Sec 53A to 53U (Chapter VIIIA Appellate Tribunal)The Competition Act, 2002

3[ 4[53A. Appellate Tribunal.—

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal constituted under section 410 of the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013) shall, on and from the commencement of Part XIV of Chapter VI of the Finance Act, 2017 (7 of 2017), be the Appellate Tribunal for the purposes of this Act and the said Appellate Tribunal shall—

(a) hear and dispose of appeals against any direction issued or decision made or order passed by the Commission under 5[sub-section (6) of section 6, sub-sections (2), (2A), (6) and (9) of section 26], section 27, section 28, section 31, section 32, section 33, section 38, section 39, section 43, section 43A, section 44, section 45 or section 46 of this Act; and

(b) adjudicate on claim for compensation that may arise from the findings of the Commission or the orders of the Appellate Tribunal in an appeal against any finding of the Commission or under section 42A or under sub-section (2) of section 53Q of this Act, and pass orders for the recovery of compensation under section 53N of this Act.]

53B. Appeal to Appellate Tribunal.—

(1) The Central Government or the State Government or a local authority or enterprise or any person, aggrieved by any direction, decision or order referred to in clause (a) of section 53A may prefer an appeal to the Appellate Tribunal.

(2) Every appeal under sub-section (1) shall be filed within a period of sixty days from the date on which a copy of the direction or decision or order made by the Commission is received by the Central Government or the State Government or a local authority or enterprise or any person referred to in that sub-section and it shall be in such form and be accompanied by such fee as may be prescribed:

Provided that the Appellate Tribunal may entertain an appeal after the expiry of the said period of sixty days if it is satisfied that there was sufficient cause for not filing it within that period:

7[Provided further that no appeal by a person, who is required to pay any amount in terms of an order of the Commission, shall be entertained by the Appellate Tribunal unless the appellant has deposited twenty-five per cent. of that amount in the manner as directed by the Appellate Tribunal.]

(3) On receipt of an appeal under sub-section (1), the Appellate Tribunal may, after giving the parties to the appeal, an opportunity of being heard, pass such orders thereon as it thinks fit, confirming, modifying or setting aside the direction, decision or order appealed against.

(4) The Appellate Tribunal shall send a copy of every order made by it to the Commission and the parties to the appeal.

(5) The appeal filed before the Appellate Tribunal under sub-section (1) shall be dealt with by it as expeditiously as possible and endeavour shall be made by it to dispose of the appeal within six months from the date of receipt of the appeal.

53C. [Composition of Appellate Tribunal.]

Omitted by the Finance Act, 2017 (7 of 2017), s. 171 (w.e.f. 26-5-2017).

53D. [Qualifications for appointment of Chairperson and Members of Appellate Tribunal.]

Omitted by s. 171, ibid. (w.e.f. 26-5-2017).

53E. [Selection Committee.]

Omitted by s. 171, ibid. (w.e.f. 26-5-2017).

53F. [Term of office of Chairperson and Members of Appellate Tribunal.]

Omitted by s. 171, ibid. (w.e.f. 26-5-2017).

53G. [Terms and conditions of service of Chairperson and Members of Appellate Tribunal.]

Omitted by s. 171, ibid. (w.e.f. 26-5-2017).

53H. [Vacancies.]

Omitted by s. 171, ibid. (w.e.f. 26-5-2017).

53-I. [Resignation of Chairperson and Members of Appellate Tribunal.]

Omitted by s. 171, ibid. (w.e.f. 26-5-2017).

53J. [Member of Appellate Tribunal to act as its Chairperson in certain cases.]

Omitted by s. 171, ibid. (w.e.f. 26-5-2017).

53K. [Removal and suspension of Chairperson and Members of Appellate Tribunal.]

Omitted by s. 171, ibid. (w.e.f. 26-5-2017).

53L. [Restriction on employment of Chairperson and other Members of Appellate Tribunal in certain cases.]

Omitted by s. 171, ibid. (w.e.f. 26-5-2017).

53M. [Staff of Appellate Tribunal.]

Omitted by s. 171, ibid. (w.e.f. 26-5-2017).

53N. Awarding compensation.—

(1) Without prejudice to any other provisions contained in this Act, the Central Government or a State Government or a local authority or any enterprise or any person may make an application to the Appellate Tribunal to adjudicate on claim for compensation that may arise from the findings of the Commission or the orders of the Appellate Tribunal in an appeal against any findings of the Commission or under section 42A or 3[under sub-section (2) of section 53Q or the orders of the Supreme Court in an appeal against the findings of the Appellate Tribunal under section 53T or an order for settlement passed under section 48A, and to pass an order for the recovery of compensation from any enterprise for any loss or damage shown to have been suffered, by the Central Government or a State Government or a local authority or any enterprise or any person as a result of any contravention of the provisions of Chapter II, having been committed by enterprise or as a result of order of settlement passed by the Commission].

(2) Every application made under sub-section (1) shall be accompanied by the findings of the Commission 4[or Appellate Tribunal or the Supreme Court, or an order for settlement], if any, and also be accompanied with such fees as may be prescribed.

(3) The Appellate Tribunal may, after an inquiry made into the allegations mentioned in the application made under sub-section (1), pass an order directing the enterprise to make payment to the applicant, of the amount determined by it as realisable from the enterprise as compensation for the loss or damage caused to the applicant as a result of any contravention of the provisions of Chapter II having been committed by such enterprise:

Provided that the Appellate Tribunal may obtain the recommendations of the Commission before passing an order of compensation.

