Case: Videocon International Ltd Vs. Securities &amp; Exchange Board of India

6. Through the present Civil Appeal no. 117 of 2005 (arising out of Special Leave Petition (Civil) no. 3221 of 2004), the appellant has impugned the order passed by the High Court of Judicature at Bombay (hereinafter referred to as, the High Court), on 13.10.2003. The High Court, through the impugned order had examined Section 15Z of the SEBI Act (as amended by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Amendment) Act, 2002). The issue for determination before the High Court was, whether the aforesaid amendment to Section 15Z of the SEBI Act, would operate prospectively or retrospectively. Appeals had been preferred by the Board, before the High Court assailing the orders passed by the Securities Appellate Tribunal. All the orders under challenge, had been passed by the Securities Appellate Tribunal before 29.10.2002. Some appeals were preferred before 29.10.2002, and one of the appeals was preferred after 29.10.2002. The question which had arisen for adjudication before the High Court was, whether an appeal would lie to the High Court, after the amendment of Section 15Z of the SEBI Act. The Board which had preferred the appeals, asserted, that all the appeals were maintainable. The appellant before us, felt otherwise.7. The High Court by the impugned order arrived at the conclusion, that such of the appeals as had been filed before the coming into force of the amended Section 15Z, would not be affected by the amendment, and the High Court had the jurisdiction to hear and dispose of the same. The High Court also concluded, that such of the appeals as had been filed after the coming into force of the amended Section 15Z, would not be maintainable.8. The instant appeal has arisen with reference to the appeals which have been held as maintainable by the High Court. According to the learned counsel for the appellant, where the repealing Act provides for a new forum (as in the instant case), the original remedy (or legal proceedings) cannot be pursued after the repeal, the remedy before the new forum alone would be available.9. Insofar as the factual aspect of the present matter is concerned, the impugned order which was assailed before the High Court, under the unamended Section 15Z was disposed of before 29.10.2002. And therefore it was felt, that the remedy available at the time when the impugned order was passed, had to be pursued. Therefore, the pointed question to be determined by this Court, in the present appeal would be, whether an order passed by the Securities Appellate Tribunal before 29.10.2002 would be appealable under the unamended provision of Section 15Z of the SEBI Act before the High Court, or alternatively, whether the same would be appealable under the amended provision of Section 15Z of the SEBI Act before the Supreme Court. And also, whether the date on which the Board had preferred the appeals, was a relevant consideration, in the facts and circumstances of the present case.

Court's reasoning:
21. It is also true that no litigant has any vested right in the matter of procedural law but where the question is of change of forum it ceases to be a question of procedure only. The forum of appeal or proceedings is a vested right as opposed to pure procedure to be followed before a particular forum. The right becomes vested when the proceedings are initiated in the Tribunal or the court of first instance and unless the legislature has by express words or by necessary implication clearly so indicated, that vested right will continue in spite of the change of jurisdiction of the different Tribunals or forums.We have given our thoughtful consideration to the submissions advanced at the hands of the learned counsel for the rival parties. We shall now venture to determine the controversy which has been debated hereinabove. So as not to be required to repeatedly express one foundational fact, it would be pertinent to mention, that our determination, insofar as the present controversy is concerned, is with reference to situations wherein, the amending provision by express words or by necessary implication, does not mandate the amendment to be either prospective or retrospective. In the present case, the instant situation emerges from Section 32 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Amendment) Act, 2002, which is silent on the above subject.25. First and foremost, we shall determine the veracity of the contention advanced at the hands of the learned counsel for the appellant, that the remedy of second appeal provided for in the unamended Section 15Z of the SEBI Act remained unaffected by the amendment of the said provision; and on the basis of the above assumption, the learned counsels submission, that the present controversy relates to an amendment which envisaged a mere change of forum. Insofar as the instant aspect of the matter is concerned, it would be pertinent to mention, that a right of appeal can be availed of only when it is expressly conferred. When such a right is conferred, its parameters are also laid down. A right of appeal may be absolute, i.e., without any limitations. Or, it may be a limited right. The above position is understandable, from a perusal of the unamended and amended Section 15Z of the SEBI Act. Under the unamended Section 15Z, the appellate remedy to the High Court, against an order passed by the Securities Appellate Tribunal, was circumscribed by the words "...on any question of fact or law arising out of such order.". The amended Section 15Z, while altering the appellate forum from