424A Reference to Tribunal

(1) Where an industrial company, has become a sick industrial company, the Board of directors of such company shall make a reference to the Tribunal, and prepare a scheme of its revival and rehabilitation and submit the same to the Tribunal along with an application containing such particulars as may be prescribed, for determination of the measures which may be adopted with respect to such company :

Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall apply to a Government company :

Provided further that a Government company may, with the prior approval of the Central Government or a State Government, as the case may be, make a reference to the Tribunal in accordance with the provisions of this subsection and thereafter all the provisions of this Act shall apply to such Government company.

(2) The application under sub-section (1) shall be accompanied by a certificate from an auditor from a panel of auditors prepared by the Tribunal indicating -

(a) the reasons of the net worth of such company being fifty per cent or less than fifty per cent ; or

(b) the default in repayment of its debt making such company a sick industrial company, as the case may be.

(3) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1), the Central Government or the Reserve Bank or a State Government or a public financial institution or a State level institution or a scheduled bank may, if it has sufficient reasons to believe that any industrial company has become, for the purposes of this Act, a sick industrial company, make a reference in respect of such company to the Tribunal for determination of the measures which may be adopted with respect to such company :

Provided that a reference shall not be made under this sub-section in respect of any industrial company by -

(a) the Government of any State unless all or any of the industrial undertakings belonging to such company are situated in such State;

(b) a public financial institution or a State level institution or a scheduled bank unless it has, by reason of any financial assistance or obligation rendered by it, or undertaken by it, with respect to such company, an interest in such company.

(4) A reference under sub-section (1) or sub-section (3) shall be made to the Tribunal within a period of one hundred and eighty days from the date on which the Board of directors of the company or the Central Government or the Reserve Bank of India or a State Government or a public financial institution or a State level institution or a scheduled bank, as the case may be, come to know, of the relevant facts giving rise to causes of such reference or within sixty days of final adoption of accounts, whichever is earlier.

(5) The Tribunal may, on receipt of a reference under sub-section (1), pass an order as to whether a company in respect of which a reference has been made has become a sick industrial company and such order shall be final.