(4) Where any loss or damage referred to in sub-section (1) is caused to numerous persons having the same interest, one or more of such persons may, with the permission of the Appellate Tribunal, make an application under that sub-section for and on behalf of, or for the benefit of, the persons so interested, and thereupon, the provisions of rule 8 of Order 1 of the First Schedule to the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), shall apply subject to the modification that every reference therein to a suit or decree shall be construed as a reference to the application before the Appellate Tribunal and the order of the Appellate Tribunal thereon.

Explanation.—For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that—

(a) an application may be made for compensation before the Appellate Tribunal only after either the Commission or the Appellate Tribunal on appeal under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 53A 1[or the Supreme Court on appeal under section 53T] of the Act, has determined in a proceeding before it that violation of the provisions of the Act has taken place, or if provisions of section 42A or sub-section (2) of section 53Q of the Act are attracted;

(b) enquiry to be conducted under sub-section (3) shall be for the purpose of determining the eligibility and quantum of compensation due to a person applying for the same, and not for examining afresh the findings of the Commission or the Appellate Tribunal 1[or the Supreme Court,] on whether any violation of the Act has taken place.

53-O. Procedure and powers of Appellate Tribunal.—

(1) The Appellate Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), but shall be guided by the principles of natural justice and, subject to the other provisions of this Act and of any rules made by the Central Government, the Appellate Tribunal shall have power to regulate its own procedure including the places at which they shall have their sittings.

(2) The Appellate Tribunal shall have, for the purposes of discharging its functions under this Act, the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908) while trying a suit in respect of the following matters, namely:—

(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath;

(b) requiring the discovery and production of documents;

(c) receiving evidence on affidavit;

(d) subject to the provisions of sections 123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872), requisitioning any public record or document or copy of such record or document from any office;

(e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents;

(f) reviewing its decisions;

(g) dismissing a representation for default or deciding it ex parte;

(h) setting aside any order of dismissal of any representation for default or any order passed by it ex parte;

(i) any other matter which may be prescribed.

(3) Every proceedings before the Appellate Tribunal shall be deemed to be judicial proceedings within the meaning of sections 193 and 228, and for the purposes of section 196, of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) and the Appellate Tribunal shall be deemed to be a civil court for the purposes of section 195 and Chapter XXVI of the Code or Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).

53P. Execution of orders of Appellate Tribunal.—

(1) Every order made by the Appellate Tribunal shall be enforced by it in the same manner as if it were a decree made by a court in a suit pending therein, and it shall be lawful for the Appellate Tribunal to send, in case of its inability to execute such order, to the court within the local limits of whose jurisdiction,—

(a) in the case of an order against a company, the registered office of the company is situated; or

(b) in the case of an order against any other person, place where the person concerned voluntarily resides or carries on business or personally works for gain, is situated.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the Appellate Tribunal may transmit any order made by it to a civil court having local jurisdiction and such civil court shall execute the order as if it were a decree made by that court.

53Q. Contravention of orders of Appellate Tribunal.—

2[(1) Without prejudice to the provisions of this Act, if any person contravenes, without any reasonable ground, any order of the Appellate Tribunal, he shall be liable for contempt proceeding under section 53U.]

(2) Without prejudice to the provisions of this Act, any person may make an application to the Appellate Tribunal for an order for the recovery of compensation from any enterprise for any loss or damage shown to have been suffered, by such person as a result of the said enterprise contravening, without any reasonable ground, any order of the Appellate Tribunal or delaying in carrying out such orders of the Appellate Tribunal.

53R. [Vacancy in Appellate Tribunal not to invalidate acts or proceedings.]

Omitted by the Finance Act, 2017 (7 of 2017), s. 171, (w.e.f. 26-5-2017).

53-S. Right to legal representation.—

(1) A person preferring an appeal to the Appellate Tribunal may either appear in person or authorise one or more chartered accountants or company secretaries or cost accountants or legal practitioners or any of its officers to present his or its case before the Appellate Tribunal.

(2) The Central Government or a State Government or a local authority or any enterprise preferring an appeal to the Appellate Tribunal may authorise one or more chartered accountants or company secretaries or cost accountants or legal practitioners or any of its officers to act as presenting officers and every person so authorised may present the case with respect to any appeal before the Appellate Tribunal.

(3) The Commission may authorise one or more chartered accountants or company secretaries or cost accountants or legal practitioners or any of its officers to act as presenting officers and every person so authorised may present the case with respect to any appeal before the Appellate Tribunal.

Explanation.—The expressions “chartered accountant” or “company secretary” or “cost accountant” or “legal practitioner” shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the Explanation to section 35.

53T. Appeal to Supreme Court.—

The Central Government or any State Government or the Commission or any statutory authority or any local authority or any enterprise or any person aggrieved by any decision or order of the Appellate Tribunal may file an appeal to the Supreme Court within sixty days from the date of communication of the decision or order of the Appellate Tribunal to them: Provided that the Supreme court may, if it is satisfied that the applicant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal within the said period, allow it to be filed after the expiry of the said period of sixty days.

53U. Power to Punish for contempt.—

The Appellate Tribunal shall have, and exercise, the same jurisdiction, powers and authority in respect of contempt of itself as a High Court has and may exercise and, for this purpose, the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 (70 of 1971) shall have effect subject to modifications that,—

(a) the reference therein to a High Court shall be construed as including a reference to the Appellate Tribunal;

(b) the references to the Advocate-General in section 15 of the said Act shall be construed as a reference to such Law Officer as the Central Government may, by notification, specify in this behalf.]