Concept & Modes - Winding Up, Company Law | Company Law - B Com PDF Download

Introduction

Winding up (which is more commonly called liquidation in Scotland) is proceeding for the realisation of the assets, the payment of creditors, and the distribution of the surplus, if any, among the shareholders, so that the company may be finally dissolved. Professor Gover in his book Principles of Modern Company Law has described the winding up of a company in the following words :

‘‘Winding up of a company is the process whereby its life is ended and its property administered for the benefit of its creditors and members. An administrator called a liquidator is appointed and he takes control of the company, collects its assets, pays its debts and finally distributes any surplus among the members in accordance with their rights.’’

Thus winding up is the last stage in the life of a company. It means a proceeding by which a company is dissolved.

Winding up should not be taken as if it is dissolution of a company. The winding up of a company precedes its dissolution. Prior to dissolution and after winding up, the legal entity of the company remains and it can be sued in a Court of law. On dissolution the company ceases to exist, its name is actually struck off from the Register of Companies by the Registrar and the fact is published in the official Gazette.

Modes of Winding Up

A company can be wound up in three ways :

1. Compulsory winding up by the Court;
2. Voluntary winding up : (i) Members' voluntary winding up; (ii) Creditors' voluntary winding up;
3. Voluntary winding up subject to the supervision of the Court [Sec. 425].

Winding Up By the Court 

A company may be wound up by an order of the Court. This is called compulsory winding up or winding up by the Court. Section 433 lays down the following grounds where a company may be wound up by the Court. A petition for winding up may be presented to the Court on any of the grounds stated below :

1. Special resolution

A company may be wound up by the Court if it has, by a special resolution, resolved that it be wound up by the Court. But it is to be noted that the Court is not bound to order for winding up merely because the company by a special resolution has so resolved. Even in such a case it is the discretion of the Court to order for winding up or not.

2. Default in filing statutory report or holding statutory meeting

If a company has made a default in delivering the statutory report to the Registrar or in holding the statutory meeting, a petition for winding up of the company may be presented to the Court. A petition on this ground may be presented to the Court by a member or Registrar (with the previous sanction of the Central Government) or a creditor. The power of the Court is discretionary and generally it does not order for winding up in first instance. The Court may, instead of making an order for winding up, direct the company to file the statutory report or to hold the statutory meeting but if the company fails to comply with the order, the Court will wind up the company.

3. Failure to commence business within one year or suspension of business for a whole year

Where a company does not commence its business within one year from its incorporation or suspends its business for a whole year, a winding up petition may be presented to the Court. Even if the business is suspended for a whole year, this by itself does not entitle the petitioner to get the company wound up as a matter of right but the question whether the company should be wound up or not in such a circumstances entirely in the discretion of the Court depending upon the facts and circumstances of each case. Even if the work of all the units of the company has been suspended then too it will still be open to the Court to examine as to whether it will be possible for the company to continue its business. Before the order of winding up on this ground the Court is required to see what are the possibilities of resumption of the business of the company. The suspension of the business, for this purpose, must be the entire business of the company and not a part of it.

The Court will not order for winding up on the grounds, if :

(a) suspension of business is due to temporary causes ; and

(b) there are reasonable prospects for starting of business within a reasonable time.

4. Reduction of membership below the minimum

When the number of members is reduced, in the case of a public company, below 7 and in the case of a private company, below 2, a petition for winding up of the company may be presented to the Court.

5. Company's inability to pay its debts

A winding up petition may be presented if the company is unable to pay its debt. 'Debt' means definite sum of money payable immediately or at future date. A company will be deemed to be unable to pay its loan in the following conditions (Section 434) :

(a) a creditor of more than Rs. 500 has served, on the company at its registered office, a demand under his hand requiring payment and the company has for three weeks thereafter neglected to pay or secure or compound the sum to the reasonable satisfaction of the creditor ; or

(b) execution or other process issued on a judgement or order in favour of a creditor of the company is returned unsatisfied in whole or in part ; or

(c) it is proved to the satisfaction of the Court that the company is unable to pay its debts, taking into account its contingent and prospective liabilities, i.e. whether its assets are sufficient to meet its liabilities.

