The law relating to voluntary liquidation has been moved from the Companies Act, 2013 (or erstwhile Companies Act, 1956) to Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code or IBC). Voluntary liquidation is the option available to solvent corporate persons having committed no default. The voluntary liquidation, interalia, requires a special resolution of the members of the company and approval of such resolution by the creditors representing two-thirds in value of the debt of the company within seven days of special resolution.

Liquidation Commencement Date 

The Adjudicating Authority is not involved at this stage of voluntary liquidation and with no order of liquidation necessary, the date of passing of special resolution by the members of the company is considered as the liquidation commencement date 1. The Adjudicating Authority comes into picture after the affairs of the company have been completely wound up when the liquidator is under an obligation to make an application to the Adjudicating Authority for dissolution of the company 2. The voluntary liquidator may, however, approach the Adjudicating Authority during the liquidation process in case of non-cooperation of personnel of the company or for determination of any question of law or fact.

Applicability of Section 35 to 53 of Liquidation Process

For conducting the voluntary liquidation, no separate process has been provided in the Code. The Code provides for adoption of liquidation process from sections 35 to 53 with such modifications as may be necessary 3. Equally the provision of cooperation of personnel of the company provided in CIRP process apply to voluntary liquidation process 4. The liquidation process chapter contains sections from 33 to 53. Section 33 provides for initiation of liquidation of a corporate debtor which has undergone the process of Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP). Section 34 provides for appointment of the liquidator and fee to be paid. Logically these two sections have no applicability to the voluntary liquidation process as no order of Adjudicating Authority is required and the fee of voluntary liquidator gets decided by the members appointing the liquidator. But rest of them apply with necessary modifications.

4. Critical Questions Remaining Unanswered relating to Avoidance Transactions

So far so good but applicability of sections 43 to 51 dealing with avoidance transactions leaves following 4 questions unanswered: –

  1. Is it incumbent upon the voluntary liquidator to identify and determine the avoidance transactions and make application to the Adjudicating Authority?
  2. If yes, what will be the starting point of look back period?
  3. Is it possible to dissolve the company while avoidance applications are pending for adjudication?
  4. What will be the treatment of any recoveries made out of avoidance transactions?

First Question: Is it incumbent upon the voluntary liquidator to identify and determine the avoidance transactions and make application to the Adjudicating Authority?

Plain reading of section 59(6) with conjunctive reading of avoidance transactions sections from sections 43 to 51 suggests that it is incumbent upon the liquidator appointed for voluntary liquidation to form an opinion and make a determination to identify the transactions under sections 43, 45, 49 and 50 of the Code. The use of the word liquidator in avoidance transaction sections includes the liquidator appointed for voluntary liquidation and hence the liquidator is under a duty to determine the avoidance transactions and file appropriate applications before the Adjudicating Authority. A crucial question relates to payment of fee of forensic auditor, if appointed by the liquidator. Who pays it? Can the liquidator claim it as part of liquidation cost? The answer to this pertinent question depends on negotiated fee of the voluntary liquidator. No separate fee can be charged if the liquidator has not factored it in the negotiated fee. In other words, if negotiated fee provides for separate payment to be made for this effort, then it may be charged, else the voluntary liquidator will have to bear expenses of this effort out of his/her fee.

Second Question: If yes, what will be the starting point of look back period?

This question has no straight answer and it calls for application of interpretation rules. All the relevant sections dealing with avoidance transactions, namely, sections 43, 45, 49 and 50 provide the starting point of look back period as insolvency commencement date. In voluntary liquidation, there is no insolvency commencement date as it is not a consequential step arising out of CIRP process. The voluntary liquidation, as we are aware, is meant for solvent companies with no default and hence there is no question of CIRP process. The look back period for avoidance transactions is as under:

Section Nature of Transaction Look Back Period for non- related party transactions Look Back Period for related party transactions
43 Preferential Transaction 1 year prior to insolvency commencement date 2 years prior to insolvency commencement date
45 Undervalued Transaction 1 year prior to insolvency commencement date 2 years prior to insolvency commencement date
49 Transactions defrauding creditors No look back period No look back period
50 Extortionate Credit Transactions 2 years prior to insolvency commencement date 2 years prior to insolvency commencement date

In all cases of avoidance transactions, the look back period is to be determined with reference to insolvency commencement date. In CIRP process and possible consequential liquidation of the corporate debtor, there is an insolvency commencement date and it can be the reference point. But for the purposes of voluntary liquidation, insolvency commencement date is irrelevant as it is not a process arising out of or as a result of CIRP process.

Literal application and construction of these avoidance transaction provisions in the context of voluntary liquidation is leading to absurdity. The literal construction has, thus, to be eschewed and the phrase insolvency commencement date has to be construed in accordance with the context. The text and context must match. Here being a mismatch, the interpretation is necessary. We need to apply golden rule of interpretation. When literal interpretation leads to an irrational result that is unlikely to be the legislature's intention, a departure can be made from literal meaning. A preferred meaning can be chosen.

In voluntary liquidation, there is non-existence of insolvency commencement date. There exists only the liquidation commencement date. Hence, insolvency commencement date should be read as liquidation commencement date for the purposes of construing look back period and for determination of avoidance transactions in voluntary liquidation process. This interpretation gets strength from Section 59(6) which makes provisions of sections 35 to 53 of liquidation process applicable to voluntary liquidation with such modifications as may be necessary. Replacement of insolvency commencement date with liquidation commencement date for the purpose of construing look back period for avoidance transactions partakes the character of 'necessary modification' being reasonable, judicious and rational . Even the purposive approach of interpretation can be applied. The purpose of determining avoidance transactions is to provide equitable treatment to the creditors as provided in section 53 of the Code. The transactions carried out by the erstwhile management are put under the lens. From the insolvency commencement date, it the insolvency professional who takes control of the management and affairs of the company. Prior to the insolvency commencement date, the company remains under the control of erstwhile management and it is imperative to identify avoidance transactions. Hence the cut-off date for look back period is the insolvency commencement date. In voluntary liquidation, the liquidator assumes control over the company and its assets from the liquidation commencement date. Prior to this date, it is the management of the company which remains in charge of the affairs of the company and the possibility of avoidance transactions cannot be ruled out. To conclude, in voluntary liquidation, the cut off date for look period would be liquidation commencement date instead of insolvency commencement date.

