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covid 19

RISE IN COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS DURING COVID-19

INTRODUCTION

Along with the battle of COVID-19, the world has faced another major problem i.e, misinformation. With the mainstream media focusing more on the number of cases every day, the general public has fallen trap to fraudulent individuals who have taken advantage of the vulnerability of the public. As the pandemic took over the world, the governments across nations called for a nationwide bans and imposed strict lockdown restrictions. These included guidelines about how one must carry themselves in the public, that is, with N95 masks, preferably along with gloves and sanitisers. While major multinational brand companies jumped into the manufacturing the essential commodities, so did the local manufactures, whereas few started producing fake products, in other words, counterfeit products. In this article we will analyse how COVID-19 has impacted the counterfeit market.

 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

According to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Intellectual Property Rights, commonly referred to as IPR, are ‘rights given to person over creations of their minds’.[1] These provide the owner with exclusive rights for a certain period of time. IPR is customarily divided into two main parts: ‘Copyright and rights related to copyright’ and ‘Industry Property’. Copyrights cover authors of literary, performers (for example, actors, singers and musicians) and artistic works (for example, paintings, sculptures, music compositions, films and so on).[2]  The main objective of copyrights is to encourage and reward creative work. Industry Property includes patents for inventions, trademarks, industrial designs and geographical indications.

  • Patents

To patent an invention means to get exclusive right over it for a particular period of time. The patent owner is provided with protection for their inventions which incentivizes individuals or companies to invest in research and development. A patent can be obtained for a product or a process and the invention has to be such that it offers a new solution to a problem. To get patent rights over an invention, the technical information of the same has to be disclosed to the government and the public in a patent application.

  • Industrial Design

The ornamental or aesthetic aspects of an article are referred to as the industrial design. To be protected, an ID must be original and non-functional, which means that only the aesthetic can be protected and not any technical feature of the article. The latter can be protected under a patent.

  • Geographical Indication

When a good is associated with a sign that has a specific geographical origin and possesses the qualities or the reputation  due to that place of origin, then such a sign is called a geographical indication.

  • Trademark

A trademark is basically the identification using easily recognizable signs, symbols, name or logos, which give exclusive rights to the owner to make financial profit off the recognition and discourage unfair competition, for example, counterfeiters. Trademark infringement occurs when the trademark is used without the authorization of the trademark owner or licensee.

 

COUNTERFEIT GOODS

The International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC) defines counterfeiting as ‘a federal crimes, involving the manufacturing or distribution of goods under someone else’s name and without their permission’[3]. Such goods are generally manufactured from components of very low quality, in an attempt to sell a cheaper imitation of goods produced by brands that are widely known and trusted by consumers. The main driving of the counterfeit industry is consumer demand. According to a report issued by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2019, trade in counterfeit products contribute to over 3.3% of the overall world trading.[4] The Global Brand Counterfeiting Report issued in 2018 states that the total value of the counterfeit product on a global scale is about USD 1.20 trillion as of 2017 and is expected to surge by more than 50% to USD 1.82 trillion by 2020.[5]

Counterfeiting is a threat to all of many levels – it deprives the right holders of a product of their rightful benefits, it harms and damages the brand image of the company, it discourages a company from moving towards innovation and new creation. Legitimate manufacturers devote a huge amount of resources into research and development (R&D) of products while simultaneously building a reputation for quality amongst the consumers. Counterfeits, in turn, profit unfairly off another company’s good name. The resulting lost sales and profits lead the companies to cut wages, take away jobs and lose their consumer market owing to untrust. Further, it can put the consumer of the product at the risk of identity theft and credit card fraud, it stagnates the overall economic growth of the country since counterfeiters do not pay tax, it supports and rather encourages child labour, providing them with very low wages and poor working conditions. Most importantly, it puts consumer’s health and safety into jeopardy.[6]

 

IMPACT DUE TO COVID-19 IN INDIA

On the announcement of the lockdown on March 16th, 2020, the Indian economy was severally hit. Though a few sectors like the I.T. could still manage to stay afloat due to shift in working pattern, for example, work from home, but the manufacturing sector was deeply impacted. Challenges such as availability of raw materials, shortage of manpower, transport restrictions, supply-chain disruptions made it extremely difficult for these sectors to continue working at the same efficiency. Since the rigorous lockdown stayed put for a prolonged period of time until very recently, new avenues for illegal activities opened up.[7]

The building panic about shortage of supplies and increase in prices led to people stocking up tons of supplies at home. This meant that people were not as concerned about the quality of the good anymore and were more focused on quantity and price.[8] What added to this was the rise in sales of e-commerce industry . Consumers found it easier to stay at home and purchase goods which promised safe as well as speedy delivery. This made it easier for counterfeiters to sell their products. Many of the advertisements on television as well the internet, took advantage of people’s vulnerability and would deceptively advertise their products such as sanitisers and masks as affiliated with the legitimate healthcare organisations and claims that the standard of quality has been followed.[9] A district administration team sealed an unlicensed unit in Noida’s Section 63 wherein over 10,000 bottles of inferior quality hand sanitisers had been manufactured and were ready to be shipped for sale to Delhi.[10] Not only limited to masks and sanitisers, fake testing kits and drugs that claim to cure the virus have also been seized which provided the consumer with a false sense of security. These counterfeit products have filled the gap created by the shortage of supply of products from well established brands. 

Amazon, the tech giant, found that products on their websites were falsely claiming to have the quality of curing Coronavirus. Sticking to the policy of zero tolerance to counterfeit products, the company met with the World Health Organisation and decided to remove any product mentioning the Coronavirus on their website. It was later reported to have removed almost over a million such counterfeit products.[11]

 

LEGISLATIVE MEASURES IN INDIA

India being a member of the TRIPS (Trade Related Aspect of Intellectual Property Rights), has to comply with all of its regulations. Article 61 of TRIPS[12] lays down that all the members are to provide for criminal procedures and penalties in cases of trademark counterfeiting or copyright piracy. These penalties should be in the form of imprisonment as well as monetary fines as per the gravity of the case. It further states that the remedies should also include seizure, forfeiture and destruction of the infringing goods and any other material used for the commission of the offence.

Now though India does not have any specific laws relating to the counterfeiting of goods, the Indian Customs Act 1962, read along with the IP Rights (Imported Goods) Enforcement Rules, 2007, allows the owner of a trademark to record her/his rights with the Indian Custom Authorities for seizure of imported counterfeit goods. Counterfeit goods fall under the category of ‘prohibited goods’ under this Act, so if any imported good is found to be fake, then the authorities will notify this to the right holder and destroy the goods. Counterfeit is a cognizable offence in India and the law enforcement has search and seizure rights. Further, under the Trade Marks Act 1999, Copyright Act 1957 and the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act 1999, the rights holder can additionally attach criminal liability to the offender.

The Drugs and Cosmetics Act (DCA), 1940 also has provisions that held tackle the problem of counterfeit products.[13] Section 9B of this act defines such products under the name of ‘Spurious drugs’ wherein the matter is of import of such products. This includes any drug which is imported under a name that belongs to another drug; imitates or looks like a substitute for another drug in a deceiving manner; claims to be associated with an individual or a company that is fictious or does not exist; has been substituted wholly or in part by another drug; and if its claims to be the product of a manufacturer of whom it is not truly a product.[14] Section 13 of the act prescribed from punishment for the import of spurious drugs. Section 17B  also defines spurious drugs wherein the issue is related to manufacture, sale and distribution. Section 27 of lays down the penalties related to Section 17B, stating that if the use of such a drug by a person, for the purpose of diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of any diseases or disorder, causes the death or is likely to cause the death of that person, then this harm would be categorised as grievous hurt under Section 320 of the Indian Penal Code and for the same, the offender will be sentenced to imprisonment for not less than a period of 10 years. This may extend to imprisonment for life depending on the gravity of the case. A fine of not less ten lakh rupees or three times the value of the drugs confiscated will also be applicable.[15]

 

CONCLUSION

Although there exists a law enforcement in place to tackle the problem of counterfeiting imported goods, there is no specific provision in law regulating the counterfeit of local/regional goods. Moreover, even for the imported goods, the process is cumbersome and not a 100% effective given the quantity and extensive distribution of such products. Hence, as responsible citizens, we can do our part for eradicating the growing use of such products. While purchasing any good, we can exercise due diligence by checking if such a good is actually from the brand it claims to be and whether comes from regulated legitimate sources. If we comes across any counterfeit product, the same can be immediately reported to the concerned authorities. This must be kept in mind especially while purchasing goods online. E-commerce has witnessed a sudden growth in the last decade, it isn’t surprising to see the intrusion of fraudsters in the online trade given that the cyber laws have a long way to go before they are strong enough to eradicate online offences. In such a situation, we can do our part by maintaining caution every step of the way, especially with so much misinformation lingering around us. It is now the time to be citizens who are aware, responsible and rational about the everyday decisions that we take.