6. Just and Equitable [Sec. 433(f)]

The Court may also order to wind up of a company if it is of opinion that it has just and equitable that the company should be wound up. What is 'just and equitable' depends on the facts of each case. The words 'just and equitable' are of wide connotation and it is entirely discretionary on the part of the Court to order winding up or not on this ground.

Thus the Court itself works out the principles on which the order for winding up under the section is to be made.

Winding up by the Court on 'just and equitable' grounds may be ordered in the cases given below :

(a) When the substratum of the company has gone : In the words of Shah, J. in Seth Moham Lal v. Grain Chambers Ltd. the "substratum of the company is said to have disappeared when the object for which it was incorporated has substantially failed, or when it is impossible to carry on the business of the company except at a loss, or the existing and possible assets are insufficient to meet the existing liabilities.

The substratum of a company will be deemed to have gone when (i) The object for which it was incorporated has substantially failed or has become impossible or (ii) it is impossible to carry on business except at a loss or (iii) the existing and possible assets are insufficient to meet the existing liabilities of the company.

(b) When there is oppression by the majority shareholders on the minority, or there is mismanagement.

(c) When the company is formed for fraudulent or illegal objects or when the business of the company becomes illegal.

(d) When there is a deadlock in the management of the company. When there is a complete deadlock in the management of the company, it will be wound up even if it is making good profits. In Re Yenidjee Tobacco Co. Ltd. A and B the only sharehodlers and directors of a private limited company became so hostile to each other that neither of them would speak to the other except through the secretary. Held, there was a complete deadlock and consequently the company be wound up.

(e) When the company is a 'bubble', i.e. it never had any real business.

Persons Entitled To Apply For Winding Up

The Court does not choose to wind up a company at its own motion. It has to be petitioned. Section 439 of the Companies Act enumerates the persons those can file a petition to the Court for the winding up of a company. The petition for winding up may be brought by any one of the following :

1. Petition by Company

A company can make a petition only when it has passed a special resolution to that effect. However, it has been held that where the company is found by the directors to be insolvent due to circumstances which ought to be investigated by the Court, the directors may apply to the Court for an order of winding up of the company even without obtaining the sanction of the general meeting of the company.

2. Petition by Creditors

The word 'creditor' includes secured creditor, debentureholder and a trustee for debentureholder. A contingent or prospective creditor (such as the holder of a bill of exchange not yet matured or of debentures not yet payable) is also entitled to petition for a winding up of the company. Before a petition for winding up of a company presented by a contingent or prospective creditors is admitted, the leave of the Court must be obtained for the admission of the petition. Such leave is not granted (a) unless, in the opinion of the Court, there is a prima facie case for winding up the company; and (b) until reasonable security for costs has been given.

Notice that a creditor has a right to winding up order if he can prove that he claims an undisputed debt and that the company has failed to discharge it. When a creditors' petition is opposed by other creditors, the Court may ascertain the wishes of the majority of creditors.

3. Contributory Petition

The term 'contributory' means every person who is liable to contribute to the assets of the company in the event of its being wound up. Section 428 makes it clear that it includes the holder of fully-paid shares. A fully-paid shareholder will not, however, be placed on the list of contributors, as he is not liable to pay any contribution to the assets, except in cases where surplus assets are likely to be available for distribution.

A contributory is entitled to present a petition for winding up a company if :

(a) the number is reduced, in the case of a public company below seven and in the case of private company below two; and

(b) the shares in respects of which he is a contributory either were originally allotted to him or have been held by him; and

(c) the shares have been registered in his name, for at least six months during the period of 18 months immediately before the commencement of the winding up; and

(d) the shares have been devolved on him during the death of a former holder [Sec. 439(4)].

4. Registrar's Petition

The Registrar can present a petition for winding up a company only on the following grounds, viz.,

(a) if a default is made in delivering the statutory report to the Registrar or in holding the statutory meeting;

(b) if the company does not commence its business within a year from its incorporation, or suspends its business for a whole year ;

(c) if the number of members is reduced, in the case of a public company below seven and in the case of a private company below two ;

(d) if the company is unable to pay its debts; and

(e) if the Court is of opinion that it is just and equitable that the company should be wound up.

Note that the Registrar can file a petition for winding up only with prior approval of the Central Government. The Central Government before sanctioning approval must give an opportunity to the company for making its represent actions, if any.

