In this Part, the expression "charge" includes a mortgage.
Section 125 - Certain charges to be void against liquidator or creditors unless registered
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Part, every charge created on or after the 1st day of April, 1914, by a company and being a charge to which this section applies shall, so far as any security on the company's properly or undertaking is conferred thereby, be void against the liquidator and any creditor of the company, unless the prescribed particulars of the charge, together with the instrument, if any, by which the charge is created or evidenced, or a copy thereof verified in the prescribed manner, are filed with the registrar for registration in the manner required by this Act within1[thirty] days after the date of its creation:
2[Provided that the Registrar may allow the particulars and instrument or copy as aforesaid to be filed within thirty days next following the expiry of the said period of thirty days on payment of such additional fee not exceeding ten times the amount of fee specified in Schedule X as the Registrar may determine, if the company satisfies the Registrar that it had sufficient cause for not filing the particulars, and instrument or copy within that period.]
(2) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall prejudice any contract or obligation for the repayment of the money secured by the charge.
(3) When a charge becomes void under this section, the money secured thereby shall immediately become payable.
(4) This section applies to the following charges: -
(a) a charge for the purpose of securing any issue of debentures;
(b) a charge on uncalled share capital of the company;
(c) a charge on any immovable property, wherever situate, or any interest therein;
(d) a charge on any book debts of the company;
(e) a charge, not being a pledge, on any movable property of the company;
(f) a floating charge on the undertaking or any property of the company including stock-in-trade;
(g) a charge on calls made but not paid;
(h) a charge on a ship or any share in a ship;
(i) a charge on goodwill, on a patent or a licence under a patent, on a trade mark, or on a copyright or a licence under a copyright.
(5) In the case of a charge created out of India and comprising solely property situate outside India,1[thirty] days after the date on which the instrument creating or evidencing the charge of a copy thereof could, in due course of post and if dispatched with due diligence, have been received in India, shall be substituted for1[thirty] days after the date of the creation of the charge, as the time within which the particulars and instrument or copy are to be filed with the Registrar.
(6) Where a charge is created in India but comprises property outside India, the instrument creating or purporting to create the charge under this section or a copy thereof verified in the prescribed manner, may be filed for registration, notwithstanding that further proceedings may be necessary to make the charge valid or effectual according to the law of the country in which the property is situate.
(7) Where a negotiable instrument has been given to secure the payment of any book debts of a company, the deposit of the instrument for the purpose of securing an advance to the company shall not, for the purposes of this section, be treated as a charge on those book debts.
(8) The holding of debentures entitling the holder to a charge on immovable property shall not, for the purposes of this section, be deemed to be an interest in immovable property.
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1. Substituted by Act 31 of 1965, Section 62 and Schedule, for "twenty-one" (w.e.f. 15-10-1965).
2. Proviso Inserted by Act 65 of 1960, Section 29 and Substituted by Act 31 of 1988, Section 18 (w.e.f. 15-6-1988).
Section 126 - Date of notice of charge
Where any charge on any property of a company required to be registered under section 125 has been so registered, any person acquiring such property or any part thereof, or any share or interest therein, shall be deemed to have notice of the charge as from the date of such registration.
Section 127 - Registration of charges on properties acquired subject to charge
(1) Where a company acquires any property which is subject to a charge of any such kind as would, if it had been created by the company after the acquisition of the property, have been required to be registered under this Part, the company shall cause the prescribed particulars of the charge, together with a copy (certified in the prescribed manner to be a correct copy) of the instrument, if any, by which the charge was created or is evidenced, to be delivered to the Registrar for registration in the manner required by this Act within1[thirty] days after the date on which the acquisition is completed:
Provided that, if the property is situate, and the charge was created, outside India,1[thirty] days after the date on which a copy of the instrument could, in due course of post and if despatched with due diligence, have been received in India shall be substituted for1[thirty] days after the completion of the acquisition as the time within which the particulars and the copy of the instrument arc to be delivered to the Registrar.
(2) If default is made in complying with sub-section (I), the company, and every officer of the company who is in default, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to2[five thousand rupees].
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1 . Substituted by Act 31 of 1965, Section 62 and Schedule, for "twenty-one" ( w.e.f. 15-10-1965).