 

REFERENCES 

[1] World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) , https://www.wipo.int/portal/en/index.htm

[2] “Understanding Copyright and Related Rights” (PDF). www.wipo.int.

[3] International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC), https://www.iacc.org/

[4] “Trade in fake goods is now 3.3% of world trade and rising”, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 18th March, 2019.

https://www.oecd.org/newsroom/trade-in-fake-goods-is-now-33-of-world-trade-and-rising.htm

[5] Jagvinder Brar & Mustafa Surka, “Ensuring brand protection and integrity in the times of Covid-19” The Economic Times, 29th August, 2020.

[6] “What is Counterfeiting?”, International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition, 1979.

https://www.iacc.org/resources/about/what-is-counterfeiting

[7] “APDI writes to PM, says counterfeit goods flooding markets during lockdown”, The Economic Times, 9th April, 2020.

[8] “Global Operation sees a rise in fake medical products related to COVID-19”, INTERPOL., 19th March, 2020.

https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2020/Global-operation-sees-a-rise-in-fake-medical-   products-related-to-COVID-19

[9] “Beware of fraudulent Coronavirus Tests, Vaccines and Treatments”, U.S. Food & Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/beware-fraudulent-coronavirus-tests-vaccines-and-treatments

[10] “Coronavirus: Beware! Fake masks, spray going ‘viral’ ” India Today, 15th March, 2020.

[11] Annie Palmer, “Amazon tells sellers it will take down listings for products that claim to kill Coronavirus” CNBC, 20th February, 2020.

[12] Article 61, TRIPS Agreement, 1995 states “Members shall provide for criminal procedures and penalties to be applied at least in cases of wilful trademark counterfeiting or copyright piracy on a commercial scale. Remedies available shall include imprisonment and/or monetary fines sufficient to provide a deterrent, consistently with the level of penalties applied for crimes of a corresponding gravity. In appropriate cases, remedies available shall also include the seizure, forfeiture and destruction of the infringing goods and of any materials and implements the predominant use of which has been in the commission of the offence. Members may provide for criminal procedures and penalties to be applied in other cases of infringement of intellectual property rights, in particular where they are committed willfully and on a commercial scale”.

[13] Chitranjan Kumar, “Medical devices to be treated as drugs from April 1” Business Today, 31st March, 2020.

[14] Section 9B, Drugs and Cosmetics Act (DCA), 1940

[15] Section 27, Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940

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cyber crime

REGULATION AND PROCESS TO FILE A COMPLAINT IN CASE OF CYBER CRIMES

  1. INTRODUCTION

Cyber is the world of technology and works related to technology which is based on virtual reality. Before we start discussing over the topic ‘cyber law’ we need to ponder over ‘Cyber-crime’, the concoction of two words ‘cyber’ & ‘crime’. The crimes done by the mode of virtual reality i.e. technology and by taking the help of technology is termed as cyber-crime. To protect oneself from such malpractices, cyber laws were introduced.

Information Technology is drastically modernising and gaining popularity in most of our aspects of lives. Computer holds vital significance in today’s era, but that also includes the people involving in the commission of crimes using computers. The law enforcers must become more alert in the cyber sector to keep up with all these criminal elements. One of the major concerns is about educating people and individual of every sector on cyber laws and security practices, such as handling sensitive data, records, and transactions, and implementing sturdy and secured security technology, such as firewalls, anti-virus software, intrusion detection tools, and authentication services on the computer systems. It is important for every individual who uses the internet to be aware of the cyber laws of their country and local area so that, they know what activity is legal online and what is not.

It also implies that cyberlaw, is a legislation focused on the acceptable behavioural use of technology including computer hardware and software, the internet, and networks. Cyber law helps to safeguard users from harm by enabling the investigation and prosecution of online fraud or any criminal activity with the use of cyber technology. It is actionable to the activities of every individual, groups, the public, government, and private organizations. Not to forget if anything happens to any individual online, they know the remedy they can act regarding that matter accordingly.

  1. DEFINITION AND IMPORTANCE OF CYBER LAW

Cyber law is the term used to describe a law that deals with the problems in relation to the internet, technology, including computers, software, hardware and information systems. It is the generic term that refers to all criminal activities dealing or using the medium of communication technology components, the internet, cyber space and the world wide web (www).

 It is important because: –

    • Cyber law is concerned with everyone these days. This is primarily because we all use internet in same or other form daily. Internet is used when we create any account online, while performing e-commerce transactions, net banking for e-mails etc.
    • Cyber law is important because it touches all kind of transactions in every aspect and activities on and concerning the internet, the world wide web and cyber space.
    • It protects every individual from getting trapped in any cyber violations.
  1. REASONS OF CYBER-CRIME CAN BE SUMMARIZED AS FOLLOWS:
    • The computer has a unique feature for storing data in a very small space. This allows you to find and retrieve information using physical or possible information easily.
    • The computer is easily accessible so unauthorized access to the use of sophisticated cyber space technology is easily possible through the security system.
    • Computers work on complex operating systems and are made up of millions of codes. Cyber-hackers take advantage of the corruption of the human mind and enter into a computer program.
    • One of the most important aspects of a computer program is that evidence is destroyed instantly. Criminals find it easy to destroy evidence quickly after a crime has made it difficult for investigative agencies to gather relevant evidence to prosecute the offender.
    • The slightest negligence on the part of the computer user in ensuring the security of the computer system can lead to disastrous consequences as the cyber hacker can gain illegal access and unauthorized control of the computer system to carry out its malicious design.
  1. FORMS OF CYBER CRIMES:

Cybercrime can be categorized mainly in two ways:

    • Using the Computer as a Target:- Using a computer to attack other computers.Example: Hacking,  Virus/Worm attacks,  DOS attack etc.
    • Using the computer as a weapon:- Using a computer to commit real world crimes.Example: Cyber Terrorism, IPR violations, Credit card frauds, EFT frauds, Pornography etc

Common forms of cybercrime include:

    • Child sexually abusive material (CSAM) refers to material containing sexual image in any form, of a child who is abused or sexually exploited. Section 67 (B) of IT Act states that “it is punishable for publishing or transmitting of material depicting children in sexually explicit act, etc. in electronic form.
    • Cyber Bullying: A form of harassment or bullying inflicted through the use of electronic or communication devices such as computer, mobile phone, laptop, etc.
    • Cyber stalking is the use of electronic communication by a person to follow a person, or attempts to contact a person to foster personal interaction repeatedly despite a clear indication of disinterest by such person; or monitors the internet, email or any other form of electronic communication commits the offence of stalking.
    • Cyber Grooming is when a person builds an online relationship with a young person and tricks or pressures him/ her into doing sexual act.
    • Online Job Fraud is an attempt to defraud people who are in need of employment by giving them a false hope/ promise of better employment with higher wages.
    • Vishing is an attempt where fraudsters try to seek personal information like Customer ID, Net Banking password, ATM PIN, OTP, Card expiry date, CVV etc. through a phone call.
    • Smishing is a type of fraud that uses mobile phone text messages to lure victims into calling back on a fraudulent phone number, visiting fraudulent websites or downloading malicious content via phone or web.
    • Credit card (or debit card) fraud involves an unauthorized use of another’s credit or debit card information for the purpose of purchases or withdrawing funds from it.
    • Impersonation and identity theft is an act of fraudulently or dishonestly making use of the electronic signature, password or any other unique identification feature of any other person.
    • Phishing is a type of fraud that involves stealing personal information such as Customer ID, IPIN, Credit/Debit Card number, Card expiry date, CVV number, etc. through emails that appear to be from a legitimate source.
    • Spamming occurs when someone receives an unsolicited commercial messages sent via email, SMS, MMS and any other similar electronic messaging media. They may try to persuade recepient to buy a product or service, or visit a website where he can make purchases; or they may attempt to trick him/ her into divulging bank account or credit card details.
    • A data breach is an incident in which information is accessed without authorization.
    • Cyber-Squatting is an act of registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with an intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else.

Some laws are formulated to protect or to defend people online from malicious activities, some laws explain the policies if using computers and the internet in a company. All these wide range of activities fall under the cyber laws. Some of the wide areas covering the cyber laws are:

Scam/ Treachery: Cyber laws complies to the protection of people from online frauds and scams, these laws prevent any financial crimes and identity theft that happen online.

Copyrighting Issues: The Internet holds multiple types of content, but not to forget, it has no right to copy the hard work of any other person. There are strict rules and policies in cyber laws against copyright that protects the creative work of companies and individuals and safeguards their interest.

Online Insults and Character Degradation: Online platforms including social media are the best platform to speak your mind freely but there is a thin line between the liberation of using the right to speak and defaming someone online which must be kept in mind. Cyber laws nominate or deals with the issues like online insults, racism, gender targets to protect a person’s reputation.

Online Harassment and Stalking: Harassment is not only the violation of civil but criminal laws as well. This crime is a major issue in cyberspace. The legal system holds strict laws to prohibit these despicable crimes.

Data Protection: People using the internet risk their privacy and data stored while being online and are often dependent on cyber laws and policies to protect their secrets. Also, corporate world and companies should maintain the confidentiality of data of their users.