the High Court to the Supreme Court, curtailed and restricted the scope of the appeal, against an order passed by the Securities Appellate Tribunal, by expressing that the remedy could be availed of "...on any question of law arising out of such order.".It is, therefore apparent, that the right to appeal, is available in different packages, and that, the amendment to Section 15Z, varied the scope of the second appeal provided under the SEBI Act.Where the appellate package, as in the present case, is expressed differently at the "pre" and "post" amendment stages, there could only be two eventualities. Firstly, the pre-amendment appellate package, could have been decreased by the amendment. Or alternatively, the post-amendment package, could have been increased by the amendment. In the former situation, all that was available earlier, is now not available. In other words, the right of an individual to the appellate remedy, stands reduced or curtailed. In the latter situation, the amendment enhances the appellate package. The appellate remedy available prior to the amendment, stands included in the amendment, and some further addition has been made thereto. In the latter stage, all that was available earlier continues to subsist. The two situations contemplated hereinabove, will obviously lead to different consequences, because in the former position, the amendment would adversely affect the right, as was available earlier. In the latter position, the amendment would not affect the right of appeal, as was available earlier, because the earlier package is still included in the amended package.28. In the facts and circumstances of this case, it is apparent that Section 15Z of the SEBI Act prior to the amendment, postulated that the appellate remedy would extend to "...any question of fact or law arising out of such order.". Whereas, the appellate remedy was curtailed consequent upon the amendment, whereunder the appellate right was limited to, "...any question of law arising out of such order.". Accordingly, by the amendment, the earlier appellate package stands reduced, because under the amended Section 15Z, it is not open to an appellant, to agitate an appeal on facts. That being the position, it is not possible for us to accept the contention advanced at the hands of the learned counsel for the appellant, that the amendment to Section 15Z of the SEBI Act, envisages only an amendment of the forum, where the second appeal would lie. In our considered view, the amendment to Section 15Z of the SEBI Act, having reduced the appellate package, adversely affected the appellate right vested of the concerned litigant. The right of appeal being a vested right, the appellate package, as was available at the commencement of the proceedings, would continue to vest in the parties engaged in a lis, till the eventual culmination of the proceedings. Obviously, that would be subject to an amendment expressly or impliedly, providing to the contrary. Section 32 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Amendment) Act, 2002, which has been extracted in paragraph 12 hereinabove reveals, that the repeal and saving clause, neither expressly nor impliedly, so provides. Thus viewed, we are constrained to conclude, that the assertion advanced at the hands of the learned counsel for the appellant, that the instant amendment to Section 15Z of the SEBI Act, does not affect the second appellate remedy, but merely alters the forum where the second appellate remedy would lie, is not acceptable.29. Having concluded, that the remedy of second appeal vested in the respondent has not been preserved, in the same format as it was available to the respondent, at the time of initiation of the lis between the parties; and also having concluded, that the scope of the appellate remedy has been diminished by the amendment, we are satisfied in holding, that amendment to Section 15Z of the SEBI Act adversely affected the respondent, of a vested substantive appellate right, as was available to the respondent, at the commencement of the lis or dispute between the rival parties. Having recorded the aforesaid conclusion, based on the judgments relied upon by the learned counsel for the appellant, as also, by the learned counsel for the respondent, it is inevitable to conclude, that the appellate remedy available to the respondent prior to the amendment of Section 15Z of the SEBI Act, must continue to be available to the respondent, despite the amendment. We accordingly hold, that all the appeals preferred by the Board, before the High Court, were maintainable in law.30. Having recorded our conclusion, as has been noticed in the foregoing paragraph, it is apparent, that insofar as the vesting of the second appellate remedy is concerned, neither the date of filing of the second appeal, nor the date of hearing thereof, is of any relevance. Legal pursuit of a remedy, suit, appeal and second appeal, are steps in a singular proceeding. All these steps are deemingly connected by an intrinsic unity, which are treated as one singular proceeding. Therefore, the relevant date when the appellate remedy (including the second appellate remedy) becomes vested in the parties to the lis, is the date when the dispute/lis is initiated. Insofar as the present controversy is concerned, it is not a matter of dispute, that the Securities Appellate Tribunal had passed the impugned order (which was assailed by the Board), well before 29.10.2002. This singular fact itself, would lead to the conclusion, that the lis between the parties, out of which the second appellate remedy was availed of