Kerala High Court issues order as National Company Law Tribunal opens bench

Kochi: With the Union ministry constituting Chennai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal, all the pending and new company cases before the Kerala High Court will be transferred to the Chennai Bench. The High Court had issued a notification in this regard the other day. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs, New Delhi has established a bench of the National Company law Tribunal (NCLT) at Chennai having jurisdiction over the state of Kerala. The ministry has also framed rules with respect to the transfer of pending Company Cases from the High Court to the bench via a notification.

“Consequent to the establishment of the Bench of NCLT at Chennai and also in view of notification, the High Court of Kerala will cease to have jurisdiction with regard to matters that are specifically mentioned in the notification/order.” The court also notified that the filing section of the court will not receive company matters. The court notification came out on April 10, 2017. The Central government had constituted National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) under Section 408 of the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013) with effect from June 1, 2016.

In the first phase the Ministry of Corporate Affairs have set up 11 Benches, one Principal Bench at New Delhi and one Regional Benches each at New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Guahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai. These Benches will be headed by the President and 16 Judicial members and nine Technical Members at different locations. The Chennai bench will also have jurisdiction of Tamil Nadu, Union territory of Lakshadweep and Union territory of Puducherry.