  1. LAWS IN RELATION TO CYBER-CRIME:

Cyber ​​laws in India prohibit any cybercrime, where the computer is a tool of cybercrime. Cyber-​​crime laws protect citizens from transmitting sensitive information to a stranger online. Since the introduction of cyber laws in India, IT Act 2000 has been enacted and amended in 2008 which covers various types of crimes under cyber law in India. The law defines forms of cybercrime and punishment.

Since the IT Act is a cyber-security law, introduced to protect cyber-space, the IT Act was amended under:

      • Indian Penal code
      • Indian Law of Attraction
      • Banker’s Book evidence Law
      • The Reserve Bank of India

The main focus of cyber law in India is to prevent:

      • computer crime
      • e-commerce data fraud and e-commerce recording
      • electronic transactions

Provisions governing IPC and IT act: Many of the cyber-crimes penalised by the IPC and the IT Act have identical ingredients and nomenclature. Here are a few examples:

      1. Hacking and Data Theft:Sections 43 and 66 of the IT Act. Section 378 of the IPC relating to “theft” of movable property will apply to the theft of any data or online Also sections – 424 and 425 of the IPC, talks about dishonesty and mischiefs respectively
      2. Receipt of stolen property:Section 66B of the IT Act while section- 411 of IPC which talks about dishonestly stealing property.
      3. Cheating– section 66D of IT act and section 419 of IPC. While sections -463, 465 and 468 of IPC talks about forgery.
      4. Obscenity: Sections 67, 67A and 67B of the IT Act; while section- 292 and 294 of IPC deals with it, etc.
  1. WAYS TO PREVENT CYBER-CRIME:

Undoubtedly the cyber laws in India provide protection from cybercrime. However, prevention is always better than cure. Therefore, we ought to take the following measures to reduce or prevent cybercrime:

      • Unsolicited text message – We all receive messages from an unknown number. One should be careful and try to avoid replying to messages or instant messages from an unknown number.
      • Mobile Downloads – Download everything on the mobile phone from a trusted source only.
      • Rate and feedback – Always check the seller rating and customer feedback on the seller. Make sure you look at current issues. Also, be aware of 100% refunds sold by merchant or on the same day.
      • Personal Information Request – Everyone should have received a call or email. There, someone on the other hand asks for personal details. This includes your CVV card or email containing attachments, which require you to click on embedded links. Make sure you do not respond to any emails or calls.
  1. STEPS TO FILE A COMPLAINT

Steps to file a complaint:

      1. register a written complaintwith the cyber-crime cell. If you cannot find a cyber-cell in your area, you can file an FIR in the local police station. Further if the complaint is not heard, you can refer the complaint to the commissioner or judicial magistrate of the city.
      2. address the written complaint to the Head of the Cyber Crime Cellof your city or where you are filing the cyber-crime complaint. You should provide your name, contact details, and address for mailing.
      • In case you are a victim of online harassment, approach a legal counsel to assist you with reporting it to the police station of your area. 
      1. Get an FIR registered- various cyber-crime comes under the provisions of IPC, so get them mentioned, recorded in the police station. The police have to register the Fir under section -154 of Crpc irrespective of the jurisdiction of the case.
      2. Most of the cyber-crimes are a cognisable offence so warrant is not required for arrest or investigation.
      • How to register an online cyber-crime complaint:

The ministry of home affairs has launched a centralized online cyber-crime registration portal:

      1. https://www.cybercrime.gov.in/
      2. http://www.cybercelldelhi.in/
      3. http://www.indorepolice.org/cyber-crime.php
      • Documents required for filing cyber-crime complaint:

 Here are a few details of documents required for various complaints-

Complains which are social media based

      • A copy or screenshot viewing the alleged profile/content
      • A screenshot of the URL of the alleged content
      • Hard/soft copies of the alleged content
      • The soft copy is provided in a CD-R

Complains which are email based:

      • A written brief about the offense
      • A copy of the suspicious email as received by the original receiver (forwarded emails should be avoided)
      • The complete header of the suspected email
      • Hard and soft copies of the alleged email and its header
      • The soft copy is provided in a CD-R

Complains which are done through mobile app:

      • A screenshot of the alleged app and the location from where it was downloaded
      • The bank statements of the victim in case any transactions were made after the incident
      • Soft copies of all the above documents

For Business relation complaint:

      • A written brief about the offense
      • Originating name and location
      • Originating bank name and account number
      • Recipient’s name (as in bank records)
      • Recipient’s bank account number
      • Recipient’s bank location (not mandatory)
      • Date and amount of transaction
      • SWIFT number
  1. JURISDICTION TO FILE A COMPLAINT FOR CYBER-CRIME:

According to the section 4(3) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; one can easily file a complaint against cyber-crime which deals with computer related crime as well. After the amendment of this section, it gave way to penalise the extra territorial offences. This includes to any person residing at any place “without and beyond boundary” , who commits any crime targeting a computer/ online source located in India.

When the offence committed won’t fall under the ambit(jurisdiction) of the police officer, where the complaint is filed, he may record it as a ZERO FIR and transfer it to the concerned police station who has the jurisdiction over that matter of the concerned offence

  1. BENEFITS OF CYBER LAW:
    • Organizations are now able to conduct their own business, trade and e-commerce using the legal infrastructure provided by the Act.
    • Digital signatures are legally recognized, validated and punished in the Act.
    • It has opened the door for corporate digital signature certification companies to enter the business of being a Certificate Authority.
    • Allows Government and policymakers to post notices on the web thus announcing online domination.
    • Authorizes companies or organizations to file any form, application or other document in any office, authority, body or agency owned or controlled by the relevant Government by e-form in a form that may be determined by the relevant Government.
    • Failure to implement IT legislation that addresses important security issues, which are crucial and critical to the success of an electronic transaction.
  1. CONCLUSION:

Implementing cyberspace is an important step in creating a safe and secure environment for people on the cyber platforms. To protect from cybercrime, computer forensic science should focus on ethical training and the use of cyber security programs that address people, the process, and the technical issues that arise these days. Strict cyber rules are a necessity at this time when technology is growing rapidly because budgets have not been expanded to keep pace with this rate of change in technology.

References:

  1. https://online.norwich.edu/academic-programs/resources/cyber-law-definition#:~:text=Cyber%20law%2C%20also%20known%20as,prosecution%20of%20online%20criminal%20activity.
  2. https://kratikalacademy.medium.com/what-is-cyber-law-and-why-it-is-important-e21d76d74f47
  3. https://kratikalacademy.medium.com/what-is-cyber-law-and-why-it-is-important-e21d76d74f47
  4. https://www.infosecawareness.in/cyber-laws-of-india
  5. https://www.government.nl/topics/cybercrime/forms-of-cybercrime
  6. https://www.mondaq.com/india/it-and-internet/891738/cyber-crimes-under-the-ipc-and-it-act–an-uneasy-co-existence
  7. https://ifflab.org/how-to-file-a-cyber-crime-complaint-in-india/

0
hammer jugde

Media Trial is toll on Fair Trial

In the biggest democratic country like India, the administrative bodies those including legislative, executive and the judiciary are viewed as the three pillars of the constitution while media is referred to be the fourth pillar of this Country. Media plays vital role as it is that medium of communication which reaches a large audience at a particular time which holds the power to store and deliver the informational data. It is that observing body which performs like a watchdog of the functionaries of the government and society and lead the defaulters into light.

‘Trial by media’ or ‘media trial’ has made its way in the era of technology. Media plays a significant role in opinion building which often has adverse impact on the fair trial. The   newspapers and televisions concentrating on the reputation of government and society by generating large scale perception of inconvenience or resentment or chastity before the concerned court can actually pronounce judgement.

Present scenario

In view of Article 19 (1) (a)[1] of the Constitution[2], media rights have been recognized as one of the fundamental rights and under Article 21[3] of the Constitution the defendant is subject to a counterclaim against the fundamental right to continue free and fair trial. Creating a balance between the two fundamental rights is inevitable and the time has come for courts to provide appropriate guidelines for media reporting (electronic and print) which are less judgmental courts. And where these rights and rights of equality are not equal and are not mutually exclusive, the Courts are left with only one option to issue equitable measures and judgments based on re-equity that is made when both rights are given equal status in the Constitution Scheme.

The Constitution of India has various powers to enforce the prohibition and control of the media under section 19 (2)[4] of the Constitution which is inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States. It was recently also noted that news outlets have entered into an agreement with firms / corporate houses for not reporting and concealing factual facts and anything against them in order to be considered immoral. Therefore, if we are bound by two fundamental rights due to overcrowding in a critical case of restraint and self-regulation it must be effectively implemented and those who violate the fundamental code of conduct must be disposed of under the Contempt of Court Act, 1971 measurement strategies based on re-equity where both rights are given equal status in the Constitutional Scheme.