Again a petition on the ground of default in delivering the statutory report or holding the statutory meeting cannot be presented before the expiration of 14 days after the last day on which the statutory meeting ought to have been held.

5. Petition by any Person Authorised by the Central Government

If it appears to the Central Government from any report of the inspectors appointed to investigate the affairs of the company, that it is expedient to wind up the company because its business is being conducted with intent to defraud creditors, members or any other person, or its business is being conducted for a fraudulent or unlawful purpose, or the management is guilty of fraud, misfeasance or other misconduct, the Central Government may authorise any person to present to the Court a petition for winding up of the company that is just and equitable that the company should be wound up.

Commencement of Winding up (Section 441)

Where before the presentation of a petition for the winding up of a company by the Court, a resolution has been passed by the company for voluntary winding up, the winding up of the company will be deemed to have commenced from the date of the resolution. In all other cases (i.e. where the company has not previously passed a resolution for voluntary winding up), the winding up will be deemed to commence from the time of the presentation of the petition for the winding up.

The Court may dismiss or allow the petition for winding up and also can adjourn its hearing or pass conditional order of winding up. In the case of Misrilal Dharamchand Ltd. v. B. Patnaik Mines Ltd. (1978) the Court ordered for winding up but stayed the operation of the order for six months so as to enable the company to pay the petitioner, if it could do so within this period and in case of failure the order was to come in force.

Powers of the Court

On hearing a winding up petition, the Court may dismiss it or adjourn the hearing or make interim orders or make an order for winding up the company, with or without costs or any other order that it thinks fit (Section 443).

Consequences of winding up

1. Where the Court makes an order for winding up of company, the Court must forthwith cause intimation thereof to be sent to the Official Liquidators and the Registrar (Section 444).
2. On the making of a winding up order it is the duty of the petitioner in the winding up proceedings and of the company to file with the Registrar a copy of the order of the Court within 30 days from the date of the making of the order [Section 445(1)].
3. The winding up order is deemed to be notice of discharge to the officers and employees of the company, except when the business of the company is continued [Section 445(3)].
4. When a winding up order has been made, no suit or other legal proceedings can be commenced against the company except with the leave of the Court. Suits pending at the date of the winding up order cannot be further proceeded without the leave of the Court. According to sub-section (2) of Section 446 the Court which is winding up the company has jurisdiction to entertain or dispose of (a) any suit or proceeding by or against the company; (b) any claim made by or against the company; (c) any application made under Section 391 by or in respect of the company ; (d) any question of priorities or any other question whatsoever which may relate to or arise in course of the winding up of the company.
5. An order for winding up operates in favour of all the creditors and of all the contributories of the company as if it had been made on the joint petition of a creditor and of a contributory (Section 447).
6. According to Section 536 any disposition of the property (including actionable claims) of the company, any transfer of shares in the company or alteration in the status of its members, made after the commencement of the winding up shall be void, unless the Court otherwise orders. Thus the Court can direct that any such disposition of property or actionable claims or transfer of shares or alteration of status of the members will be valid. But unless the Court so directs, such disposition, transfer or alteration will be void.
7. Section 537 declares that any attachment and sale of the estate or effects of the company, after the commencement of the winding up, will be void. In the case of winding up by the Court any attachment, distress or execution put in force, without leave of the Court, against the estate or effects of the company after the commencement of the winding up will be void. Similarly any sale held , without leave of the Court, of any of the properties or effects of the company after the commencement of the winding up will be void. With leave of the Court, attachment and sale of the properties of the company will be valid even if such attachment and sale are made after the commencement of the winding up of the company. Besides this section does not apply to any proceedings for the recovery of any tax imposed or any dues payable to the Government. Thus I.T.O. can commence assessment proceedings without leave of the Court.
8. It is to be noted that winding up order does not bring the business of the company to an end. The corporate existence of the company continues through winding up till the company is dissolved. Thus the company continues to have corporate personality during winding up. Its corporate existence come to an end only when it is dissolved.
9. An order for winding up operates in favour of all the creditors and of all the contributories of the company as if it had been made on the joint petition of a creditor and of contributory.
10. On a winding up order being made in respect of a company, the Official Liquidator, by virtue of the office, becomes the liquidator of the company (Section 449).

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