Delhi HC directs Centre to file report to ensure proper functioning of DRTs and DRATs during Covid-19 pandemic

The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to file report ensuring proper functioning of Debt Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) and Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals (DRATs) during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The DRT Bar Association (Petitioner) in this case submitted that currently there is only one video conferencing link that is being used for the DRAT and DRTs in Delhi and Chandigarh. They also submitted that the Recovery Officers attached to the DRTs have not been given any video conferencing facility that hampered the process of adjudication.

Justice Navin Chawla of the Delhi High Court directed the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEIT) to submit status reports within a week.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on July 17, 2020.

The petition sought a direction to be issued to provide a minimum of three separate online links to each Presiding Officer of DRT, Delhi. A total of 12 online links have been asked for – one each for Presiding Officer, one each for the Registrar of all the three DRTs and one each for 6 Recovery Officers at the three DRTs.

The Petitioner had argued that because of the only single link being provided, urgent matters could not be taken up by the DRTs or DRATs.