Talking about reasonable restrictions and the module of these news channels, the media should to stick to it and not for the sake of TRP provide false or incomplete news and sensationalize the news. Since these media platforms runs through advertisement and the channel having most number of TRP is likely to be the most viewed channel, so they must stick to certain work ethics and provide a healthy environment because people do believe what they see on these channels. The present media has been condemned for the violation of the rights just for professional gain and to sensationalize the issue in the case of SSR case, Hathras rape and murder case, Ayushi murder case or the Sarvjeet Singh case.

Right to Fair Trial

The conflict has arisen between a fair trial and a media trial as things go awry between policies that rely on free publication and free trials in which the public has a vested interest. Freedom of the press from democratic papers to be included in the day’s questions, which touches them. This is a confirmation of investigative journalism and campaign. The right to a trial is the sole right of every person within the borders of India under sections 14 and 20, 21 and 22 of the Constitution[5].

Equally, the “Right to Fair Trials”, that is, uninvited trial of foreign pressures is recognized as the basis for justice in India. The provisions aimed at obtaining this right are contained under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 and under Articles 129 and 215 (Contempt Jurisdiction-Power of the Supreme Court and High Court to punish the defendant for Indifferent Separation) of the Indian Constitution. In particular, the media is limited to discussions or publication of matters relating to the suitability of a pending case in Court. A journalist can be charged with contempt of court if he or she publishes anything that would impede the ‘appropriate trial’ or that interferes with the impartiality of the Court to determine the cause of its fairness, whether the court proceedings are criminal or civil proceedings.

Critical analysis

In the era of technology and the advancements made under mass communication, the everyday news started being published and reaching a large audience. The journalist became the front line workers to provide us with all the news covering the globe at national as well as international level. Also during the Covid pandemic era, these news channels and media were the only source which connected the government and society with each other and worked day and night without thinking about themselves. The prime minister Sri Narendra Modi addressed the people through these platforms and revealed his strategies.

The media is rightly called as a ‘magic bullet’ because it influences the mind of the society. Thus with rights there comes certain duties as well. The media is required to

  • Provide the truth
  • Do not fool audience by fake news just to gain TRP
  • Do not violate the right to privacy of society and government
  • To follow the reasonable restrictions

Whether the media or the press has exceeded its legal limits is a never-ending question. Recently, the Andhra Pradesh High Court banned all types of media, including social media, from publishing anything related to an FIR filed by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Guntur. Freedom of the press was also upheld in the Supreme Court in a case in which it barred Sudarshan TV from broadcasting its Bindas Bol program “UPSC Jihad” on the grounds that it wanted to insult the public[6].

Our media has been criticized time to time and various judgements have been passed by various courts of our country regarding media and trials by them:

  1. True reporting on crime and media coverage is not the same. The ‘trial’ of the media occurs when the media begins to carry out the same process, and affirms its view as a valid view, in addition to those legally entrusted with the task of investigating or judging. Reporting leaked information in an ongoing investigation. if it hurts the defendant is also unpopular as seen in Romila Thapar v Union of India[7].
  2. In Navin Jindal (2014) the gag order was rejected but in Navin Jindal (2015), and in Swantantra Kumar a limited order was passed. These are examples of the Delhi High Court issuing limited restrictions to prevent pending proceedings (including investigations) from media verification. However, none of this was a global ban on reporting issues, and orders were issued only after reviewing what was published, and limited to certain issues after hearing the publisher[8].
  3. In Brij Bhushan v State NCT of Delhi the Supreme Court held that the previous ban on the magazine was an unreasonable restriction on media freedom[9].
  4. As it has grown to the right and the media’s role in informing citizens, the Supreme Court has repeatedly warned of media cases that could disrupt the administration of justice. In the case of RK Anand v Registrar, the Delhi High Court, it has been stated in some way that free speech does not include the right to publish any kind of report on a matter before a court or to perform sensitive functions in a pending case[10].
  5. Significant differences are captured by the terms used in Sidharth Vashisht’s judgment, “educational discourse” and “media experimentation”. When people are informed of news and ideas, it is an unstoppable official statement, no matter how appealing to others. However, when the media directly or indirectly raises a major issue in court (often referred to as a sub judice rule), they enter the state of the courts. In criminal trials, when the media announces or creates a public opinion of guilt or innocence, it undermines the presumption of innocence, a privilege as important as free speech. It is therefore a “trial” by the media, that it is inappropriate and not allowed to hold your hostage[11].

Conclusion

Although the Media is the fourth pillar of Indian Democracy and under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution it has a fundamental right, at the same time it cannot be allowed to make mistakes in its domain under the concept of freedom of speech and expression to the point of decriminalization to pass a law regulating the unrestricted power of the media.

The press is a public service and, therefore, accountable to the community as a whole. Press freedom means not only freedom from unnecessary restraints, but also freedom for the purpose of advancing certain basic concepts enshrined in the constitution. It is agreed by all that press is an essential organ of democratic set up, an important vehicle of communication and a vital instrument in the creation of public opinion. As such it is necessary that the media persons should regard their profession as a trust to serve public interest[12]

 

References:

  1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVO6rFyG62Q&ab_channel=LawSikho
  2. https://thewire.in/media/press-freedom-trial-by-media-supreme-court
  3. https://www.mondaq.com/india/human-rights/262924/media-trial-versus-free-and-fair-administration-of-justice-need-for-guidelines
  4. The Constitution of India
  5. The constitution of the USA
  6. http://www.lawjournals.org/
  7. https://www.newslaundry.com/2019/10/31/indian-media-declared-sarvjeet-singh-a-pervert-four-years-later-the-court-acquitted-him
  8. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Trial_by_media
  9. https://www.lawctopus.com/academike/media-trials-india/

[1] Constitution of India, 1950

[2] 1950

[3] Constitution of India, 1950

[4] Ibid.

[5] 1950

[6] Raghav Tankha. Where does press freedom end and trial by media begin? 30 Sep. 2020. https://thewire.in/media/press-freedom-trial-by-media-supreme-court

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid.

[12]  Dr. Sumayya H, Media trial and Indian legal system, http://www.lawjournals.org/

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The Farm Bill, 2020: How prosperous today’s farmer is!

This article discusses the aspects of the three Farm bills which has recently been passed by the parliament. We have incorporated the previous laws which gave way to this new law which has become a topic of discussion.

History:

After India got independence in the year 1947, started selling their agricultural produce directly to the consumers in the local markets. But because of the zamindari system and other social conditions which was prevalent during that time, most of the farmers had to encore huge losses and were under debt. Most of them took loan from various creditors and they charged massive interest on them. Also when these farmers were unable to pay the loan, the money lenders bought the agricultural produce at a much lower rate. So what happened was that in order to grow crops in the next season, these farmers took another loan and this vicious cycle continued and there was no end to it. Later with the Mandi system and APMC’s the system became much hostile.

What are the three bills?

The present government introduced three acts:

  1. The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020
  2. The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020; and
  3. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.

Rajya Sabha has passes the three bills while farmers are protesting against all three Farm Bills, they are majorly protesting against the provisions of the first Farm Bill.

What was the need to introduce the bills?

Why are our farmers poor? Because our farmers are price takers. They buy inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides at retail prices, but sell its output i.e. their produce at wholesale prices. In both these cases, the farmer is the price taker not the maker. Nearly 70% of Indian farmers have land holding less than 2.5 acres which means that small land translates to smaller crop output which also means Lesser produce and much lesser bargaining power. After the zamindari system was abolished in India, the farmlands were split into smaller pieces, the tillers became the owner of such small land but they did not have any bargaining power and traders started exploiting them on such ground. Traders used to extend credit then buy produce from the farmers in harvest season at low prices. The farmers would stay poor because he never got a good price. So the question is what is the correct price and who will decide the correct price for the farmers? To answer this question, in the 1960s, when the country was going through Green Revolution there emerged APMC’s which are also called as Mandis which started regulating farm produce. With the emergence of these APMC’s, nobody was allowed to buy produce from the farmers except from the mandis, also APMC’s would give a license and space to traders to buy. The idea was quiet appealing as mandis have different traders who negotiate with the farmers and decide the price at various quoted prices which gave farmers their choice and options. the reality was far behind what was expected, the mandis had no farmers who were quoting the prices, rather the mandis had traders and the cartels who were negotiating the price became the brutal truth. So the farmers were the price takers and not the ones quoting. The traders formed their majority and cartels to quote one same price which was less or almost equivalent to the MSP (minimum selling/ support price). This mandi system was not perfect, the mandis were only a handful, around 7000 mandis all over India. National committee of Farmers said for mandis to be successful, there should be one mandi in every five kilometer range. As a result, only 40% of the total produce is sold in the mandis, most of the farmers cannot even make it to transport their produce to these mandis and sell the produce to unlicensed traders of their own area at whichever price they quote. As a result, three out of four farmers today are planning to leave farming because the market needs good buyers who can pay enough to these farmers. Thus all these factors gave way to introduce the bills.