2. Substituted by Act 53 of 2000, Section 50, for "five hundred rupees" (w.e.f. 13-12-2000).
Section 128 - Particulars in case of series of debentures entitling holders pari passu
Where a series of debentures containing, or giving by reference to any other instrument, any charge to the benefit of which the debenture-holders of that series are entitled pari pass is created by a company, it shall, for the purposes of section 125, be sufficient, if they are filed with the Registrar, within1[thirty] days after the execution of the deed containing the charge or, if there is no such deed, after the execution of any debentures of the series, the following particulars: -
(a) the total amount secured by the whole series;
(b) the dates of the resolutions authorising the issue of the series and the date of the covering deed, if any, by which the security is created or defined;
(c) a general description of the property charged; and
(d) the names of the trustees, if any, for the debenture-holders;
together with the deed containing the charge, or a copy of the deed verified in the prescribed manner, or if there is no such deed, one of the debentures of the series:
Provided that, where more than one issue is made of debentures in the series, there shall be filed with the Registrar, for entry in the register, particulars of the date and amount of each issue; but an omission to do this shall not affect the validity of the debentures issued.
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1. Substituted by Act 31 of 1965, Section 62 and Schedule, for "twenty-one" (w.e.f. 15-10-1965).
Section 129 - Particulars in case of commission, etc., on debentures
Where any commission allowance or discount has been paid or made either directly or indirectly by a company to any person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to subscribe, whether absolutely or conditionally, for any debentures of the company, or procuring or agreeing to procure subscriptions, whether absolute or conditional, for any such debentures, the particulars required to the filed for registration under sections 125 and 128 shall include particulars as to the amount or rate per cent of the commission, discount ot allowance so paid or made; but an omission to do this shall not affect the validity of the debentures issued:
Provided that the deposit of any debentures as security for any debt of the company shall not, for the purposes of this section, be treated as the issue of the debentures at a discount.
Section 130 - Register of charges to be kept by Registrar
1[(1) The Registrar shall, in respect of each company, cause to be kept a register containing the particulars of all the charges requiring registration under this Part.
(1A) Every company shall forward to the Registrar for being entered in the register kept under sub-section (1) the particulars of all the charges requiring registration under this Part in such form and manner, and after payment of such fees as may be prescribed.
(1B) The particulars of the charges referred to in sub-section (1) shall relate to, -
(a) in the case of a charge to the benefit of which the holders of a series of debentures are entitled, such particulars as are specified in sections 128 and 129;
(b) in the case of any other charge, -
(i) if the charge is a charge created by the company, the date of its creation, and if the charge was a charge existing on property acquired by the company, the date of the acquisition of the property;
(ii) the amount secured by the charge;
(iii) short particulars of the property charged; and (iv) the persons entitled to the charge.
(1C) The pages of the register shall be consecutively numbered and the Registrar shall -
(a) cause to be kept in such register in the prescribed form, the documents of charges filed in such form and manner as may be prescribed; and
(b) sign or initial every page of such register.
(2) After entering the particulars of all the charges required under sub-section (1), the Registrar shall return the instrument, if any, or the verified copy thereof, as the case may be, filed in accordance with the provisions of this Part to the person filing it.]
(3) The register kept in pursuance of this section shall be open to inspection by any person on payment of2[such fee as may be prescribed] for each inspection.
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1. Substituted by Act 31 of 1988, Section 19, for sub-sections (1) and (2) (w.e.f. 17-4-1989).
2. Substituted by Act 31 of 1988, Section 19, for "a fee of one rupee" (w.e.f. 17-4-1989).
Section 131 - Index to register of charges
The Registrar shall keep a chronological index, in the prescribed form and with the prescribed particulars, of the charges registered with him in pursuance of this Part.
Section 132 - Certificate of registration
The Registrar shall give a certificate under his hand of the registration of any charge registered in pursuance of this Part, stating the amount thereby secured; and the certificate shall be conclusive evidence that the requirements of this Part as to registration have been complied with.
Section 133 - Endorsement of certificate of registration on debenture or certificate of debenture stock
(1) The company shall cause a copy of every certificate of registration given under section 132, to be endorsed on every debenture or certificate of debenture stock which is issued by the company and the payment of which is secured by the charge so registered:
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall be construed as requiring a company to cause a certificate of registration of any charge so given to be endorsed on any debenture or certificate of debenture stock issued by the company before the charge was created.
(2) If any person knowingly delivers, or wilfully authorises or permits the delivery of, any debenture or certificate of debenture stock which, under-the provisions of subsection (1), is required to have endorsed on it a copy of a certificate of registration without the copy being so endorsed upon it, he shall, without prejudice to any other liability, be punishable with fine which may extend to1[ten thousand rupees].
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1. Substituted by Act 53 of 2000, Section 51, for "one thousand rupees" (w.e.f. 13-12-2000).
Section 134 - Duty of company as regards registration and right of interested party
(1) It shall be the duty of a company to file with the Registrar for registration the particulars of every charge created by the company, and of every issue of debentures of a series, requiring registration under this Part; but registration of any such charge may also be effected on the application of any person interested therein.
