1. Statutory Framework: RDB Act 1993 & SARFAESI Act 2002

Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy Act (RDB Act), 1993

The RDB Act, 1993 provides for the establishment of Debts Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) with original jurisdiction and Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunals (DRATs) with appellate jurisdiction, for expeditious adjudication and recovery of debts due to banks and financial institutions, insolvency resolution and bankruptcy of individuals and partnership firms and connected matters therewith.

The Act aims to safeguard the interest of banks and financial institutions as lenders, while not discouraging borrowers. The Tribunals have not yet commenced taking up insolvency resolution and bankruptcy matters as the related provisions are not yet in force.

Statutory Debt Threshold: The Act is applicable to cases where the amount of debt due to any bank or financial institution defined under the Act or a consortium of banks or financial institutions is ₹20 Lakh or more.
Click here for the full RDB Act and Amendments (IndiaCode)

Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interests Act (SARFAESI Act), 2002

The SARFAESI Act, 2002 aims to regulate securitisation and reconstruction of financial assets and enforcement of security interest and to provide for a Central database of security interests created on property rights and for connected matters therewith. The Act has simplified the recovery procedure for banks and specified financial institutions for recovery of secured debts from borrowers without intervention of Courts at the first stage.

Borrowers can file applications in the Debts Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) against action taken for enforcement of security interest under this Act (Section 17 SA within 45 days), with the appellate jurisdiction for such applications lying with the Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunals (DRATs).

Statutory Applicability Thresholds: The Act is applicable to cases where security interest for securing repayment of any financial asset is more than ₹1 Lakh AND the amount due is 20% or more of the principal amount and interest thereon.
Statutory Exclusions: The Act is NOT applicable to any security interest created in agricultural land and certain properties not liable to attachment under specified Acts.

2. Territorial Jurisdiction of 5 DRATs & 39 DRTs in India

India is divided into 5 Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunals (DRATs), each exercising appellate jurisdiction over designated single-member Debts Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) as detailed below:

Appellate Tribunal (DRAT) Jurisdictional DRTs Coverage (39 Total)
DRAT Allahabad (6 DRTs) DRT Allahabad, DRT Dehradun, DRT Jabalpur, DRT Lucknow, DRT Patna, DRT Ranchi
DRAT Chennai (9 DRTs) DRT Chennai-1, DRT Chennai-2, DRT Chennai-3, DRT Bengaluru-1, DRT Bengaluru-2, DRT Coimbatore, DRT Ernakulam-1, DRT Ernakulam-2, DRT Madurai
DRAT Delhi (7 DRTs) DRT Delhi-1, DRT Delhi-2, DRT Delhi-3, DRT Chandigarh-1, DRT Chandigarh-2, DRT Chandigarh-3, DRT Jaipur
DRAT Kolkata (9 DRTs) DRT Kolkata-1, DRT Kolkata-2, DRT Kolkata-3, DRT Hyderabad-1, DRT Hyderabad-2, DRT Visakhapatnam, DRT Siliguri, DRT Cuttack, DRT Guwahati
DRAT Mumbai (8 DRTs) DRT Mumbai-1, DRT Mumbai-2, DRT Mumbai-3, DRT Ahmedabad-1, DRT Ahmedabad-2, DRT Aurangabad, DRT Nagpur, DRT Pune

3. Digital e-DRT Project Architecture & Case Management

The Ministry of Finance has operationalized the e-DRT Project across all 39 DRTs and 5 DRATs nationwide. This digital portal enhances transparency, case tracking efficiency, and statutory compliance through four core operational modules:

  • e-Filing System: Enables Advocates and litigants to file Original Applications (OAs), Securitisation Applications (SAs), and interlocutory applications online with digital verification.
  • e-Payment Portal: Integrated gateway for online payment of tribunal application fees and process costs.
  • Automated Cause List Generation: Real-time daily cause lists published for all court benches.
  • Case Information System (CIS): Allows online tracking of case status, daily order sheets, interim stays, and final judgments.

4. Statutory Comparison: DRT vs DRAT Distinction

Statutory Parameter Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT) Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal (DRAT)
Establishment Section Section 3(1), RDB Act 1993 Section 8(1), RDB Act 1993
Judicial Hierarchy Primary Court of First Instance Appellate Court over DRTs
Filing Limitation 45 Days from Section 13(4) Measure 30 Days from DRT Order receipt
Pre-Deposit Rules No statutory pre-deposit for filing SA Mandatory 50% deposit (reducible up to min 25%)
Case Transfer Power No intra-tribunal transfer power Power to transfer pending cases across DRTs

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs / अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले प्रश्न)

Q1. What is the 45-day statutory limitation period for filing an SA in DRT? / DRT में आवेदन करने के लिए 45 दिनों की समय सीमा क्या है?

English: Under Section 17(1) of the SARFAESI Act, an aggrieved borrower or third party must file a Securitisation Application before the DRT within 45 days from the date any enforcement measure (such as possession or auction notice) is taken by the secured creditor.
हिंदी: SARFAESI अधिनियम की धारा 17(1) के तहत, व्यथित कर्जदार या व्यक्ति बैंक द्वारा संपत्ति पर कब्ज़ा या नीलामी नोटिस जैसी कार्रवाई किए जाने की तारीख से 45 दिनों के भीतर DRT में आवेदन कर सकता है।

Q2. Can a borrower recover property possession from DRT? / क्या कर्जदार को DRT से संपत्ति वापस मिल सकती है?

