UPSC Articles
SC brings Co-operative Banks within the ambit of Sarfaesi Act
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Banking Sector
In News:
- Recently, the Supreme Court held that Co-operative banks and co-operative societies shall come within the ambit of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (Sarfaesi) Act of 2002.
Key takeaways from the verdict:
- Co-operative banks come within the definition of “Banks” under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 for the purposes of the Sarfaesi Act.
- The recovery procedure under the Sarfaesi Act is also applicable to co-operative banks.
- The Parliament has legislative competence to provide procedures for recovery of loans under the Sarfaesi Act with respect to cooperative banks.
Important value additions:
Sarfaesi Act
- It allows banks and other financial institutions to auction residential or commercial properties to recover loans.
- The first asset reconstruction company of India, ARCIL, was set up under this act.
- Banks utilize Sarfaesi Act as an effective tool for bad loans (Non-Performing Asset) recovery.
- It is effective only against secured loans.
- It promotes the setting up of asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) and asset securitization companies (SCs) to deal with NPAs.
- Objectives of the Act are:
- To provide the legal framework for securitization activities in India.
- To give the procedures for the transfer of NPAs to asset reconstruction companies.
- To give powers to banks and financial institutions to take over the immovable property that is pledged to enforce the recovery of debt.
- NPAs can be recovered through:
- Securitisation: Practice of pooling together various types of debt instruments (assets) and selling them as bonds.
- Asset Reconstruction: Activity of converting NPA into performing assets.
- Enforcement of Security without the intervention of the Court.