(2) Where registration is effected on the application of some person other than the company, that person shall be entitled to recover from the company the amount of any fees properly paid by him to the Registrar on the registration.
Section 135 - Provisions of Part to apply to modification of charges
Whenever the terms or conditions, or the extent or operation, of any charge registered under this Part are or is modified, it shall be the duty of the company to send to the Registrar the particulars of such modification, and the provisions of this Part as to registration of a charge shall apply to such modification of the charge.
Section 136 - Copy of instrument creating charge to be kept by company at registered office
Every company shall cause a copy of every instrument creating any charge requiring registration under this Part to be kept at the registered office of the company:
Provided that, in the case of a series of uniform debentures, a copy of one debenture of the series shall be sufficient.
Section 137 - Entry in register of charges of appointment of receiver or manager
(1) If any person obtains an order for the appointment of a receiver of, or of a person to manage, the property of a company, or if any person appoints such receiver or person under any powers contained in any instrument, he shall, within1[thirty] days from the date of the passing of the order or of the making of the appointment under the said powers, give notice of the fact to the Registrar; and the Registrar shall, on payment of the prescribed fee, enter, the fact in the Register of charges.
(2) Where any person so appointed under the powers contained in any instrument ceases to act as such, he shall, on so deceasing, give to the Registrar notice to that effect; and the Registrar shall enter the notice in the Register of charges.
(3) If any person makes default in complying with the requirements of sub-section (1) or (2), he shall be punishable with fine which may extend to2[five hundred rupees] for every day during which the default continues.
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1. Substituted by Act 31 of 1965, Section 62 and Schedule, for "fifteen" (w.e.f. 15-10-1965).
2. Substituted by Act 53 of 2000, Section 52, for "fifty rupees" (w.e.f. 13-12-2000).
Section 138 - Company to report satisfaction and procedure thereafter
(1) The company shall give intimation to the Registrar of the payment or satisfaction,1[in full], of any charge relating to the company and requiring registration under this Part, within2[thirty] days from the date of such payment or satisfaction.
(2) The Registrar shall, on receipt of such intimation, cause a notice to be sent to the holder of the charge calling upon him to show cause within a time (not exceeding fourteen days) specified in such notice, why payment or satisfaction should not be recorded as intimated to the Registrar.
(3) If no cause is shown, the Registrar shall order that a memorandum of satisfaction3[***]shall be entered in the register of charges.
(4) If cause is shown, the Registrar shall record a note to that effect in the register, and shall inform the company that he has done so.
(5) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to affect the power of the Registrar to make an entry in the register of charges under section 139 otherwise than on receipt of an intimation from the company.
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1. Substituted by Act 65 of 1960, Section 30, for "in whole or in part" (w.e.f. 28-12-1960).
2. Substituted by Act 31 of 1965, Section 62 and Schedule, for "twenty-one" (w.e.f. 15-10-1965).
3. The words "in whole or in part, as the case may be," omitted by Act 65 of 1960, Section 30 (w.e.f. 28-12-1960).
Section 139 - Power of Registrar to make entries of satisfaction and release in absence of intimation from company
The Registrar may, on evidence being given to his satisfaction with respect to any registered charge,
(a) that the debt for which the charge was given has been paid or satisfied in whole or in part; or
(b) that part of the property or undertaking charged has been released from the charge or has ceased to form part of the company's property or undertaking; enter in the register of charges a memorandum of satisfaction in whole or in part, or of the fact that part of the property or undertaking has been released from the charge or has ceased to form part of the company's property or undertaking, as the case may be, notwithstanding the fact that no intimation has been received by him from the company.
Section 140 - Copy of memorandum of satisfaction to be furnished to company
Where the Registrar enters a memorandum of satisfaction in whole or in part, in pursuance of section 138 or 139, he shall furnish the company with a copy of the memorandum.
Section 141 - Rectification by Central Government of register of charges
1 [141. Rectification by Central Government of register of charges-
(1) The Central Government, on being satisfied-
(a) that the omission to file with the Registrar the particulars of any charge created by a company or of any charge subject to which any property has been acquired by the company or of any modification of any such charge or of any issue of debentures of a series, or that the omission to register any charge within the time required by this Part or that the omission to give intimation to the Registrar of the payment or satisfaction of a charge, within the time required by this Part, or that the omission or m is statement of any particular with respect to any such charge, modification or issue of debentures of a series or with respect to any memorandum of satisfaction or other entry made in pursuance of section 138 or section 139, was accidental or due to inadvertence or some other sufficient cause or is not of a nature to prejudice the position of creditors or shareholders of the company; or
(b) that on other grounds, it is just and equitable to grant relief, may on the application of the company or any person interested and on such terms and conditions as it may seem to the Central Government just and expedient, direct that the time for the filing of the particulars or for the registration of the charge or for the giving of intimation of payment or satisfaction shall be extended or, as the case may require, that the omission or mis-statement shall be rectified.
