Pending Companies Act matters to be transferred to NCLT [Read notification]

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has issued a notification stating that pending proceedings under the Companies Act – with some exceptions – shall be transferred from the district and high courts to benches of the National Company Law Tribunal, with effect from December 15..The Centre has taken this step in lieu of its power under Section 434(1)(c) of the Companies Act 2013, under which it was empowered to specify a date on which pending matters relating to arbitration, compromise agreements and reconstruction and winding up of companies would stand transferred to NCLT benches..Under the Companies (Removal of Difficulties) Fourth Order of 2016, all cases related to winding up pending in high courts wherein petitions have not been served on the respondents, shall be transferred. Moreover, the notification also states that matters other than those relating to winding up, in which orders have been reserved by high courts, shall not be transferred..The Companies (Transfer of Proceedings) Rules 2016 also states that those cases pending before high courts relating to voluntary winding up of companies shall not be transferred. The Rules also clarify that no fee would be payable for these transfers..The government has also notified as many as eighteen provision of the 2013 Companies Act to come into force this week. These include variation of shareholder rights, reduction of share capital, compromises, arrangements and amalgamations..Read the notification dated November 7: