Odisha and Chhattisgarh are at the heart of India's mineral and metals economy, and the Cuttack Bench of the National Company Law Tribunal hears the company and insolvency cases that come out of it. The bench covers every company registered in the two states: steel and sponge iron plants, aluminium and ferro-alloy companies, mining lease holders, power producers, rice mills, cement companies and the contractors and suppliers who serve them. Many of the region's insolvencies involve large plants, heavy bank borrowing and complex questions about mining leases and state dues.
The bench sits in Corporate Bhawan, Plot No. 9(P), Sector 1, CDA, Cuttack. This page explains which companies it covers, the kinds of cases it hears, how matters move, and how we handle Odisha and Chhattisgarh matters with associate counsel and online consultation, supported by our Delhi NCR team.
हिंदी में सारांश
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Is this your situation?
- Your company, or your debtor, is registered in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Sambalpur or elsewhere in Odisha
- A company registered in Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg or elsewhere in Chhattisgarh owes you money
- You supplied coal, iron ore, machinery or services to a steel or sponge iron plant that has stopped paying
- You are a lender to a mining, metals or power company in default
- A creditor has filed insolvency against your Odisha or Chhattisgarh company
- You are a bidder considering a plant or mining company in CIRP
- You have guaranteed the loans of a company in this region
NCLT Cuttack at a glance
Address
Corporate Bhawan, Plot No. 9(P), Sector 1, CDA, Cuttack 753014, Odisha.
Territorial jurisdiction
Companies and LLPs whose registered office is in Odisha or Chhattisgarh.
Registrars
Odisha companies are registered with the ROC at Cuttack, and Chhattisgarh companies with the ROC for Chhattisgarh.
Kinds of cases
Steel, sponge iron, ferro-alloys, aluminium, mining, power, cement, rice milling and infrastructure contracting.
Appeals
Appeals go to the NCLAT at New Delhi.
How we work here
We handle matters with associate counsel for appearances, offer online consultation, and prepare papers and strategy from our Delhi NCR offices.
Which companies go to Cuttack
Under Section 60(1) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, the bench depends on the registered office. An Odisha or Chhattisgarh company goes to Cuttack, whatever the location of its creditors. But many plants in the region belong to companies registered in Kolkata, Delhi or Mumbai, and those cases go to Kolkata, New Delhi or Mumbai. Always check the master data on the MCA portal; the location of the plant is not the test.
Chhattisgarh companies are sometimes assumed to go to the Madhya Pradesh bench because the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh. They do not: Chhattisgarh falls under the Cuttack Bench. Personal guarantors of loans to companies in either state are also proceeded against in Cuttack.
Cases we commonly see from Odisha and Chhattisgarh
Steel and sponge iron plants
Mid-sized plants in Rourkela, Jharsuguda, Raipur and Raigarh in default to banks, coal suppliers and transporters.
Mining lease holders
Iron ore, bauxite, chromite and coal-related companies, where the value of the business depends heavily on the lease.
Power producers
Captive and independent power companies with lender claims and disputes over power purchase agreements.
Rice mills and agro units
Chhattisgarh rice mills and processors with bank limits tied to procurement seasons.
Infrastructure contractors
Road, mining and plant construction contractors with claims against principals and lenders.
Suppliers and transporters
Operational creditors pursuing plants for unpaid bills under Section 9.
How a matter moves at NCLT Cuttack
Check jurisdiction
We confirm the registered office from MCA records and identify the right company in the group.
Prepare and e-file
Papers are filed on the NCLT e-filing portal with the fee paid online.
Defects and listing
The registry notifies defects, which must be cured within the time allowed (seven days for insolvency applications). The matter is then numbered and listed.
Hearings
Matters are heard on the dates in the cause list. Virtual appearance may be permitted, depending on current practice.
Orders and appeals
Orders are uploaded on the NCLT website. Appeals go to the NCLAT at New Delhi.
Mining leases in insolvency
For a mining company, the lease is usually the most valuable asset, but it is not freely transferable. Under the mining law, a lease may lapse if mining does not begin or is suspended for a set period, transfer needs the state government's approval, and there may be outstanding royalty, dead rent or contributions to district funds. Some leases have also been affected by court orders on compliance and environmental clearances.
In a CIRP, the resolution professional must keep the lease alive, which may mean continuing operations or applying for extensions. Bidders need to know whether the lease will survive the change of control and what approvals they will need. The Supreme Court has held that government dues not included in an approved resolution plan stand extinguished (Ghanashyam Mishra, 2021), but statutory conditions for holding a lease continue. Lenders, bidders and promoters should take advice before the information memorandum is finalised. See resolution plans and Section 29A eligibility.
Related forums for Odisha and Chhattisgarh disputes
| Forum | When it may be the better route |
|---|---|
| Debts Recovery Tribunals with jurisdiction over the region | Bank and financial institution recovery, and SARFAESI challenges by borrowers |
| Commercial courts in Odisha and Chhattisgarh | Disputed trade debts and contract claims, after pre-institution mediation |
| Odisha RERA and Chhattisgarh RERA | Homebuyers in registered projects seeking refund, interest or possession |
| Orissa High Court and Chhattisgarh High Court | Writ petitions against state authorities, for example on mining leases |
| Arbitration | Supply and construction contracts with arbitration clauses |
Time and typical cost
Our fees are agreed in writing at the start, stage by stage. They are not linked to the outcome.
