MSME Revival Framework & protection against NPA- Not automatic

Judgment dated 28.7.2025 of the Supreme Court of India in Writ Petition (Civil) No.684 of 2024 of Shri Shri Swami Samarth Construction & Finance Solution and another Vs. The Board of Directors of NKGSB Coop Bank Ltd & others
MSME Revival Framework & protection against NPA- Not automatic
The respondent Bank had declared the account of the petitioner – enterprise under MSMED Act as NPA and issued the demand notice under Section 13(2) of the SARFAESI Act.
This was challenged as violative of the Notification dated 29.5.2015 on Framework for Revival and Rehabilitation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
HELD that the terms of the Framework for revival do not prohibit the lending bank / secured creditor if it has no conscious knowledge that the borrower is an MSME, to classify the account of defaulting MSME as NPA and even to issue the section 13(2) demand notice without such identification of incipient stress in the account of the defaulting borrower – MSME. However, on receipt of demand notice, the borrower asserts that it is an MSME and claims the benefit of the Framework citing reasons supported by an affidavit, the bank would then be mandatorily bound to consider such claim keeping further action under SARFAESI Act in abeyance.