The three bills at a glance:

These laws claim to bring farmers closer to the market by altering where they can sell, the ability to store produce, and whether they can enter into contracts. It may be full of amazement that the farmers were confined to the following terms to date. Let us further explore the laws why these restrictions were present in the first place.

The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020

According to this law, a farmer can sell his produce anywhere in the country under the scheme of ‘One Nation- One Market’. Initially as per ECA which restrained the framers to sell their produce anywhere in the country and were forced to sell originally in the mandis of their state. These mandis were government- approved mandis’ called as ‘Agriculture Product Market Committees’, were state- operated where farmers sell their products to the traders or middlemen who then sell the products to the consumers throughout the nation. These APMCs protected the interest of the farmers from big retailers and ensure that process do not get too high. Also that the produce is sold at MSP and not anything less than that.

This new bill passed also:

(i) limits the operation of APMC laws by states to the market yards
(ii) Allows private parties to set up online trading platforms for trading in agricultural commodities by avoiding the middlemen
(iii) Sets up a dispute-resolution mechanism for buyers and farmers to be operated by a sub-divisional magistrate.

Benefit and problems of this act:

  • The farmer of any state can sell his produce at any place throughout the nation because of this bill but not in any other mandi because it is the state government of that region to decide whether they can sell it in their mandis or not. Also this law makes the produce tax free which means that the farmers are not supposed to pay any tax to the mandis or the state. But here the mandis and state are at loss because they won’t be getting the tax which can be used by them. The new law permits the PAN card holder to become trader, whereas in the mandis there are certain conditions to become a trader, they have certain licenses. At mandi, the payment by the farmers has to be done within 1 day while the trades outside the mandis will be given three working days’ credit time which has chances to be misused and such loop holes needs to be addressed.
  • Removal of middlemen: Because of this act the concept of middlemen and the cartel system is diminished, the farmers can directly trade with the consumers are the company and save the tax which was supposed to be given in the mandis. Also the farmers can choose where to sell the goods so that they can save the transportation cost as well.

We must not forget here that this bill has not eradicated the previous APMCs rather it has provided another ecosystem to the farmers and now they have to decide where to sell and how to sell which have given them multiple options too.

  • The redress system: The dispute redress system mentioned in the bill is not practical as the system in overburdened with other cases and sub magistrate has other responsibilities as well.
  • The MSP issue: The minimum support price is decided on 23 food items by the government but there is no guarantee by the government that they will buy it from all the farmers. Governments only ends up buying rice and wheat. The states like Haryana and Punjab are benefited by this MSP. The farmers believe that the government will remove the concept of MSP, once they start selling products outside the mandis.

The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020

According to this bill the farmers and the consumers, the corporate firms and buyers can directly enter into a contractual farm agreement which means farmers can make contract with the buyers. The benefit that the farmers will receive through this bill is that the price assurance which they will receive even before sowing their produce.

The benefit and loss regarding this bill:

Let’s discuss the three bills with examples. Let’s talk about tomatoes, MC Donald’s and how they can make a contract with these farmers. As per the bills, the company can ask the farmers to produce certain size and quality of tomatoes and at the same quoted price throughout the year. This means that the farmers can sell the tomatoes at rs. 20 to the company when it is at rs.13 in January or at rs.19 in May and still earn the profit. The benefit of this contract farming is that the price is decided in advance also the farmers can ask for advance payments and buy raw materials with the money received. Before such bill, this contract system was there but it was recorded in the mandis. Moreover, a certain fixed sum had to be paid to these middle men in the mandis whereas when these middle men are removed both the parties can be benefited.

  • This system sounds good but no big company would like to deal with dozen small farmers.
  • Also since these companies are massive with huge legal team, the contracts can turn up to be one sided, also these farmers cannot fight against such companies or understand legal contracts.
  • What must be done is that there is a need of an intermediator bodies who can explain such contracts to these framers in simple terms and they should be made to understand these terms for future as well.
  • The dispute redress system mentioned in the bill is not practical as the system in overburdened with other cases and sub magistrate has other responsibilities as well.

The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.

Of all the 3 bills that have been passed, it is the ECA which was long overdue. The ECA has its roots in WW2 where laws were implemented by the British to exploit the supply within the country. The bill places restrictions on the storage of essential commodities like pulses, oilseeds, onions, etc. but has now been amended. The amended ECA reduces the power that states and the centre have.

Benefits and problem with hoarding of essential commodities:

  • With the introduction of this bill the commodities can be stored and bought in bulk. Also the private traders can enter into this business and store the produce.
  • We often see that that where the farmers sell their onions at rs.13, the price of it in the market is as high as rs.100. onions being an essential commodity cannot be stored in the country as there are certain limits.

Also since there are buffer stocks in the country which is being mismanaged, India faces hunger and food shortage.

  • The question is why should any trader or company invest in cold storage when storing of basic stuffs are illegal. While essential commodity act removes the stocking limit from some commodities, protests exist as the trader will buy onions in harvesting season and sell it only when there is a scarcity to gain profit.

Now where government says these bills will change the life of the farmers but still, farmers are protesting?

  1. The downside to this law is that the person in question is a farmer who may not possess the bargaining leverage. This bill will lead to the entry of private corporates that further exploit the farmers.
  2. It is also naïve to simply assume that farmers in Punjab who are accustomed to mandis will go ahead and sell their produce to buyers in Karnataka. India is still plagued by huge connectivity issues and the cost of transit might far exceed that paid to APMC’s. APMC has this advantage as they are already established they have roads connecting most of the villages making it easier for farmers to get to mandis. You may have already noticed that although there have been differing views across the country, protests are concentrated to the states of Punjab, Haryana, M.P. This is because it is in these states that farmers rely on MSP and have strong market systems based on APMC’s. In fact, Bihar, Kerala, and Manipur do not follow the APMC system at all. In India, the state governments have the power to regulate agricultural markets and fairs. Hence different states have different approaches towards this.
  3. In Haryana more than 75% of the wheat and Paddy is grown is bought by the government at MSP rates whereas this number is higher in Punjab at 85%. The Punjab government charges a 6% mandi tax apart from a 2.5% fee for maintaining APMC’s giving them an annual revenue  3500 crores. These revenues that are earned from farmers are then given back to them as graceful subsidies in the form of electricity etc. This plays a very important role in the voting dynamics and hence the unrest in these states. 
  4. The downside to this is, however, lies in the fact that over 86% of the country’s farmers are marginal farmers who own very little land. The possibility that huge corporations will go ahead and exploit the farmers through unbalanced contracts is high. These contracts include the dangers of turning farmers into slaves. 

Closing thoughts:

The flaws lie on the concept that only 6% farmers know about MSP, and there is no uniform method of price discovery for non MSP crops, traders do not buy on MSP and the government does not procure all the produce. The root cause of all the exploitation lies on the fact that the farmers do not know what should be the fair value of their produce. Whether it be from the mandis or contract farming, the fair value is unknown as prices change with area. So how should price discovery be done like we have stock exchange to check the share prices, similarly we must have a system where these farmers can unite and quote the correct price. Also farmers can refer NCDEX and MCX as the base for the price of their commodities. The bargaining power of farmers lies in the unity of farmers and they need to form such organizations and the government should take such steps to unite them. The bills can be a progressive step only when the loopholes are removed.

One of the reasons why there has been a lot of uproar throughout the country is due to the unconstitutional way in which the laws were passed as it is the state governments that regulate these aspects. The government should have included the opposition and also taken into account the voice of farmers in order to plug the loopholes in the bills.

This would not only create an assisted approach towards privatizing the sector but also avoid further exploitation. But unfortunately, the bills due to not being communicated appropriately have created an air of mistrust between the ruling, opposition, and the farmers.

References:-

  1. The farm bills, 2020
  2. https://tradebrains.in/farm-bill-2020-explained
  3. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/the-hindu-explains-who-gains-and-who-loses-from-the-farm-bills/article32705820.ece
  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FCBMEWlvRM&ab_channel=AbhiandNiyu

 

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Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016: An assessment and procedure involved

This article mainly focuses on the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, It is a detailed assessment of the code. This paper also explains the procedure of recovery of the Non-performing assets, along with this it also explains about the recent amendments brought in the code, along with its advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons).


Introduction 

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) is the law in India which deals with the bankruptcy and whose point is to solidify the current structure by making a solitary law for indebtedness and liquidation and change the laws identifying with the elements in India with the time being in force. By consolidation of acts in India, it gives a proper structure for the well-being of companies or any other corporate bodies having a separate legal entity. This code was presented in Lok Sabha in December 2015. It was passed by Lok Sabha on 5 May 2016.

Applicability 

This code manages the entities to be specific individuals, partnership firms, Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) and companies. This code mainly focuses mostly on the above four entities that don’t have any significant bearing on the society’s trust board. This code specifically deals with insolvency, bankruptcy, and liquidation in which insolvency and bankruptcy appear to be the same. However, bankruptcy implies the circumstance where the liabilities of the elements are more than its advantages and unfit to meets its obligations where insolvency alludes to a circumstance or a legitimate procedure where a court of competent jurisdiction had pronounced the entity insolvent on the application made by that entity to announce itself. To put it plainly, Bankruptcy is a legitimate condition; Insolvency may not always lead to bankruptcy.