| Stage | Usual time | What it involves |
|---|---|---|
| Checking jurisdiction and papers | 2 to 5 days | MCA master data; our fee for the opinion |
| Drafting and e-filing | 1 to 2 weeks after papers are complete | NCLT filing fee as per the tribunal's rules; our fee |
| Defects and first listing | 1 to 4 weeks | Depends on registry workload |
| Insolvency application up to admission | Due within 14 days by law; in practice often a few weeks to some months | Hearings, written submissions |
| CIRP of a plant or mining company | 180 days, extendable; complex cases often longer | Committee meetings, valuations, bids |
Documents usually needed
About the company
- MCA master data showing the registered office in Odisha or Chhattisgarh
- Memorandum, articles and latest financial statements
For an insolvency application
- Debt documents and proof of default
- For suppliers: purchase orders, invoices, weighbridge slips, lorry receipts and ledgers
- Demand notice and proof of delivery (Section 9)
- Consent of the proposed resolution professional
For a bidder
- Mining lease deed and approvals
- Environmental clearances and consent to operate
- Statement of state dues
Filing formalities
- Affidavit, vakalatnama and authority letter
- Index, list of dates and paginated annexures
Laws that apply
Insolvency applications go to the NCLT where the company's registered office is located.
Requirements for resolution plans and their approval, including compliance with other laws.
Distribution in liquidation; after the 2026 amendment, a charge created only by law does not make government dues secured.
Filing, listing and hearing procedure.
How we work on Odisha and Chhattisgarh matters
We are a litigation practice led by Advocate BK Singh, with offices in Dwarka (New Delhi) and Vaishali (Ghaziabad). For matters at Cuttack, this is what you can expect:
- Online first meeting: we review papers and advise by video.
- Associate counsel for appearances: we work with advocates who appear before the Cuttack Bench.
- Sector issues flagged early: mining leases, state dues and environmental clearances are checked before filing or bidding.
- Honest advice on forum: disputed supply claims may suit a suit or arbitration better.
- Written fee terms: agreed stage by stage, never linked to the outcome.
Mistakes we see in this region
- Filing against a plant's operating company when the contract was with a Kolkata or Delhi entity
- Assuming Chhattisgarh companies go to the Madhya Pradesh bench
- Bidding for a mining company without checking whether the lease will survive
- Relying on weighbridge slips without matching invoices and ledgers
- Missing the date of any quality complaint raised before the demand notice
A coal supplier and a sponge iron plant
Here's a made-up example. A coal trading company in Jharkhand supplied coal worth Rs 2.4 crore to a sponge iron plant registered in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh. The plant paid part and then stopped, saying only that it was short of funds.
We confirmed the plant's registered office in Chhattisgarh, collected the purchase orders, invoices, weighbridge slips and the plant's ledger confirmations, and sent a demand notice under Section 8. No notice of dispute came within ten days. A Section 9 application was filed before NCLT Cuttack. The plant's lenders, worried about admission, supported a settlement under which the supplier was paid in instalments from the plant's sales, and the application was withdrawn before admission.
A bidder and a bauxite lease
Here's a second made-up example. An investor was interested in an Odisha alumina company in CIRP. The company's main asset was a bauxite mining lease, and mining had been suspended for over a year.
Before submitting a plan, we reviewed the lease, the suspension orders and the state's demand for dues. We found that the lease was at risk of lapse unless mining resumed or an extension was obtained. The plan was made conditional on the extension, and the resolution professional applied to the state for it. The committee of creditors approved the plan once the extension was granted, and NCLT Cuttack approved it.
Before your first hearing
Clients outside Odisha and Chhattisgarh often worry about the first hearing. We prepare a one-page note with the dates, the amount in default, the demand notice and any reply, and page references to the paper book. For supply claims to plants, we add a reconciliation of invoices, weighbridge slips and payments, because the bench may ask how the figure was reached. If the corporate debtor raises a dispute in its reply, we check at once whether it was raised before the demand notice.
Power purchase agreements and lender claims
Power companies in the region often sell under long-term power purchase agreements with state distribution companies. When a distribution company delays payment, the generator may default to its lenders even though it is owed large sums. In a CIRP, the receivables from the distribution company are often the generator's main asset, along with the plant. Resolution applicants need to assess whether those receivables can be recovered and whether the power purchase agreement will continue after the change of control. Lenders weighing a Section 7 petition should consider whether a restructuring tied to recovery of the receivables would achieve more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is NCLT Cuttack?
Corporate Bhawan, Plot No. 9(P), Sector 1, CDA, Cuttack 753014.
Which states does NCLT Cuttack cover?
Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Does a Raipur company go to Cuttack or Indore?
Cuttack. Chhattisgarh companies are heard by the Cuttack Bench.
Where do appeals from NCLT Cuttack go?
To the NCLAT at New Delhi.
What happens to a mining lease in a CIRP?
The lease is subject to mining law conditions and may need state approval for transfer. The resolution professional must try to keep it alive.
Are state royalty dues secured in insolvency?
After the 2026 amendment, a charge created only by law does not make government dues secured. Their ranking depends on the waterfall.
Can a supplier from another state file in Cuttack?
Yes. The supplier files before NCLT Cuttack if the buyer is registered in Odisha or Chhattisgarh.
Do you take matters at NCLT Cuttack?
Yes, with associate counsel for appearances and our Delhi NCR team for drafting and strategy.
Matter Before NCLT Cuttack?
Send us the company's details and your papers. We will confirm the bench, check the deadlines and explain how we would run the case.
This page gives general information about the law as it stood when it was last reviewed. It is not legal advice on your case and does not promise any result. IBC rules and NCLT procedures change often, so outcomes depend on your own documents, dates and facts.
Need help with NCLT Cuttack for Odisha and Chhattisgarh Companies?
Send us the notice, the petition or the order. We will tell you where you stand, which bench hears it and the date the next step is due, in plain words.
