Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
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1. CMPMO No. 439 of 2018
M/s Brijsons Hetreat …..Petitioner
Versus
The Himachal Pradesh Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise, Facilitation
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Council and Anr. …..Respondents
2. CMPMO No. 442 of 2018
Himachal Wire Industries Pvt. Ltd. …..Petitioner
of
Versus
The Himachal Pradesh Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise, Facilitation
Council and Anr. …..Respondents
3. CMPMO No. 444 of 2018
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M/s TCM Steels (India) …..Petitioner
Versus
The Himachal Pradesh Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise, Facilitation
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Council and Anr. …..Respondents
Coram:
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sandeep Sharma, Judge
Whether approved for reporting? 1 Yes.
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State.
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dated 23.8.2018 and 25.4.2018, passed by the H.P. Micro, Small and
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Whether the reporters of the local papers may be allowed to see the judgment?
reference No. 35/2017, titled M/s Brijsons Hetreat V.P.O., Badroya, Tehsil
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Division, IPH Department, Gagret, District Una, H.P., reference No.36 of
2017 titled M/s Himachal Wire Industries (P) Ltd. G.T. Road, Damtal,
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Distt. Kangra, H.P. v. Executive Engineer, Flood Protection Division, IPH
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titled M/s TCM Steels (India) v. Executive Engineer, Flood Protection
29.5.2015 for supply of Hot Dip Galvanized Mild Steel Wire on annual
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extended upto 31.8.2015 vide letter No. 4-IND/SP-3(M-02) 37/2013
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petitioners-company, following clause No.2, was reflected in the terms
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payment will be made within 21 days against physical delivery of
for supply of Hot Dip Galvanized Mild Steel Wire @ Rs. 59050/- per
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metric ton, exclusive of Excise Duty and VAT. As per the petitioners,
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Division, Gagret and Amb. As per the terms and conditions of the rate
contract and supply order, the payment with respect to the materials
period of 21 days from the receipt of the material. But since in the
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the High Court of HP by way of CWP No. 4235 of 2015 (along with
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(Annexure P-5 colly.), whereby Division Bench of this Court having
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the petitioners that petitioners have received the entire payment and
present petitioners before the Division Bench of this Court, only the
Act, 2006 ( in short “the Act”), however fact remains that aforesaid
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department to pay interest for delay in payment under the Act against
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disputed the claim of the petitioner on the ground that since counsel
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Court that entire payment stands received and grievance of the
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petitioner.
the matter to the arbitrator for adjudication of the dispute with regard
of the Act as well as award passed by the sole arbitrator in similar case
of pick and choose. Mr. Jhingan argued that in case titled M/s Partap
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Industrial Products v. The Executive Engineer, Flood Protection Division
Gagret, District Una, H.P., similar kind of objection was raised by the
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department before the learned Arbitrator, but learned Arbitrator in
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Act, petitioners are entitled to interest for delayed payments. Mr.
payment.
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same or not.
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10. Careful perusal of judgment dated 23.2.2016, passed by
the Division Bench of this Court in CWP No. 4235 of 2015, clearly
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suggests that proxy counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners had
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which fact was otherwise acknowledged by the learned Additional
account of delay, rather it simply having taken note of the fact that
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the statement was made by the learned counsel for the petitioners
the High Court and had made similar kind of statement before the
Court, was referred to the Arbitration under the Act. At this stage, it
would be apt to take note of Sections 15, 16 and 18 of the Act, which
read as under:-
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“15.Liability of buyer to make payment.—Where any
supplier supplies any goods or renders any services to any
buyer, the buyer shall make payment therefor on or before
the date agreed upon between him and the supplier in
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writing or, where there is no agreement in this behalf,
before the appointed day:
Provided that in no case the period agreed upon between
the supplier and the buyer in writing shall exceed forty-five
days from the day of acceptance or the day of deemed
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acceptance.
16.Date from which and rate at which interest is payable.—
Where any buyer fails to make payment of the amount to
the supplier, as required under section 15, the buyer shall,
notwithstanding anything contained in any agreement
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between the buyer and the supplier or in any law for the
time being in force, be liable to pay compound interest
with monthly rests to the supplier on that amount from the
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appointed day or, as the case may be, from the date
immediately following the date agreed upon, at three
times of the bank rate notified by the Reserve Bank.
18.Reference to Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation
Council.—(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any
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other law for the time being in force, any party to a dispute
may, with regard to any amount due under section 17,
make a reference to the Micro and Small Enterprises
Facilitation Council. (2) On receipt of a reference under
sub-section (1), the Council shall either itself conduct
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within its jurisdiction and a buyer located anywhere in
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India. (5) Every reference made under this section shall be
decided within a period of ninety days from the date of
making such a reference.”
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11. Careful perusal of Section 15 of the Act clearly provides
that where any supplier supplies any goods or renders any services to
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any buyer, the buyer shall make payment on or before the date
agreed upon between him and the supplier but in no case, the period
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agreed upon between the supplier and buyer shall exceed 45 days
between the buyer and the supplier or in any law for the time being in
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the supplier on that amount from the appointed day or, as the case
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may be, from the date immediately following the date agreed upon,
at three times of the bank rate notified by the Reserve Bank. Similarly,
Section 18 of the Act provides that in the event of dispute, if any, inter-
the Act, parties to dispute shall make a reference to the Council, who
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providing alternate dispute resolution services by making reference to
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of the Act, further provides that where the conciliation initiated under
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settlement between the parties, the Council shall either itself take up
the Act but as has been taken note herein above, council without
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decision by stating:-
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Sh. Sudhir Kumar, EEFPWD appeared on behalf of
buyer. Advocate appeared on behalf of the supplier
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informed the Council that principal amount has been
paid however interest portion is still pending. The
representative of buyer also asked by Council about
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the payment of interest due however he could not
ensure whether interest amount would be paid or not
due to non-availability of budget. Council took note
of the same and it seems that buyer is not willing to
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solve the matter amicably and all efforts of
conciliation have failed and broken down and there
seems no scope for reconciliation. Accordingly, the
decision was unanimously taken by the Council to
refer this matter to arbitration and adopted the
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procedure under Section 18 (3) of the MSMED Act,
2006, by referring the matter to an arbitrator out o the
panel notified by the State Government.
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3. Whereas the State Government vide letter No.
Ind.A (F) 19-21/2005-I dated 18.09.2015 has issued
notification regarding empanelment of Arbitrators for
the expeditious disposal of arbitration cases.
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conclude that authority concerned has decided reference petition of
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such, same cannot be allowed to sustain.
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allowed and impugned orders dated 23.8.2018 and 25.4.2018, passed
by the H.P. Micro & Small Facilitation Council, H.P., Himachal Pradesh,
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are quashed and set-aside and respondent-council is directed to refer
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the matter of present petitioners to the Arbitrator in terms of Section 18
(3) of the Act, as has been done in the case of similarly situate person
application(s) if any.
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