This code is additionally applied at the hour of liquidation of companies or at the time of winding up of the companies. Other than the solidification and amendment of the laws, the fundamental changes can likewise be made according to the necessity of the laws under IBC.

Effect Of IBC On Various Legislations

This code repeals three authoritative acts to be specific, Presidency Towns Insolvency Act, 1989, Provincial Insolvency Act, 1920 (which manages the indebtedness of individuals) and Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985 are revoked and combined into IBC. Companies that are sound and strong are represented under the Companies Act, 2013 and sick companies were administered under the Sick Industrial Companies Act, 1985 then. Now the IBC manages wiped out sick companies as SICA is canceled.

 Many of the acts were also amended with the birth of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. Some of these Acts are Indian Partnership Act, 1932, L.L.P Act,2008, Companies Act, 2013 are changed as these demonstrations manages the functioning just as bankruptcy of the substances yet after the presentation of this code these laws altered by putting the insolvency provision under IBC, 2016; different acts, Recovery of Debt Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993, the Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 Payment and Settlement System Act, 2007, Finance Act, 1994, Income Tax Act, 1961, Central Excise act, 1944, Customs Act, 1962, laws of bankruptcy are revised after the introduction of IBC.

So, the intention of this code is to merge and alter the laws identifying with redesign and insolvency resolution of individuals, companies firms, LLP, organizations in a period bound way by making specialists and offices that will explicitly manage insolvency processes surrounded under the code.


Need for Bankruptcy Law In India 

One of the essential targets for the introduction of such a code is to advance the business enterprise in India, as it gives the protection from the private properties by building up LLPs for example just invested capital and resources of the element are utilized for reimbursement of the obligations asserted; During the winding up of the companies when creditors request their cash back it gives a chance to different organizations to gain by demonstrating its goals designs so as to fulfill the lenders; the organization, all the processes are therefore dealt under IBC. So this new code streamlines and unites all bankruptcy laws of the said elements to make the procedure more straightforward.

After the usage of this code, it merges and corrects all the current indebtedness laws for the organizations on which it applies; it ensures the enthusiasm of the partners and the creditors of the company and sets up the Insolvency And Bankruptcy Board Of India.


Salient Features Of Insolvency and Bankruptcy  Code, 2016

This code contains an expeditious instrument and mechanism in order to distinguish the early money related affliction and start the recovery or ending up of the organization according to the conditions.

The creditor presents an insolvency plea to the National Company Law Tribunal ( in case of companies), in some cases the adjudicating authority also plays an important role. If the request is acknowledged, at that point IRP (Insolvency resolution professional)/IP (Insolvency Professional) is named. The IP needs to drafts an insolvency resolution plan inside 180 days, with an augmentation of a further 90 days given in extraordinary cases just with the assent of the lenders, and this time of 180 days or 270 days, as the case might be, named as Moratorium Period.

1. Insolvency Resolution Plan

It implies an arrangement proposed by goals candidate for indebtedness goals of the corporate account holder as a going worry as per part II. As per section 30, the Insolvency Resolution Professional (IRP) inside the endorsed time, required to present his Resolution Plan to Adjudicating Authority (NCLT) arranged by him based on data reminder. The Resolution Plan ought to accommodate: Payment of the insolvency resolution cost; Repayment of the obligations to operational creditors; Management of issues of the Company after the endorsement of the resolution plan; Implementation and supervision of the resolution plan; However also it should not repudiate the provisions of the law until further notice in power; and conforms to such other necessity as might be indicated by the Board.

The insolvency resolution plan must be endorsed by 75% of the creditors; on the off chance that the arrangement is affirmed by creditors, at that point the competent adjudicating authority will give the authorization or on the off chance that creditor doesn’t support the arrangement, at that point arbitrating authority or NCLT by and large, pass the request for the liquidation.

2. Insolvency Professionals And  Insolvency Professional  Agencies

The IPs are the individual from insolvency professional agencies and enlisted with IPAs just as with Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI). They are the experts who are approved to follow up for the benefit and associated with the disintegration procedure of the entities and it goes under the IBC, 2016, and assumes a fundamental job in selling the entities resources and other settlement forms. IPs investigate the financial report of the entities, lead formal discussions with indebted individuals or creditors to deal with the repayment procedure and their one of the primary obligation is to check on the creditors claim according to the accessible assets, they need to present the goals plan inside 75 days of the initiation of the procedure by the insolvency.

IPAs imply that any office enlisted with the IBBI under section 201 of IBC, 2016 alluded as an IPA. There are three organizations of IPAs to be specific, Institute of Company Secretaries of India(ICSI), The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Institute of Cost and the board Accountants (ICMA), and applied for the enlistment of separate office with IBBI as IPAs.

The IPAs awards enrollment to IPs and direct assessments to confirm them, implement an implicit rule for their exhibition, defend rights, benefits and interests and suspend part or drop participation, enquire complaints of individuals and find a way to determine it; will be required to enlist with the board and get a certificate of enrollment to have the option to carry on its movement as an organization.

3. Insolvency And Bankruptcy Board Of India

The code builds up the IBBI; it is a Regulatory Authority that directs the laws and enlisted entities under it, for example, IPs, IPAs and Information Utilities (IUs) and to bring rules and guidelines, notices and changes in the code. It makes bye-laws for directing IPs and IPAs and chooses the qualification criteria for their enlistment; choose the expenses and charges for assessment of IPs; do the examination and examinations and screen the exhibition of IPS and their offices. The board will comprise of agents of Reserve Bank of India, and the Ministries of Finance, Corporate undertakings, and Law.

4. Information Utilities

Information Utilities will be built up with the principle intention to gather, order, validate and disseminate the financial information of indebted individuals in a Centralized electronic database. The code expects creditors to give monetary data of borrowers and would be accessible to the IRPs, leasers, outlets and different partners in insolvency and bankruptcy procedures.

5.Bankruptcy and Insolvent Adjudicators

The Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) will settle bankruptcy goals for people where the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) mediates insolvency resolution for companies.

6. Fast Track Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (IRP)

The first track corporate resolution process has been given under the code and will be finished inside 90 days from the insolvent initiation date, with just 45 days of expansion period. The mediating authority has the ability to expand the procedure just, after the assent of creditors, by an application made by IRPs.


Indian Insolvency contrasted and other countries

In the WB Ease of Doing Business Report, with regards to settling insolvency Japan, Finland and US rank initial three individually while India’s rank is 108. Japan secures the number one position in the world for settling bankruptcy, with methods taking as meager as a half year and costing a mere 4% of the estimation of the companies. The recuperation rate is over 90% contrasted with the OECD normal of 70%. India recuperation rate changes 25% to 45% for various cases and may arrive at half in not so distant future, though timespan of settling insolvency is around 4.3 years.


Offenses and Punishments

The code also secures punishments and discipline for offense submitted by the debtor under corporate indebtedness like covering of the property of a corporate debtor (herein referred as CD) ; experiencing into the exchanges to cheat the account holders; wrongdoing during the bankruptcy procedure; fraudulent misrepresentation of the books, papers, protections; for stubborn and material exclusion from proclamations identifying with the corporate debtor; deception to leasers and so forth will be rebuffed with the detainment of at the very least three years however which may extend to five years, or with fine of at the very least one lakh rupees, yet which may reach out to one crore rupees, or with both. For offenses submitted under individual insolvency, (for example, giving false wrongful information), the detainment differs dependent on the offense.


Advantages under IBC in the Indian market

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) had brought clarity to the process of insolvency and bankruptcy procedure which was not known to individuals or companies as separate entities even a few years back. Some huge advantages of the IBC were obvious; the danger of promoters losing control of the companies or extended lawful procedures is compelling numerous corporate defaulters to take care of their obligation even before insolvency can be started. Till March 31, 2019, the corporate insolvency resolution process yielded a goal of 94 cases, which has brought about the repayment of cases of money related creditors totaling Rs 1.73 trillion; these cases incorporate six out of 12 enormous records where insolvency resolution was started by banks, as per the bearings of the RBI in 2017; the general recuperation in the event of settled cases is almost 43 percent, which is 194 percent of the liquidation esteem; real estate was the top division, with 20 percent of the insolvency cases being enrolled; Manufacturing, which incorporates steel, power, and synthetic compounds, included 40 percent; countless firms likewise selected willful liquidation and one of the destinations of the Code was to allow organizations to exit on the off chance that they didn’t do any business or if the business itself was unviable.

With the acquaintance of IBC, it leads with the simplicity of working together in India, which additionally prompts the advancement of development and business enterprise in India; It likewise draws in the outside venture through FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) and FII (Foreign Institutional Investment), similarly as with the presentation of IBC insolvency laws are bound together which prompts the greater clearness; assists Indian with situating by moving from frail bankruptcy system to the solid bankruptcy system.