Base upon the interpretation, the look back period for avoidance transactions under voluntary liquidation should be considered as follows:

Section Nature of Transaction Look Back Period for non- related party transactions Look Back Period for related party transactions
43 Preferential Transaction 1 year prior to liquidation commencement date 2 years prior to liquidation commencement date
45 Undervalued Transaction 1 year prior to liquidation commencement date 2 years prior to liquidation commencement date
49 Transactions defrauding creditors No look back period No look back period
50 Extortionate Credit Transactions 2 years prior to liquidation commencement date 2 years prior to liquidation commencement date

Third Question – Is it possible to dissolve the company while avoidance application/s is/are pending for adjudication?

In the context of liquidation process, this question is easy to answer. Regulation 44(1) of the Liquidation Regulations reads as under: 

"The liquidator shall liquidate the corporate debtor within a period of one year from the liquidation commencement date, notwithstanding pendency of any application for avoidance of transactions under Chapter III of Part II of the Code, before the Adjudicating Authority or any action thereof."

Conjunct reading of Regulation 44(1) of the Liquidation Regulations with Form H, where details of pending avoidance application are to be stated, it can be concluded that regardless of pendency of the applications for avoidance transactions, the company can be dissolved by the Adjudicating Authority after completing all other activities under liquidation.

One is persuaded to apply the same rational to voluntary liquidation and arrive at the same conclusion. Before it is done, let us consider Regulation 38(b)(iii) of Voluntary Liquidation Regulations, which reads as under: 

"38 (1) On completion of the liquidation process, the liquidator shall prepare the Final Report consisting of - 

xxxxx

(iii) No litigation is pending against the corporate person or sufficient provision has been made to meet the obligations arising from any pending litigation."

xxxxx  

This Regulation has caused confusion as in the final report, the liquidator has to make an affirmative statement that no litigation is pending. If avoidance application is pending for adjudication, the liquidator cannot make this kind of affirmative statement as pending avoidance application is in the nature of a pending litigation. The Bankruptcy Law Reforms Committee Report, which happens to be the genesis of the Code, dealt with distribution of realization made on account of avoidance transactions. It is useful to reproduce relevant portion of Para 5.5.7:

"The Committee recommends that all transactions up to a certain period of time prior to the application of the IRP (referred to as the "look-back period") should be scrutinized for any evidence of such transactions by the relevant Insolvency Professional. The relevant period will be specified in regulations. At any time within the resolution period (or during the Liquidation period if the entity is liquidated) the relevant Insolvency Professional is responsible for verifying that reported transactions are valid and central to the running of the business. There should be stricter scrutiny for transactions of fraudulent preference or transfer to related parties, for which the "look back period" should be specified in regulations to be longer.

The Code will give the Liquidator the power to file cases for recovery. Some jurisdictions set such recoveries aside for payment to the secured creditors. Given the extent of equity financing in India, all recoveries from such transactions will become the property of the trust, and will be distributed as described within the waterfall of liabilities."

The BLRC recommended formation of trust for recoveries made through vulnerable transactions (termed as avoidance transactions in the Code). The BLRC preferred providing discretion power to the Adjudicating Authority to close liquidation case inspite of the fact that application for recovery from the vulnerable transactions is pending. Relevant extract of Para 5.5.10 from BLRC Report is reproduced hereunder:

"The Liquidator may apply to the Adjudicator to close down the case with estimates of the time to recovery and possible value of recovery from the vulnerable transactions. If the Adjudicator rules in favour of the application, an order to close the Liquidation case will be issued. This will trigger a set of accompanying orders as follows:

1. An order to the relevant registration authority to remove the name of the entity from its register.

2. An order releasing the Liquidator from the case.

3. An order to submit all records related to the case to the Regulator.

If the Adjudicator does not rule in favour of the application, the Liquidation case remains open. The Code permits the Liquidator to apply for the closure again after a reasonable period of time has passed."

Coupled with the recommendation of the BLRC and the provisions contained in Liquidation Regulations, it can be safely concluded that the principle applicable for liquidation can be applied in voluntary liquidation cases. There is no justification as to why a different treatment should be afforded in case of voluntary liquidation. In so far as Regulation 38(1)(ii) is concerned, the liquidator can mention in Final Report that no litigation is pending except application for avoidance transactions. It is left to the discretion of Adjudicating Authority to decide whether to close the liquidation or to keep it open till the final decision in these applications is made.

Fourth Question: What will be the treatment of any recoveries made out of avoidance transactions?

This aspect has not been dealt in by the Code or the Regulations framed thereunder. However, relying upon the suggestions of the BLRC (relevant extract reproduced hereinabove), it is judicious to distribute the recoveries made in accordance with the distribution waterfall under section 53 of the Code.

Epilogue

The conclusion to each question has been stated hereinabove adopting interpretative approach. It is fair to expect a suitable amendment in the Code and Regulations framed thereunder to set at rest any doubt and interpretative difficulties that are likely to arise amongst the benches of the Tribunal and Appellate forums while dealing with these pertinent questions. 

Footnotes

1 Section 59(5) read with section 5(17) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 

2 Section 59(7) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 

3 Section 59(6) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 

4 Section 19(3) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.