English: Yes. If DRT concludes after inquiry that the bank's enforcement measures violated statutory rules or notice provisions, DRT can declare the enforcement invalid and order immediate restoration of physical possession to the borrower along with costs and compensation.
हिंदी: हाँ, यदि DRT जाँच के बाद यह निष्कर्ष निकालता है कि बैंक की जब्ती कार्रवाई नियम विरुद्ध थी, तो वह बैंक के कदम को अमान्य घोषित कर कर्जदार को संपत्ति का कब्ज़ा तुरंत वापस लौटाने का आदेश दे सकता है।

Q3. What is the pre-deposit requirement for filing an appeal before DRAT? / DRAT में अपील करने के लिए कितनी जमा राशि आवश्यक है?

English: Under Section 18, a borrower must pre-deposit 50% of the debt claimed by the bank or determined by DRT. DRAT may reduce this deposit for recorded reasons, but cannot reduce it below 25% under any circumstances.
हिंदी: धारा 18 के तहत, DRAT में अपील के लिए 50% बकाया कर्ज जमा करना अनिवार्य है। विशेष कारणों से DRAT इसे घटाकर न्यूनतम 25% कर सकता है, परंतु 25% से कम जमा पर अपील संभव नहीं है।

Q4. How does DRAT transfer pending cases across DRTs? / DRAT द्वारा मामलों को स्थानांतरित करने की प्रक्रिया क्या है?

English: When multi-lender exposures or ARC acquisitions involve proceedings across different DRTs, an application can be moved before DRAT under Section 17A of the RDB Act. DRAT hears affected parties and orders consolidation of all pending proceedings before a single DRT.
हिंदी: जब अलग-अलग बैंकों की कार्यवाही विभिन्न DRTs में चल रही हो, तो एसेट रिकंस्ट्रक्शन कंपनी या पक्षकार DRAT में आवेदन कर सकते हैं। DRAT सभी पक्षों को सुनकर मामलों को किसी एक DRT में स्थानांतरित करने का आदेश देता है।

Q5. Are bona fide tenants protected under SARFAESI proceedings? / क्या SARFAESI कार्रवाई के तहत किरायेदारों को सुरक्षा प्राप्त है?

English: Yes. Under Supreme Court jurisprudence (*Harshad Govardhan Sondagar* & *Vishal N. Kalsaria*), bona fide leasehold interests created prior to Section 13(2) notice cannot be summarily dispossessed without DRT examining tenancy validity under state rent laws.
हिंदी: हाँ, सुप्रीम कोर्ट के निर्णयों के अनुसार, यदि वैध किरायेदारी धारा 13(2) नोटिस से पहले की है, तो DRT द्वारा जाँच किए बिना किरायेदार को जबरन बेदखल नहीं किया जा सकता।

6. Official Contact Directory of All 5 DRATs & 39 DRTs in India

Official directory of contact numbers, email addresses, and physical registry locations for all 5 Appellate Benches (DRATs) and 39 Debts Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) in India (sourced from official Ministry of Finance e-DRT portal at drt.gov.in):

Tribunal Name Official Registry Address Contact Phone / Email
DEBTS RECOVERY APPELLATE TRIBUNALS (DRATs) — 5 BENCHES
DRAT Allahabad 3, Tashkent Marg, Civil Lines, Prayagraj, UP 211001 0532-2420455 / dratallahabad-dfs@nic.in
DRAT Chennai 7th Floor, Shastri Bhawan, 26, Haddows Road, Chennai 600006 044-28271501 / dratchennai-dfs@nic.in
DRAT Delhi 3rd Floor, Jeevan Deep Building, Parliament Street, New Delhi 110001 011-23748281 / dratdelhi-dfs@nic.in
DRAT Kolkata 9, Old Post Office Street, 3rd Floor, Kolkata 700001 033-22484392 / dratkolkata-dfs@nic.in
DRAT Mumbai Scindia House, 1st Floor, N.M. Marg, Ballard Estate, Mumbai 400038 022-22618174 / dratmumbai-dfs@nic.in
DEBTS RECOVERY TRIBUNALS (DRTs) — MAJOR JURISDICTIONAL BENCHES (39 TOTAL)
DRT Chandigarh-1, 2 & 3 SCO 33-34-35, Sector 17-A, Chandigarh 160017 0172-2720235 / drt1chandigarh-dfs@nic.in
DRT Delhi-1, 2 & 3 Sanskrit Bhawan, 4, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi 110016 011-26514321 / drt1delhi-dfs@nic.in
DRT Mumbai-1, 2 & 3 Telephone Bhawan, 3rd Floor, Strand Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400005 022-22181822 / drt1mumbai-dfs@nic.in
DRT Chennai-1, 2 & 3 Dewan Towers, 770-A, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002 044-28494101 / drt1chennai-dfs@nic.in
DRT Kolkata-1, 2 & 3 Jeevan Sudha Building, 8th Floor, 42-C, J.N. Road, Kolkata 70071 033-22881234 / drt1kolkata-dfs@nic.in
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