by the Board before the High Court, came to be initiated well before the amendment to Section 15Z by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Amendment) Act, 2002. Undisputedly, the unamended Section 15Z of the SEBI Act, constituted the appellate package and the forum of appeal, for the parties herein. It is, therefore, not possible for us to accept, the contention advanced at the hands of the learned counsel for the appellant, premised on the date of filing or hearing of the appeal, preferred by the Board, before the High Court. We accordingly reiterate the position expressed above, that all the appeals preferred by the Board, before the High Court, were maintainable in law.31. It was also the contention of the learned counsel for the appellant, that in the absence of a saving clause, the pending proceedings (and the jurisdiction of the High Court), cannot be deemed to have been saved. It is not possible for us to accept the instant contention. In the judgment rendered by this Court in Ambalal Sarabhai Enterprises Limited case (supra), it was held, that the general principle was, that a law which brought about a change in the forum, would not affect pending actions, unless the intention to the contrary was clearly shown. Since the amending provision herein, does not so envisage, it has to be concluded, that the pending appeals (before the amendment of Section 15Z) would not be affected in any manner. Accordingly, for the same reasons as have been expressed in the above judgment (relevant extracts whereof have been reproduced above), we are of the view, that the instant contention advanced at the hands of the learned counsel for the appellant is wholly misconceived. Furthermore, the instant contention is wholly unacceptable in view of the mandate contained in Section 6(c) and (e) of the General Clauses Act, 1897. While interpreting the aforesaid provisions this Court has held, that the amendment of a statute, which is not retrospective in operation, does not affect pending proceedings, except where the amending provision expressly or by necessary intendment provides otherwise. Pending proceedings are to continue as if the unamended provision is still in force. This Court has clearly concluded, that when a lis commences, all rights and obligations of the parties get crystallized on that date, and the mandate of Section 6 of the General Clauses Act, simply ensures, that pending proceedings under the unamended provision remain unaffected. Herein also, therefore, our conclusion is the same as has already been rendered by us, in the foregoing paragraphs.32. Having concluded in the manner expressed in the foregoing paragraphs, it is not necessary for us to examine the main contention, advanced at the hands of the learned counsel for the appellant, namely, that the amendment to Section 15Z of the SEBI Act, contemplates a mere change of forum of the second appellate remedy. Despite the aforesaid, we consider it just and appropriate, in the facts and circumstances of the present case, to delve on the above subject as well. In dealing with the submission advanced at the hands of the learned counsel for the appellant, on the subject of forum, we will fictionally presume, that the amendment to Section 15Z by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Amendment) Act, 2002 had no effect on the second appellate remedy made available to the parties, and further that, the above amendment merely alters the forum of the second appeal, from the High Court (under the unamended provision), to the Supreme Court (consequent upon the amendment). On the above assumption, learned counsel for the appellant had placed reliance on, the decisions rendered by this Court in Maria Cristina De Souza Sodder, Hitendra Vishnu Thakur and Thirumalai Chemicals Ltd. cases (supra) to contend, that the law relating to forum being procedural in nature, an amendment which altered the forum, would apply retrospectively. Whilst the correctness of the aforesaid contention cannot be doubted, it is essential to clarify, that the same is not an absolute rule. In this behalf, reference may be made to the judgments relied upon by the learned counsel for the respondent, and more importantly to the judgment rendered in Commissioner of Income Tax, Orissa case (supra), wherein it has been explained, that an amendment of forum would not necessarily be an issue of procedure. It was concluded in the above judgment, that where the question is of change of forum, it ceased to be a question of procedure, and becomes substantive and vested, if proceedings stand initiated before the earlier prescribed forum (prior to the amendment having taken effect). This Court clearly declared in the above judgment, that if the appellate remedy had been availed of (before the forum expressed in the unamended provision) before the amendment, the same would constitute a vested right. However, if the same has not been availed of, and the forum of the appellate remedy is altered by an amendment, the change in the forum, would constitute a procedural amendment, as contended by the learned counsel for the appellant. Consequently even in the facts and circumstances of the present case, all such appeals as had been filed by the Board, prior to 29.10.2002, would have to be accepted as vested, and must be adjudicated accordingly.33. The conclusion recorded by us in the foregoing paragraph emerges even from the mandate contained in Section 6 of the General Clauses Act, 1897. The legal contours emerging out of Section 6 aforementioned, have already been recorded by us, and need not be repeated.