It is likewise helpful for the banks as they can exploit the IBC to tidy up their asset reports. It would likewise prompt the better progression of capital in the Indian economy and furthermore makes the section of the new companies and exit of the sick companies. It would likewise empower the monetarily solid organizations to develop by demonstrating the chance to procure the organization goes under the IBC, 2016.


What is a non-performing asset?

A non-performing asset (NPA) is an advance or advance for which the principal or interest installment stayed past due for a time of 90 days. Banks are required to group NPAs further into Substandard, Doubtful and Loss resources.

  1. Sub-standard Assets: Assets which has remained NPA for a period not exactly or equivalent to a year.
  2. Doubtful Assets: A benefit would be delegated far fetched in the event that it has stayed in the inadequate class for a time of a year.
  3. Loss Assets: according to RBI, ” Loss Asset is viewed as uncollectible and of such little worth that its duration as a bankable resource can’t, despite the fact that there might be some rescue or recuperation esteem.”


Role of IBC to Recover Non-performing assets owned by Banks

An insolvency plea is given to the power that mediates (in corporate debtor’s case it is NCLT) by operation or financial creditor or the corporate borrower. The plea can be acknowledged or dismissed in the maximum timespan of fourteen days. In the event that the request gets acknowledgment then the court should rapidly select an IRP or Insolvency Resolution Professional for drafting an arrangement of resolution inside a time of 180 days (that can be reached out by ninety days). Following this, the court would start the way toward settling corporate insolvency. For that specific period, the company’s director will stay suspended while the promoters will have nothing to do with the company’s management. The Insolvency Resolution Professional can look for the help of the administration of the company for taking care of ordinary tasks. In the event that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (herein referred to as CIRP) can’t restore the association, at that point, the procedure of liquidation will be started.

As per the Economic Times, The new Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) has given a goal system that will help corporates tidy up their monetary records and pay off past commitments.

The Twin Balance Sheet (TBS) activities, important for splitting the long-standing ‘leave’ issue, need corresponding changes to contract unviable banks and permit more prominent private area cooperation, the pre-spending Survey said.

The long-rotting TBS issue was unequivocally tended to by sending the major focused on organizations for goals under the new IBC and executing a significant recapitalization bundle to fortify the public sector banks (PSBs), it said. Because of these measures, the dispersing impacts of prior strategy activities, and the fare inspire from the worldwide recuperation, the economy started to quicken in the second 50% of the year.

Pros and Cons of The recent  Amendment In The Code

The pros or the advantages through the recent amendment of the insolvency and the bankruptcy law in India are as follows:

  1. Insolvency Commencement Date

Section 2 of the 2020 Amendment Act erases the stipulation from the meaning of “insolvency commencement date” u/s 5(12) of the Code with the end goal that the insolvency resolution process starts from the date of affirmation of an application for starting corporate bankruptcy goals process (CIRP), and not when the Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) is designated by the competent adjudicating authority (“AA”, for short). The relating change brought out in Section 16(1) of the Code commands the Adjudicating Authority to select the IRP on the insolvency commencement date, along these lines pulling back the scope of 14 days from the insolvency commencement date for the arrangement of IRP.

Thus this recent amendment benefits by preventing the anticipated delay in completing the resolution to an extent of 14 days.

  1. Wider scope to the definition of “interim finance”

The legislature has extended the ambit of ‘interim finance’ u/s 5(15) of the Code by the inclusion of the words “and such other debt as may be notified” toward the finish of its definition. Interim Finance basically alludes to transient credits required to stay with an under the CIRP running as a going concern. The Code permits an IRP/RP to bring between time fund up in request to ensure and safeguard the estimation of the property of a corporate debtor(“CD”, for short) and to deal with its tasks as a going concern. In the Code, the term ‘insolvency resolution process cost’ incorporates any interim fund raised for a corporate indebted person alongside the expense of raising such between interim finance. The circulation issue u/s 53 of the Code accommodates the most noteworthy need to be given to insolvency resolution process costs, which incorporates such interim finance.

In this manner, the Parliament, by expanding the meaning of ‘interim finance’, has underscored its significance in the administration of the tasks of CD and tried to give some free hand to the IRP and Committee of Creditors (“CoC”, for short) to run and keep up the company as a going concern.

  1. Section 7- Initiation of the Corporate Resolution Process by the financial creditor

The 2020 Amendment Act raises the base edge for specific classes of financial creditors for starting CIRP, endorsing that the application by these creditors u/s 7(1) of the Code ought to be documented together by at any rate 100 such creditors or 10% of their complete number, whichever is less. These classes incorporate land allottees and security or store holders spoke to by a trustee/specialist. The amendment likewise explains that where such an application for starting the CIRP against a CD has not been conceded by the Adjudicating Authority before the initiation of the 2020 Amendment Act, such application will be altered to consent to the previously mentioned necessities inside thirty days of the beginning of the said Act, failing which the application will be considered to be pulled back before its affirmation.

While the legislature has looked to assuage the developers from over-introduction to healing and government assistance enactments, the worries of homebuyers stay concerning usage of the revision. The base edge criteria are full of practical troubles since the sale or deal is a consistent procedure, and in what manner will a homebuyer realize what number of units have been offered to decide the 10% of the complete number of units sold in real estate project, particularly when 10% is less than 100. So, the aggrieved homebuyers can, in any case, look somewhere else (RERA, or COPRA) for redressal of their grumblings against the developers and manufacturers.

  1. Corporate Debtors entitled to make application

Section 4 of the 2020 Amendment Act embeds a clarification u/s 11 of the Code which stipulates that a corporate debtor experiencing CIRP, or having finished CIRP a year going before the date of creation of the application or in regard of whom a liquidation request has been made, and so on will be qualified for making an application to start CIRP against other corporate debtors. This progression is probably going to improve the maximization of the value of a corporate indebted person.

It is relevant to take note of that NCLT, Mumbai, and NCLT, Delhi had embraced two different perspectives in Jai Ambe Enterprise v. S. N. Plumbings Pvt. Ltd. and, Asian Plumbings and Mandhana Industries Ltd. v. Instyle Exports Pvt. Ltd. separately, and there was a squeezing requirement for an explanation. Presently, with the recent amendment and clarification to Section 11, the governing body has settled the discussion in concurring with the NCLT, Mumbai and maintaining its perspective that it is one of the obligations of the RP to recover the extraordinary obligations of a CD against whom the CIRP is as of now in progress and it is a correct strategy for dealing with the issues of the financially stressed company.

  1. Section 14- Mushrooming ambit of Moratorium

Section 5 of the 2020 Amendment Act embeds a clarification to Section 14(1) of the Code which stretches out the ban under IBC to ensure the permit, license, enrollment, portion, concessions, clearances and other comparable awards or rights given by the Central or State Government, local authority, sectoral controller or some other authority from suspension and end during the CIRP, except if there is a default in the installment of the present duty for its utilization or continuation during the ban time frame.

The 2020 Amendment Act embeds sub-section (2A) u/s 14 that enables the IRP or RP to keep up the stockpile of basic goods and services and forestall termination, suspension or interference of plans identifying with such inventory in order to secure the value of the CD.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India is engaged under the recently inserted clause (ia) u/s 240(2) to make guidelines to accommodate conditions in which supply of basic goods or services might be ended, suspended or intruded on during the time of moratorium u/s 14(2A).

The amended Section 14(3)(a) shields the exchanges from ban now, yet additionally, understandings or different arrangements told by the Central Government.

  1. Section 23- Management of the operation of CD

The substitution of the Proviso u/s 23(1) of the Code explains that a RP will keep on dealing with the undertakings of the CD till the Resolution Plan is endorsed by the AA u/s 31(1) or till the appointment of a liquidator, u/s 34 by the AA in case of dismissal of the goals plan for inability to meet necessities referenced in Section 30. This is relied upon to facilitate the working of a RP and sheds the prerequisite of documenting unlimited applications looking for appropriate bearings. It likewise explicitly approves the executives of undertakings by RP during the interregnum from the dismissal to RP till the arrangement or appointment of a liquidator.

  1. Insertion of section 32 A in the code

The inclusion of Section 32A in the Code is the most huge alteration brought out by the Government, that endeavors to shield the effective resolution candidates and their property from the risk of criminal procedures qua the offenses carried out by the previous promoters of the CD.

The recently inserted Section 32A(1) of the Code gives that the obligation of a CD for an offense submitted preceding the beginning of the CIRP will stop and the CD will not be indicted for such an offense from the date on which the resolution plan has been endorsed by the AA u/s 31 of the Code. Be that as it may, this advantage possibly kicks in when the adjustment in the administration or control of the CD can’t an individual who was the past advertiser or participated in the administration or control of the CD or is a related gathering of such an individual. It has been additionally explained that the individual accountable for the administration ought not to be the one as for whom any exploring authority has the motivation to accept that he had abetted or planned for the commission of the offense, and has submitted or recorded a report or a protest to the applicable statutory position or Court. While Section 32A protects the CD, however, keeps on holding the accompanying people at risk for such offenses:

(a) (an) each individual who was an “assigned accomplice” as characterized in provision (j) of Section 2 of the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008;

(b) an “official who is in default”, as characterized in condition (60) of Section 2 of the Companies Act, 2013;

(c) an individual who was in any way accountable for, or capable to the CD for the direction of its business or related with the CD in any way; and

(d) an individual who was straightforwardly or in a roundabout way associated with the commission of such offense according to the report submitted or grumbling recorded by the researching authority.

