In exercise of the powers conferred by clause ccd of sub section 2 of section 36 of the Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy Act

## Report on the Debts Recovery Tribunals and Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunals Electronic Filing Amendment Rules, 2025 **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes the Debts Recovery Tribunals and Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunals Electronic Filing Amendment Rules, 2025, as notified by the Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services, on June 23, 2025. This amendment modifies the 2020 Electronic Filing Rules. The core purpose of the amendment is to mandate electronic filing of pleadings under specified Acts through the eDRT system. A key finding is the requirement for applicants to utilize the eDRT system for filing pleadings related to debt recovery and securitization matters. **2. Introduction:** The purpose of this report is to provide an informative analysis of the Debts Recovery Tribunals and Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunals Electronic Filing Amendment Rules, 2025, based solely on the text provided in the official notification. This report aims to clarify the key provisions and potential impact of this amendment for affected stakeholders. **3. Policy Overview:** This notification amends the Debts Recovery Tribunals and Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal Electronic Filing Rules, 2020. The core objective, as inferred from the text, is to streamline and modernize the filing process for pleadings related to debt recovery and securitization matters before Debts Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) and Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunals (DRATs) by mandating electronic filing. **4. Background and Rationale:** The amendment likely aims to improve the efficiency and accessibility of the filing process within DRTs and DRATs. The shift to mandatory electronic filing suggests an effort to reduce paperwork, expedite case processing, and potentially enhance transparency. The amendment likely addresses potential inconsistencies or ambiguities in the previous rules regarding the method of filing pleadings. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This amendment introduces a key change to Rule 4 of the Debts Recovery Tribunals and Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal Electronic Filing Rules, 2020. * **Specific part of the original policy being changed:** Rule 4 of the 2020 Electronic Filing Rules is being entirely substituted. * **New rule/provision:** The substituted rule mandates that all pleadings, as prescribed under the Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy Act, 1993, and the Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002, must be filed by an applicant in electronic form through the eDRT system. * **Difference/effect of the change:** Previously, Rule 4 likely allowed for alternative methods of filing pleadings, or lacked the level of specificity now mandated. This amendment eliminates those alternatives and explicitly requires the use of the eDRT system. This change effectively moves towards a fully electronic filing system for these specific types of pleadings. The amendment also points to the existence of a Standard Operating Procedure User Manual available on the eDRT portal. **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** The target audience and directly affected stakeholders are primarily applicants involved in proceedings before Debts Recovery Tribunals and Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunals, particularly those related to: * Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy Act, 1993 cases. * Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 cases. This includes banks, financial institutions, asset reconstruction companies, borrowers, and their respective legal representatives. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible agency/bodies:** The Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services is responsible for issuing the notification. The DRTs and DRATs are responsible for implementing the electronic filing system. * **Timelines or procedures:** The amendment came into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette, June 23, 2025. Further details on the procedures for using the eDRT system are likely available in the Standard Operating Procedure User Manual referenced in the notification. The existence of a user manual suggests training and support resources will be available. * **Implementation of Changes:** Stakeholders now need to familiarize themselves with the eDRT system and its associated procedures for electronic filing. Existing manual processes for filing pleadings under the specified Acts will need to be discontinued. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The likely intended outcomes of these changes are: * Increased efficiency and speed in the filing and processing of pleadings. * Reduced administrative burden and paperwork for both applicants and the tribunals. * Improved accessibility to case information for all stakeholders. * Greater transparency in the filing process. * Standardized filing procedure through the eDRT system and related manual. **9. Conclusion:** The Debts Recovery Tribunals and Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunals Electronic Filing Amendment Rules, 2025, represent a significant step towards modernizing the debt recovery process by mandating electronic filing through the eDRT system. This change aims to streamline proceedings, enhance transparency, and improve efficiency for all stakeholders involved in debt recovery and securitization cases before DRTs and DRATs. The impact of this amendment will be felt through a more efficient and transparent electronic filing system.

Key Entities Referenced