UNDER COMMERCIAL COURTS ACTS, SC ORDERS EXCLUDING PERIOD FROM 15.03.2020 TILL 28.02.2022 AS PRESCRIBED UNDER THE ACT

The Supreme Court in the case Babasaheb Raosaheb Kobarne vs Pyrotek India Private Limited observed with respect to the limitation prescribed under the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. The Court observed that for the purposes of limitation the period from 15.03.2020 till 28.02.2022 is also applicable.

In an order dated 10.01.2022, The Supreme Court had issued the following directives:

It is directed from 15.03.2020 till 28.02.2022 the period shall extend stand excluded for the purposes of limitation as may be prescribed under any general or special laws in respect of all judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings and the order dated 23rd March, 2020 is restored and in continuation of the subsequent orders dated 8th March 2021, 27th April 2021 and 23rd September 2021.

It shall become available with effect from 1st March 2022 Consequently, the balance period of limitation remaining as on 3rd October 2021, if any

In the event the actual balance period of limitation remaining, with effect from 01.03.2022 is greater than 90 days, that longer period shall apply and in cases where the limitation during the period between 15th March 2020 till 28th Feb 2022, would have expired all persons shall have a limitation period of 90 days from 01.03.2022, notwithstanding the actual balance period of limitation remaining.

The Sections which prescribe the outer limits i.e., within which the court or tribunal can condone delay and the period(s) of limitation for instituting proceeding includes Section 12 A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015 and provisos (b) and (c) of Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 and as prescribed Sections 23 (4) and 29A of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 including the termination of proceedings and any other laws and it is further being clarified that the period from 15.03.2020 till 28.02.2022 shall also stand excluded in computing the periods, The court observed while referring to the case Centaur Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd. And Anr. v. Stanford Laboratories Pvt. Ltd

Therefore, the bench directed the Trial Court to take on record the written statement filled by the appellant-respondent.

The Commercial Courts Act, 2015 being a Special Law, the said order shall also be applicable with respect to the limitation prescribed under the Commercial Courts Act, 2015 also and the period from 15.03.2020 till 28.02.2022, in the view of this matter and for the purposes of limitation as may be prescribed under any General or SPECIAL LAWS shall have to be excluded as may be prescribed under any General or SPECIAL LAWS with respect to all quasi-judicial or judicial proceedings.

The Bench comprising of Justice MR Shah and the Justice BV Nagarathna observed while allowing the appeal filled by the defendant the purpose of filing the written statement and ought to have permitted to take the written statement on record as the High Court ought to have excluded the aforesaid period.

In the event the actual balance period of limitation remaining, with effect from 01.03.2022 is greater than 90 days, that longer period shall apply and in cases where the limitation during the period between 15th March 2020 till 28th Feb 2022, would have expired all persons shall have a limitation period of 90 days from 01.03.2022, notwithstanding the actual balance period of limitation remaining.