;
(iii) the appropriate regulator shall without prejudice to the provisions contained in section 29A, issue ‘no objection’ on the basis of the ‘fit and proper’ criteria applicable to the business of the financial service provider;
(iv) where an appropriate regulator does not refuse ‘no objection’ on an application made under clause (ii) within forty-five working days of receipt of such application, it shall be deemed that ‘no objection’ has been granted.
6. Filing of application and application fee.—
(1) Till such time the rules of procedure for conduct of proceedings under the Code are notified, the application made under clause (a) of rule 5 shall be filed before the Adjudicating Authority in accordance with rules 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 26 of Part III of the National Company Law Tribunal Rules, 2016 made under the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013.
(2) An applicant under these rules shall immediately after becoming aware, notify the Adjudicating Authority of any winding-up petition presented against the financial service provider.
(3) The application under sub-clause (i) of clause (a) of rule 5 shall be made in Form 1 and accompanied by-
(a) a fee of twenty-five thousand rupees;
(b) a written consent and declaration in accordance with Form 2 from the proposed Administrator; and
(c) other documents and records as specified in Form 1.
(4) The application and accompanying documents shall be filed in electronic form, as and when such facility is made available by the Adjudicating Authority:
Provided that till such facility is made available, the applicant may submit the accompanying documents, and wherever they are bulky, in electronic form, in scanned, legible portable document format in a data storage device such as a compact disc or a USB flash drive acceptable to the Adjudicating Authority.
(5) The applicant shall dispatch forthwith, a copy of the application filed with the Adjudicating Authority, by registered post or speed post to the registered office of the financial service provider.
(6) The Adjudicating Authority may permit withdrawal of an application filed under sub-clause (i) of clause (a) of rule 5 before its admission on a request made by the applicant.
7. Liquidation Process.― The provisions of the Code relating to the liquidation process of the corporate debtor shall, mutatis mutandis apply, to the liquidation process of a financial service provider subject to the following modifications, namely: ―
(a) the license or registration that authorises the financial service provider to engage in the business of providing financial services shall not be suspended or cancelled during the liquidation process, unless an opportunity of being heard has been provided to the liquidator;
(b) the Adjudicating Authority shall provide the appropriate regulator an opportunity of being heard before passing an order for ―
(i) liquidation of the financial service provider under section 33, and
(ii) dissolution of the financial service provider under section 54.
8. Voluntary Liquidation Process.― The provisions of the Code relating to voluntary liquidation process of the corporate debtor shall, mutatis mutandis apply, to the abcaus.in voluntary liquidation process of a financial service provider subject to the following modifications, namely :-
(a) the financial service provider shall obtain prior permission of the appropriate regulator for initiating voluntary liquidation proceedings under section 59 of the Code;
(b) the affidavit referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (3) of section 59 shall include a declaration that the permission under clause (a) has been obtained;
(c) the Adjudicating Authority shall provide the appropriate regulator an opportunity of being heard before passing an order for dissolution of the financial service provider under section 59.
9. Insolvency Professional.― (1) For the purpose of these rules, only an Administrator proposed by the appropriate regulator and appointed as such by the Adjudicating Authority shall act as an insolvency professional, interim resolution professional, resolution professional or liquidator, as the case may be.
(2) An Administrator shall have the same duties, functions, obligations, responsibilities, rights, and powers of an insolvency professional, interim resolution professional, resolution professional or liquidator, as the case may be, while acting as such in an insolvency resolution and liquidation proceeding of a financial service provider.
(3) The appointment or replacement of the Administrator may be made by the Adjudicating Authority on an application made by the appropriate regulator in this behalf.
10. Assets of third parties, etc.― (1) For removal of doubts, it is clarified that the provisions of clause (b) of rule 5 and section 14 shall not apply to any third-party assets or properties in custody or possession of the financial service provider, including any funds, securities and other assets required to be held in trust for the benefit of third parties.
(2) The Administrator shall take control and custody of third-party assets or properties in custody or possession of the financial service provider, including any funds, securities and other assets required to be held in trust for the benefit of third parties only for the purpose of dealing with them in the manner, as may be notified by the Central Government under section 227.
Form 1
(See sub-clause (i) of clause (a) of Rule 5)
APPLICATION BY APPROPRIATE REGULATOR TO INITIATE INSOLVENCY RESOLUTION PROCESS
UNDER THE CODE.
(Under Rule 5 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency Resolution and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial
Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019)
FORM 2
(See clause (b) of sub-rule (3) of Rule 6)
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION BY THE ADMINISTRATOR
(Under Rule 6 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency Resolution and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial
Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019)
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