The 2020 Amendment Act includes another sub-section(2) to Section 32A of the IBC, which banishes any activity including attachment, seizure, maintenance or appropriation of the property of the CD according to an offense submitted preceding the beginning of CIRP, in the event that such property is secured by the goals plan affirmed by the AA. The insusceptibility from such activity is likewise molded on the prerequisites of progress in charge or the executives of the CD, as present u/s 32A(1). Be that as it may, it is to be noticed that activity against the properties of any individual other than the CD or the individual who procured such properties through CIRP or liquidation process, can’t, and move might be made under the significant law.

Despite the insusceptibility given, Section 32A makes it obligatory for the CD as well as any individual who might be required to help or co-operate with any power exploring an offense submitted before the beginning of the CIRP, to give fundamental help and co-operation.

  1. Section 227- Financial Service Provider

The recently embedded clarification to Section 227 of the Code gives that the procedures to insolvency and liquidation for the financial service providers or classifications of budgetary specialist organizations might be directed with such changes and in such way as might be endorsed. This comes in the wake of warning of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019 in November a year ago. The financial predicament looked by IL&FS and DHFL had raised upsetting questions over the working and activity of FSPs (like housing finance companies and other indicated non-banking financial companies), in this manner instigating interest for notification of Code for the FSPs.

Through the recent amendments, the pros or benefits are much higher than the cons. The amendment gives more clarity, precaution, and insight into the activities related to the insolvency and bankruptcy procedure. However, some issues always go unnoticed and even after repeated amendments, we can only hope some changes to look into the grass-root problem of Indian society.


Some of the cons of the recent amendments

  1. Loss of Jobs

The current insolvency law has thought about numerous components that were neglected to be seen previously, yet the one thing that was been overlooked is the loss of employment. The Code tends to the case of financial creditors, operational creditors (made sure about and unbound), indebtedness expenses and others also yet totally disregard the workers. It is evaluated that during the Code’s activity 2400 representatives have lost their lasting positions of jobs or employment.

Reallocation of the assets may have spared a portion of those occupations yet the Committee of Creditors attributable to their own advantage and the Code’s stringent time limits are not really seen to put forth an attempt for the workers. The financial damage brought about by this is past the proportion of any insights.

  1. Insolvency not to be a Substitution for Recovery

The Code’s significant target was of union identifying with Insolvency. By and by, it is something corresponding to the way toward ending up under the system of Companies Act, which was pervasive before the commencement of the Code. It is likewise submitted in any event, when the Code was not in presence, winding up petition was not a genuine method for trying to implement the installment of the obligation.

It ought to likewise be noticed that the Code gives an exacting cutoff time of 180 days (and a 90 days expansion with consent) for the completion of the corporate bankruptcy process. On the off chance that the procedure can’t, at that point the main outcome that will follow is liquidation. This component may be praised by the advocates yet the authoritative authority has helpfully disregarded the way that Negotiating under constant danger of liquidation may lead parties not to think about some other recuperation system and would at last lead to wide going-concern fire deals (converting into creditors under-recoveries). The most tragic part is that the companies who have a more noteworthy opportunity to endure whenever gave appropriate obligation rebuilding would be rescued influencing employments and livelihood too.

  1. Cost of the Insolvency Process

The code accommodates an industry of Insolvency Resolution Process managed by a Board, as obtained from the United Kingdom, where IRPs go about as an operator of the creditors, which without a doubt diminishes the expense of the between lender organization.

In any case, through observational investigations directed on the UK insolvency system, it is uncovered that while appropriation of the IRP model brought about higher acknowledge, they likewise correspondingly expanded expenses of bankruptcy and hence didn’t tangibly improve creditors recuperations. Due to which the expense of insolvency and bankruptcy process troubles the insolvency process itself and a settled IRPs industry can hurt the general achievement of the Code.


Regulatory Goals and Challenges

The reason for implementation of regulations is bring ease in working of the courts along with the companies needing to undergo debt restructuring procedure. However, if a new regulations or rules are brought into picture then, suddenly people are not able to adapt the changed law and its applications. Therefore based on the negotiations, implementations and needs of the parties the government needs to regulate and form new laws the smooth functioning of both the companies and the court. The Central Government and the IBBI had played and active role in meeting the required changes and challenges. There had also been a huge amount of participation and cooperation among the stakeholders to meet the required demands of the society. The framework of law thus had been structured keeping in view the work of the majoritorian system in the society. Thus the most important reason for coming up with a code was to bring the uniformity and stability to the entire debt structuring of the company. The aim of regulations are not to wind up or liquidate any company, however its only intention is to develop and help the companies grow in the best possible way, without resorting to the usage of winding up. Thus the challenges also draws a close nexus with the with the governance structures of the company, which again brings down the concepts of accountability, transparency and disclosure. Thus if these three governance objectives are fulfilled then one of the most important requirements of regulatory goals are achieved.


Response of COVID- 19, Pandamic In India

Many a times the Government of India had tried to handle the situation by using the best alternative methods either by the suspension of the code or by the operation of the code. This crisis time is indeed destroying the economy however, we can expect it to retrieve back in the coming following years. Protecting a viable form is more important than liquidating an unviable firm. Thus it is expected that if these pandemic situation continues then indeed an alternative will be found in in the long run. As the high court or any other courts in that regard had shifted to virtual courts or e-filing platform. In the similar way we can expect that certain, changed and solutions will be coming up.


Conclusion 

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 has proved itself as a distinct advantage in the way the remainder of the world sees India as an absolutely business goal. India had struggled for a few positions and crossed a few obstacles to charge well in the worldwide lists and to secure the parameters of ” Ease of Doing Business”. This is essentially owing to dynamism and versatility showed by the current system to adjust the mediation demonstration and bankruptcy and insolvency code with the developing situation scene and changing requests of India’s corporate division.

Certain high connection between’s a precise valuation and the adequacy of the goal action(s), including shielding of public cash, the valuation strategies ought to distinguish the information and data needs that on a basic level guarantee the exhibition of a complete valuation. Other than being an intricate cycle and exercise, valuations are required for different purposes and periods making it all the more testing. In this way, the requirement for norms in valuation depends on acknowledged and strong standards and strategies were set up in various nations to serve the different divisions of the economy, particularly, money related, banking and tax collection.

 Norms give a benchmark to the experts to guarantee consistency in approach and nature of valuation yield. They support ‘best practices’ and reasonableness in valuation administrations. They support pertinence and transparency of valuation data. Moreover, they increase quality, consistency, likeness and consistency of valuation practice. To improve dependence on the valuation among partner, they support market information and understanding and grow corporate administration. Thus, they improve public trust in valuation and improve market productivity.

Now and then there is a monetary catastrophe by a helpless valuation guidelines. A swelled valuation may cause venture cost to rise making it hard to flexibly merchandise and products notwithstanding worldwide rivalry even inside the nation’s own regional ward. An improper valuation may cause a precarious ascent in the quantity of non-performing resources (NPAs) of banks and monetary establishments. The helpless norms of made sure about loaning, valuations had prompted genuine financial catastrophes in a few nations before. Such a condition arises when the moneys are paid in advance without thinking about the collaterals or the securities which are on other hand provided. Thus if such a proper record or valuation had not been certained or promised, then such a company would be bound to fil. The collaterals plays an important role regarding the money or the amounts which are being advanced to the other companies.

However, The Code stays one of India’s most recent financial change’s examples of overcoming adversity and keeps on developing as it develops. The snapshot of rapture nonetheless, is finished and the troublesome activity of keeping energy is currently starting as more borrowers enter the plan. There is a need to set up the market for the bigger number of cases that are probably going to happen in the coming a very long time to help goals. The framework should likewise remain prepared to survey how effectively approved goal plans are being executed. At a similar second, elective revamping options must be delivered by the market, conceivably in the window made by the RBI circular, before legitimate summon of courts. One expectations that corporate account holders will be provided with the help imagined by the Code through the period of corporate insolvency resolution.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy practice in India is most likely the single biggest assemblage of case laws right now. There is no strength because of the incessant changes in the council. Nonetheless, the Code has come through gift for debt restructuring for a number of institutions. It has figured the premise of indebtedness practice in India. Bankruptcy is a worthwhile practice and time-bound cycle. It has made the lives of numerous entities simple and profitable. Thus the law itself is a blessing for the companies, which gives them a second chance or opportunity to restructure themselves and again develop themselves into a ongoing business patterns. However, it is difficult to predict its status after few years because of the uncertainities which are prevailing during the recent time. However, the real success of these law can only be understood after this trying covid or crisis times.

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