Loan defaulters have no right to be represented by lawyer in 'in-house' proceedings of banks: SC

The Supreme Court has held that a person has no "right" to be represented by a lawyer in "in-house" proceedings initiated by banks or financial institutions to declare him willful defaulters for non-payment of dues.

A bench comprising Justices R F Nariman and Vineet Saran was dealing with the question whether a person is entitled to be represented by a lawyer of his choice in the process undertaken by banks to declare him a "wilful defaulter" under a circular issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

"We are of the view that there is no right to be represented by a lawyer in the in-house proceedings contained in...the Revised Circular dated July 01, 2015, as it is clear that the events of wilful default as mentioned...would only relate to the individual facts of each case.

"What has typically to be discovered is whether a unit has defaulted in making its payment obligations even when it has the capacity to honour the said obligations; or that it has borrowed funds which are diverted .