(2) The Central Government may make such order as to the costs of an application under sub-section (1) as it thinks fit.
(3) Where the Central Government extends the time for the registration of a charge, the order shall not prejudice any rights acquired in respect of the property concerned before the charge is actually registered.]
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1. Substituted by Act 11 of 2003, Section 20, for Section 141 (see Annexe).
Section 142 - Penalties
(1) If default is made in filing with the Registrar for registration the particulars -
(a) of any charge created by the company;
(b) of the payment or satisfaction1[***] of a debt in respect of which a charge has been registered under this Part; or
(c) of the issues of debentures of a series; requiring registration with the Registrar under the provisions of this Part, then, unless the registration has been effected on the application of some other person, the company, and every officer of the company or other person who is in default, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to2[five thousand rupees] for every day during which the default continues.
(2) Subject as aforesaid, if any company makes default in complying with any of the other requirements of this Act as to the registration with the Registrar of any charge created by the company or of any fact connected therewith, the company, and every officer of the company who is in default, shall, without prejudice to any other liability, be punishable with fine which may extend to3[ten thousand rupees].
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1. The words "in whole or in part," omitted by Act 65 of 1960, Section 32 (w.e.f. 28-12-1960).
2. Substituted by Act 53 of 2000, Section 53, for "five hundred rupees" (w.e.f. 13-12-2000).
3. Substituted by Act 53 of 2000, Section 53, for "one thousand rupees" (w.e.f. 13-12-2000).
Section 143 - Company's register of charges
(1) Every company shall keep at its registered office a register of charges and enter therein all charges specifically affecting property of the company and all floating charges on the undertaking or on any property of the company, giving in each case-
(i) a short description of the property charged;
(ii) the amount of the charge; and
(iii) except in the case of securities to bearer, the names of the persons entitled to the charge.
(2) If any officer of the company knowingly omits, or wilfully authorises or permits the omission of, any entry required to be made in pursuance of sub-section (1), he shall be punishable with fine which may extend to1[five hundred rupees].
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1. Substituted by Act 53 of 2000, Section 54, for "five hundred rupees" (w.e.f. 13-12-2000).
Section 144 - Right to inspect copies of instruments creating charges and company's register of charges
(1) The copies of instruments creating charges kept in pursuance of section 136, and the register of charges kept in pursuance of section 143, shall be open during business hours (but subject to such reasonable restrictions as the company in general meeting may impose, so that not less than two hours in each day are allowed for inspection) to the inspection of any creditor or member of the company without fee, at the registered office of the company.
(2) The register of charges kept in pursuance of section 143 shall also be open, during business hours but, subject to the reasonable restrictions aforesaid, to the inspection of any other person on payment of a fee of1[such sum as may be prescribed] for each inspection, at the registered office of the company.
(3) If inspection of the said copies or register is refused the company, and every officer of the company who is in default, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to2[five hundred rupees] and with a further fine which may extend to3[two hundred rupees] for every day during which the refusal continues.
(4) The4[Central Government] may also by order compel an immediate inspection of the said copies or register.
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1. Substituted by Act 31 of 1988, Section 67, for "one rupee" w.e.f. 15-7-1988.
2. Substituted by Act 53 of 2000, Section 55, for "fifty rupees" (w.e.f. 13-12-2000)..
3. Substituted by Act 53 of 2000, Section 55, for "twenty rupees" (w.e.f. 13-12-2000)..
4. Substituted by Act 31 of 1988, Section 67, for "Court" (w.e.f. 31-5-1991) and again Substituted by Act 11 of 2003, Section 21, for "Company Law Board".
Section 145 - Application of Part to charges requiring registration under it but not under previous law
In respect of1[any charge created before, and remaining unsatisfied at, the commencement of this Act,] which, if this Act had been in force at the relevant time, would have had to be registered by the company in pursuance of this Part but which did not require registration under the Indian Companies Act, 1913 (7 of 1913) and in respect of all matters-relating to such charge, the provisions of this Part shall apply and have effect in all respects, as if the date of commencement of this Act had been substituted therein for the date of creation of the charge, or the date of completion of the acquisition of the property subject to the charge, as the case may be.
Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to affect the relative priorities as they existed immediately before the commencement of this Act, as between charges on the same property.
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1. Substituted by Act 65 of 1960, Section 33, for "any charge created before the commencement of this Act" (w.e.f. 28-12-1960).